Demonstrative Pronouns

A Demonstrative Pronoun is used to replace a noun or a pronoun that has already been mentioned in a sentence. This pronoun is used mainly to avoid repetition that may lead to any kind of confusion.

There are only four Demonstrative Pronouns: this, that, these, those

Points to Focus:

• This and That refer to a singular
• These and Those refer to plural

• This and These talk about something ‘nearby’.
• That and Those talk about something ‘over there.’

Demonstrative Pronouns Examples:

• This is my pen.
• I shall always remember this.
• That is your pen.
• These are your pets.
• Those are your dresses
• I like English and Economics. These are my favourite subjects.
• The computer is a great invention. This really changed the face of the world.
• I will present you with a guitar on your birthday. That will be ordered on Amazon.

Note:

When there are two things in a sentence, ‘this’ refers to the latter thing and ‘that’ to the former thing.

Examples:

• I prefer death to dishonour, because this (dishonour) is worse than that (death).
• I want to buy gold rather than silver because this (silver) is not so valuable as that (gold).

Demonstrative pronouns Vs. Demonstrative Adjectives.

It is very important to know that the Demonstrative Pronouns (this, that, these, those) can also be used as Demonstrative Adjectives. The main difference between these two lies in the sentence structure.

• A Demonstrative Pronoun is used to replace a noun or a noun phrase that has already been mentioned in a sentence. (It is always used after the noun)

• A Demonstrative Adjective describes or modifies the noun. (It is always used before the noun)

Let’s see some examples:

• This is my car. (Demonstrative Pronoun)
• This car is mine. (Demonstrative Adjective)

• That is his book. (Demonstrative Pronoun)
• That book is not mine. (Demonstrative Adjective)

• These are my dresses. (Demonstrative Pronoun)
• These dresses are yours. (Demonstrative Adjective)

• Those were my friend’s books. (Demonstrative Pronoun)
• Those books are hers. (Demonstrative Adjective)

Exercise:

Find out whether the pronoun is used as a Demonstrative Pronoun or a Demonstrative Adjective in the following sentences.

Examples:

1. This book is not mine.
2. This is your all-time record.
3. These are the instructions you need to follow.
4. That laptop is not yours.
5. That is the bag I have lost.
6. Those are my memorable days.
7. These flowers are so beautiful.
8. Those dresses are yours.
9. This is not my guitar.
10. This certificate is hers.

Answers:

1. Demonstrative Adjective, 2.Demonstrative  Pronoun, 3. Demonstrative Pronoun, 4. Demonstrative Adjective, 5. Demonstrative Pronoun, 6. Demonstrative Pronoun, 7. Demonstrative Adjective, 8.Demonstrative  Adjective, 9.Demonstrative Pronoun, 10. Demonstrative Adjective

• Types of Pronouns
• Uses of Pronouns
• Impersonal Pronoun
• Exclamatory Pronouns
• Interrogative Pronouns
• Defining and non-defining relative clauses
• Omission of the Relative Pronoun
• Relative Pronouns
• Reciprocal Pronouns
• Possessive Pronouns
• Distributive Pronouns
• Indefinite Pronouns
• Reflexive and Emphatic Pronouns
• Personal Pronouns