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Grammar Focus Demonstrative

The document discusses demonstratives such as this, that, these, and those. It explains that demonstratives indicate relative distance between the speaker and noun, and can be used as pronouns or adjectives. As pronouns, they refer to nouns and can stand alone, while as adjectives they precede nouns. This/these refer to nearby things, while that/those refer to distant things. The document also provides examples of demonstratives used in different contexts.

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179 views3 pages

Grammar Focus Demonstrative

The document discusses demonstratives such as this, that, these, and those. It explains that demonstratives indicate relative distance between the speaker and noun, and can be used as pronouns or adjectives. As pronouns, they refer to nouns and can stand alone, while as adjectives they precede nouns. This/these refer to nearby things, while that/those refer to distant things. The document also provides examples of demonstratives used in different contexts.

Uploaded by

ari cendani prabawati
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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This - That - These -Those

English Grammar Notes - Demonstratives

This, That, These, Those are called demonstratives and they are used to show the relative
distance between the speaker and the noun.

1. Demonstrative Pronouns

We use this (singular) and these (plural) to refer to something that is here / near.

Examples:

 This is my car. (singular)


 These are our children. (plural)

We use that (singular) and those (plural) to refer to something that is there / far.

Examples:

 That is our house. (singular)


 Those are my shoes. (plural)

Note that the verb changes (i.e. singular / plural) depending on the pronoun that you use.

You can also use Demonstrative Pronouns by themselves:

 Did you do that?


 I'd like to buy these?
 Which of those would you like?

2. Demonstrative Adjectives

You can also use demonstratives before a noun. These are called demonstrative adjectives.

The Demonstrative Adjective needs to agree (= be the same form) as the noun.
Examples of demonstrative adjectives:

 This party is boring. (singular)


 That city is busy. (singular)
 These chocolates are delicious. (plural)
 Those flowers are beautiful. (plural)

 Summary - What is the difference between Demonstrative Adjectives and


Demonstrative Pronouns?

Demonstrative Adjectives and Demonstrative Pronouns use the same words. The easiest way to
know that difference is that Demonstrative Adjectives are always before a noun while
Demonstrative Pronouns are before a verb or by themselves.

 This book is old. (Demonstrative Adjective + Noun)


 This is new. (Demonstrative Pronoun + Verb)
 Did you like that? (Demonstrative Pronoun by itself)

Everything else is the same. For example, both Demonstrative Ajectives and Pronouns use the
word THIS (singular) to talk about something that is close to you and the plural of THIS is
THESE.

 Present vs. Past

If an action is near in time we tend to use this / these.


If an action has finished or is in the past we use that / those.

Examples:

 This is a good meal. (at the time of eating)


 Those girls we met last night were silly. (an event that happened in the past).
 This is

The expression this is is commonly used when you talk on the phone or you introduce people.

Examples:

 "Hello, this is Peter."


 Carol, this is my friend Simon. Simon, this is Carol.

Summary Chart

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