Demonstrative pronouns in English (lesson with examples)

 

_

 

Feel free to leave a comment if you find any errors or if you have any suggestions to make to improve this lesson.

---

WHAT ARE THE DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS IN ENGLISH?

A demonstrative pronoun is used to replace a particular thing (singular or plural), which has already been mentioned before, or which can be designated by the context.

• this / that 
• these / those 

these is the plural of this, those is the plural of that:

• this dog / these dogs
• that cat / those cats

There is no gender difference:

• this boy and this girl
• those men and those women

USES

This, that, these and those can be used as determinants or pronouns:

• Take this pen
• Take this.
• Give me that book.
• Give me that.

What is the difference between THIS and THAT?

We choose between this and that to show the degree of distance from the person speaking. As a general rule, this/these marks proximity to the enunciator, that/those marks distance:

THE DISTANCE IN SPACE

THIS or THESE is used to talk about a person, thing or place that is close to the person speaking:

• This is my brother
• These are my shoes.
• Is this your pen?

THAT or THOSE is used to talk about a person, thing or place that is further away from the person speaking:

• I can see that from here.
• That man over there is my boss.
• Those men are detectives.

DISTANCE IN TIME

THIS refers to the future or the present, THAT to the past (to talk about something that is not present):

• On that day, she was really tired, but she’s feeling better this week.
• That movie we watched last night was awesome.

EMOTIONAL DISTANCE

• That dog is dangerous!
• I hate this tee-shirt, but I love those shoes!

OTHER USES

1 – THIS can be used to announce something, and THAT to refer to the past:

• This is what she told me: “You can do it!”
• “You can do it!”: that‘s what she told me.

2 – To avoid a repetition: we can forward this/that by one, and these/those by ones :

• Which photo do you prefer? This one or that one? 
• Which fruits can you eat ? These ones or those ones?

3 – To compare:

• I don’t like those trousers. These are a bit better.
• This tee-shirt is nice; that one is ugly.

4 – This, these, that, that, those can be pronouns and replace a name or a sentence:

• I think this is awesome!  (This replace something we know.)

5 – To contact us by phone:

• Hello, this is Jane speaking. Who is this?

6 – This and these can refer to situations that are happening:

• Listen to this song. (NOT: Listen to that song.)

7 – That and those can refer to experiences that have just ended:

• Who said that?
• Who did that?

8 – We use THAT in expressions like that’s it and that’s that

• That’s it, I’m going home.
• I broke up with Claire, and that’s that.

9 – Other uses:

• The best movie of the festival was that made by Spielberg.
• We are organizing a trip to London. Those interested should speak with Sam.

 

©Englishfornoobs.com

Tags: Grammar