What Is A Demonstrative Pronoun | And How to Use Them?

What Is A Demonstrative Pronoun? And How to Use Them

A demonstrative pronoun is a pronoun which is used to indicate something specific in a sentence. These pronouns can refer to items of space or time and can be singular or plural. Some of the same words that can be used as demonstrative/ show pronouns, including this, that, these, those, and such, can also be used as demonstrative adjectives.

When used to represent an object or things, the demonstrative pronoun may be near or far in distance:

• Near in time/ distance: this, these
• Far in time/ distance: that, those

Since there are only a few demonstrative pronouns in the English, there are only three simple rules for using them correctly. Remember them and you will have no difficulty in using these amazingly interesting parts of the speech.

• Demonstrative pronouns always marks the noun, whether those nouns are specifically named. For example: "I can't believe it." We have no idea what "it" is, but the author certainly can't believe it. It exists, although we do not know what it is.
• Demonstrative pronouns are commonly used to describe places, animals, or things, but they can also be used to describe people when identifying individuals, e.g., it sounds like Mary singing.
• Don't confuse demonstrative adjectives with demonstrative pronouns. The words are identical, but the show adjectives qualify the nouns, where the demonstrative pronouns are singular.

Demonstrative pronouns can be used in place of a noun, as long as the noun is being replaced is understood from the context of the pronoun. While this idea may seem a bit confusing at 1st (first), the following examples of demonstrative pronouns will add clarity.

How to Use Demonstrative Pronouns

The pronoun replaces a noun or noun. In English, pronouns are used to write and speak effectively and to avoid redundancy. A predecessor must be identified before a pronoun can be used.

Like any other noun or pronoun, the demonstrative pronoun must agree with the verb. That is, the singular demonstrative pronoun (this, that) is used with the singular verb. Plural demonstrative pronouns (these, they) are used with plural verbs.

For example:

• Mary, Kate, and Ashley arrived at our house.
• “These are my friends,” I said as I introduced them to my grandparents.

In this example, "these" are pronouns that "replace Mary, Kate and Ashley." Since there are three (3) friends, a plural pronoun is required. Moreover, "this" acts as the subject and must be used with the plural verb "must".

Demonstrative Pronouns Examples

Reviewing a few examples can help clarify what an demonstrative pronoun is and how they work in language. In the example below, the demonstrative pronoun is displayed in bold.

This:
This idea is crazy.​
This is very funny.
This is surely correct.
This tastes good.
This was so delicious!
This is heavier than that.
This smell is not bad.
This is not very yummy.
This browns is delicious.
This is my father’s car.
This is my school road.
This is really a crazy.
This was my father’s ring.
This really hits the spot now.
This movie is very annoying.
This is mine and not yours.
This is not amazingly beautiful.
This is my mother’s sweet house.
This is wild animals and very dangerous.
This is really nice  home in the village.
This is very costly and I can afford it.

That:
That's not mine.
That is really a crazy.
That is very yummy!
That movie is annoying.
That is beautiful/ fine.
That looks like a dog.
That is my new school.
That is surely correct.
That is very funny video.
That is from the village.
That is my father’s suit.
That is not a playground.
That mangos is delicious.
That is really nice university.
That girl is stressing me out.
That is not amazingly beautiful.
That are the most comfortable.
That tastes is not very yummy.
That looks like the bike I used to drive.
That may take some time to complete.
That is wild animals and very dangerous.
That is very costly and I can afford it.


These:
These are crazy!
These are nice flowers.
These are not very funny.
These pens are very nice.
These boys are hungry.
These are obedient pupil.
These are from the village.
These included to Sarah.
These were really beautiful.
These are bigger than those.
These are bad times now.
These are my favorite pens.
These browns are delicious.
These are not my bad times.
These are looking perfect now.
These are not really comfortable.
These rotten eggs are very smelly.
These are not nice fruits but smell bad.

These are not a playground but boys play.
These are wild animals and very dangerous
These are nice shirts, but they look uncomfortable.

Those:
Those are very fine.
Those are my shoos.
Those are from the city.
Those boys are hungry.
Those are not very funny.
Those were the days!
Those ideas are crazy.
Those were not really nice.
Those nuts are delicious.
Those are looking perfect.
Those are not my good times.
Those are my favorite dishes.
Those are the most comfortable.
Those rotten mangos are very smelly.
Those are not nice fruits but smell bad.
Those wild animals are very dangerous.
Those are not really very comfortable.
Those are not a playground but kids play.
Those boys are wearing beautiful dresses.
Those look like riper than the mangos on my tree.
Those were my favorite mangoes in the garden.

Demonstrative Pronouns Exercises

We've provided some exercises below to help you improve your knowledge of demonstrative pronouns. You need to get detailed information about the demonstrative pronouns given above and test your skills by following the exercises.
Choose the best answer to complete the demonstrative pronouns of each sentence.

(More Exercises Demonstrative Pronouns)

1. ____________ was such an interesting experience.

a. That
b. These
c. Those
d. Such

2. Are ___________ your cloths?

a. That
b. Them
c. Those
d. This

3. You’ll have to get your own book. ______ is mine.

a. That
b. Those
c. Such
d. This

4. However, there is no end to ___________.

a. Such
b. Those
c. This
d. None

5. Because of their misbehavior, _________ of the children were given allowances.

a. None
b. That
c. Those
d. Them

6. ____________ of them have seen before.

a. Those
b. Neither
c. Such
d. This

7. Is ____________ yours?

a. This
b. Those
c. These
d. Such

8. Everyone ate early. When we arrived, ___ was left.

a. That
b. Such
c. None
d. Neither

9. Please give me 1 of ____________.

a. That
b. Those
c. This
d. Such

10. ____________ are nice-looking.

a. This
b. That
c. These
d. Such

Answers

1. A – That was such an interesting experience.
2. C – Are those your cloths?
3. D – You will have to get your own book. This is mine.
4. C – However, there is no end to this.
5. A – Because of their misbehavior, none of the children were given allowances.
6. B – Neither of them have seen before.
7. A – Is that yours?
8. C – Everyone ate early. When we arrived, none was left.
9. B – Please give me 1 (one) of those.
10. C – These are nice-looking.

(More Pronoun Definition and Examples)

 

Conclusion

So at the end of the session, you are quite familiar with this fact which will help you to identify the demonstrative pronouns in a sentence. Moreover, you can now easily differentiate through a demonstrative adjective and a demonstrative pronoun. Therefore there will be no confusion when you create sentences. Always make sure that a single display pronoun can replace a noun, a noun phrase, or/ and a string of noun phrases.