Demonstrative Pronouns

 

Definition

A demonstrative pronoun is a word used to replace a previously mentioned noun in written work. It points to a specific person, place, thing, or idea.

Example

1. Yesterday, I received a message from my father in Paris. That motivates me to take care of my study.

In this example, the demonstrative pronoun 'that' takes the place of the noun 'message'. It helps to avoid the repetition of the noun multiple times.

Here is a list of demonstrative pronouns:

• This
• That
• These
• Those
• None
• Such
• Neither

Functions of the common demonstrative pronouns

The most common demonstrative pronouns are : this, that, these, those. Their functions can be explained as following:

• The demonstrative pronoun can be either singular or plural.
• The singular pronouns are this and that.
• This  is used to point to something that is near in distance or time to the speaker.
• That is used to point to something which is far away in terms of distance or time  to the speaker.
• The plural pronouns are these and those.
• These is used to refer to things which are near in distance or time to the speaker.
• Those is used to refer to things that are far away in terms of distance or time to the speaker. 

Example

1. It is raining now. This is wonderful!
2. The National Zoo is full of visitors. These are excited to see the big elephant.
3. Her cooking smells delicious. That might surprise her husband.
4. I'm looking at the surfers. Those are surfing in amazing way.  

In these examples, the demonstrative pronouns are used to replace nouns which already have been mentioned. The pronouns are selected depending on the context of the sentences that show either the nouns are near or far away in terms of distance or time to the speaker, besides, either they are singular or plural. For instance, the example number three shows that cooking is not close in distance to the speaker and is singular noun, so that the suitable demonstrative pronoun used to replace the noun cooking is 'that' 

Note: We notice that the words (this, that, these, those) can be used as demonstrative adjectives. So, what is the difference between demonstrative pronouns and adjectives?

A demonstrative pronoun takes the place of a noun that has already mentioned while a demonstrative adjective appears immediately in front of a noun and modifies it. For example:

1. Isabella was happy to see her daughter again. This was waiting half an hour before she met her. ( demonstrative pronoun )
2. That book on the table is very important to study English grammar. ( demonstrative adjective)

Exercises

1) Which of the following is not a demonstrative pronoun?

1. this
2. those
3. there
4. that

2) Which of the following the demonstrative pronoun replaces

1. An adverb
2. A verb
3. A noun
4. An adjective

3) A demonstrative adjective modifies

1. A verb
2. An adjective
3. A noun
4. An adverb
5. None of the above

4) Write the missing demonstrative or adjective pronouns in the blank spaces.

1. Anna and her husband went for a walk on the beach. She asked him if they may have lunch in one of .............................. restaurants over there. 
2. Henry and I hinted an injured black cat . I told him to take .............................. cheese and gave it to .............................. cat at the corner.
3. He was watching a movie on his cell phone before it started ringing. He thought ..............................  guy on the phone was his friend , Alex.
4.  .............................. is Jack. "Nice to meet you Jack," said Olivia.
5. He took the bag from his mother . “You have to hold it like.............................. ,” said Sophia, “so that you don’t cut your hand.”
6. .............................. is Alice standing by the door. "go and tell her to get upstairs," said his father.
7. "we need to take.............................. tables over there to our classroom," he told his friend."look! ..............................are really new," he added. 
8. .............................. coin on your hand is sheeny. 
9. Amelia told a boy," whom can I ask about the place of the Old Theatre?"..............................  old man standing by the park over there may help you," he said.
10. "I had a lunch in the resetaurant that you told me about. .............................. was the worst one which I have ever seen before," he tells his friend nervously.
11. Take.............................. books , they can help you to learn how to be an effective citizen in your society.

Answer key

Exercise (1)

3

Exercise (2)

3

Exercise (3)

3

Exercise (4)

those, this-that, that, this, this, that, those-these, this, that, that, these.