LoginDemonstrative Pronouns For Intermediate learners
Learn to use demonstrative pronouns like 'this', 'that', 'these', and 'those' to point out specific items. Includes practical examples, exercises, and tips for mastery.
When Do We Use Them
This
When we want to point out a single object or a person close to us, we use 'this'. Look at the examples below:
This is my hat on the floor.
This is your wallet.
Here, the sentence is referring to an object near the speaker.
That
When we want to talk about an object or a person that is far away from us, we use 'that'. Look at the examples below:
That is my mom standing over there.
That is my pencil.
These
When we want to refer to a group of things or people that are close to us, we use 'these'. Carefully study the following examples:
These books are Martha's.
Don't touch these CD's! They're mine.
Those
When we want to refer to a group of people or things that are far away from us, we use 'those'. Look at the examples below:
Those are my candles.
Those clouds are beautiful.
How They Function in Sentences
These demonstrative pronouns can be used as both subjects and objects in sentences. They can replace a subject noun or an object noun. Carefully study the examples below:
This is an apple.
Those are dirty.
Here, the demonstrative pronoun is used as the subject and has come at the beginning of the sentence.
Can you two complete that?
Here, 'that' is the object of the sentence
What have I done to deserve this?
Demonstrative Pronouns and Verbs
These demonstrative pronouns can be used with all verbs. The singular pronouns (this and that) are used with singular verbs, while the plural pronouns (these and those) are used with plural verbs.
This is my one and only friend.
Here, the sentence is about one person so the singular form of the 'to be' verb is used.
Those are my books over there.
As you can see, this sentence is about a group of things so the plural form of the 'to be' verb is used.
We can also turn these structures into questions and negative forms. Look at the examples below:
Those are not my students.
This isn't my tutor.
Are these our video clips?
Is that a cat?
As you can see, by changing the places of the subject and verb we can make questions using demonstrative pronouns.
Warning!
Note that when demonstrative pronouns are followed by a noun, they function as determiners and are no longer considered pronouns. In such cases, the determiner agrees in number with the noun it modifies. Compare the examples below:
This cat isn't mine.
As you can see, 'this' is followed by a noun which makes it a determiner.
That is my cat.
Here, 'that' is the subject and is functioning as a demonstrative pronoun.
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