Demonstrative pronouns and adjectives are some of the most important elements of language. They help define which person, object, or idea is being referred to. Despite their simplicity, they play an important role in making our communication more articulate and clear. In this post, we look at how this, those, that, and these function both as demonstrative pronouns and adjectives.
What Are Demonstrative Pronouns?
Demonstrative pronouns replace nouns and indicate specific people, places, or things in a sentence. They simplify communication by allowing us to refer to something without repeating the noun.
There are four main demonstrative pronouns in English:
- This (singular, near)
- That (singular, far)
- These (plural, near)
- Those (plural, far)
Examples of Demonstrative Pronouns:
This is my favorite book.
(Here, this refers to one book, which is close to the speaker.)
That is a wonderful building.
(In this case, that refers to one building, which is far from the speaker.)
These are delicious cookies.
(These refers to cookies that are close to the speaker.)
Those were some great times!
(Those refers to moments that are far away in time or space.)
This and These vs. That and Those
- This and these: Used when the object or person is near you, either physically or metaphorically, referring to something happening in the present.
- That and those: Used when the object or person is farther away, either in space or time, referring to something from the past or further away.
What Are Demonstrative Adjectives?
Demonstrative adjectives are similar to pronouns, but instead of replacing a noun, they describe it. They identify whether the noun is singular or plural, and whether it is close to or far from the speaker.
The same words are used as demonstrative adjectives:
- This (singular, close)
- That (singular, far)
- These (plural, close)
- Those (plural, far)
Examples of Demonstrative Adjectives:
This book is interesting.
(This modifies the noun book to indicate which one is being talked about.)
That car is Sarah’s.
(That modifies the noun car, indicating it is farther away.)
These shoes are comfortable.
(These modifies the noun shoes, indicating they are close to the speaker.)
Those mountains are breathtaking.
(Those modifies the noun mountains, indicating they are at a distance.)
When to Use Each Demonstrative Adjective:
- This and these: Used when the reference is to something near the speaker.
- That and those: Used when the reference is to something farther away or from the past.
Main Differences Between Demonstrative Pronouns and Adjectives
Although the words are the same, the difference lies in their use within a sentence. Demonstrative pronouns stand alone and replace nouns, while demonstrative adjectives describe nouns and provide more detail about what is being referred to.
Examples to Compare:
Pronoun: This is mine.
(Here, this replaces a noun and acts as the subject of the sentence.)
Adjective: This phone is mine.
(This modifies the noun phone, describing which phone is being referred to.)
Pronoun: Those were delicious.
(Those substitutes for a noun, showing which things are being referred to.)
Adjective: Those cookies were delicious.
(Those describes which cookies are being discussed.)
Tips to Get Demonstratives Right in Record Time
- Near or Far: Consider whether the thing or person is close to you physically or metaphorically, or whether it’s something happening now versus something in the past.
- Near: this, these
- Far: that, those
- Singular vs. Plural: Determine whether the subject is singular or plural to choose the correct demonstrative.
- Singular: this, that
- Plural: these, those
- Pronoun vs. Adjective: Remember, a demonstrative pronoun stands alone, whereas a demonstrative adjective modifies a noun.
Practice Makes Perfect
The best way to master demonstrative pronouns and adjectives is by seeing and using them in context. Here are a few exercise sentences:
- This pizza is great!
- Can you pass me that pen over there?
- These flowers are so pretty.
- I remember those summer nights.
By consciously using them in your speech, you’ll soon feel confident applying them correctly.
Final Thoughts
Adding precision to something general can significantly improve the clarity of your communication. Demonstratives allow you to show things near or far, in the present or past, and these small words carry a lot of weight in everyday conversation.
Practice more, and soon you will find it easy to use demonstrative pronouns and adjectives with ease.
