Demonstrative Pronoun

Demonstrative pronouns are words used to point out specific people, places, or things. They help clarify which noun is being referred to. Common examples include “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those.” They play a crucial role in providing clarity and specificity in sentences.

What is a Demonstrative Pronoun?

Demonstrative pronoun Antecedent help clarify which specific items are being discussed, avoiding ambiguity in communication. They can replace nouns when the context is clear, making sentences shorter and more efficient. For instance, instead of saying “The apples on the table are fresh,” you can say “These are fresh,” assuming the listener knows you are talking about the apples. Similarly, “Those were the days” nostalgically refers to a specific period in the past. Understanding and using demonstrative pronoun correctly can significantly enhance both written and spoken English, ensuring clarity and precision.

50 Examples of Demonstrative Pronoun Examples

1. This is my favorite book.
2. That looks like a comfortable chair.
3. These are delicious cookies.
4. Those were the days of our youth.
5. Can you believe this happened?
6. That was an amazing performance.
7. These are the best apples I’ve ever tasted.
8. Those were some difficult times.
9. This is the house I grew up in.
10. That is not what I meant.
11. These are my friends from college.
12. Those are my grandparents.
13. Is this what you were talking about?
14. That isn’t what I ordered.
15. These are the results of the experiment.
16. Those were his final words.
17. This is exactly what I needed.
18. That was a huge mistake.
19. These are all new arrivals.
20. Those are the rules we must follow.
21. This has been a great day.
22. That is an interesting idea.
23. These belong to my sister.
24. Those need to be fixed.
25. This seems like a good opportunity.
26. That doesn’t make any sense.
27. These are the documents you requested.
28. Those will be available next week.
29. This was created by our team.
30. That will never work.
31. These have to be finished by tomorrow.
32. Those were given to charity.
33. This needs to be cleaned.
34. That is not allowed here.
35. These are essential for the project.
36. Those are the winners of the competition.
37. This is my new car.
38. That sounds like a great plan.
39. These are the keys to the office.
40. Those were the best years of my life.
41. This tastes really good.
42. That was a terrible movie.
43. These are the instructions for the test.
44. Those were the words of the CEO.
45. This can be used as an example.
46. That is not the answer I was looking for.
47. These are my travel photos.
48. Those were his exact words.
49. This feels like home.
50. That will take a lot of effort.

Demonstrative Pronoun Examples sentences

1. This is the book I was telling you about. (This refers to a specific book.)
2. Can you pass me those pencils? (Those refers to specific pencils that are farther away from the speaker.)
3. That is an interesting idea. (That refers to a specific idea.)
4. These are the keys to the front door. (These refers to specific keys.)
5. Did you see those birds flying overhead? (Those refers to specific birds in the distance.)

Demonstrative Pronoun Examples with answers

1. “Is this your jacket?”: Yes, this is my jacket.
2. “Are those your shoes by the door?”: No, those are not my shoes.
3. “Did you see that movie last night?”: Yes, I saw that movie.
4. “These cookies are delicious!”: Yes, these cookies are indeed delicious.
5. “Can you pass me those magazines?”: Sure, I’ll pass you those magazines.

Antecedents of Demonstrative Pronouns

1. “This” refers to something that is near to the speaker. For example: “This book is interesting.” (The antecedent is “book.”)
2. “These” refers to plural nouns that are near to the speaker. For example: “These cookies are delicious.” (The antecedent is “cookies.”)
3. “That” refers to something that is farther away from the speaker. For example: “That house is beautiful.” (The antecedent is “house.”)
4. “Those” refers to plural nouns that are farther away from the speaker. For example: “Those trees are tall.” (The antecedent is “trees.”)

Types of Demonstrative Pronouns

Near Demonstrative Pronouns:

• “This” (singular) refers to a specific item or idea that is close to the speaker.
• “These” (plural) refers to specific items or ideas that are close to the speaker.

Far Demonstrative Pronouns:

• “That” (singular) refers to a specific item or idea that is farther away from the speaker.
• “Those” (plural) refers to specific items or ideas that are farther away from the speaker.

Demonstrative Pronouns vs. demonstrative determiners

Feature	Demonstrative Pronouns	Demonstrative Determiners
Definition	Pronouns that point to specific things.	Words used before nouns to specify which ones are being referred to.
Examples	This, that, these, those	This book, that chair, these apples, those dogs
Function	Replace nouns to avoid repetition.	Modify nouns to give more information about them.
Sentence Role	Subject, object, or complement in a sentence.	Always precedes a noun.
Example Sentence	I want this. / She likes that.	This book is mine. / I don’t like that movie.
Position	Can stand alone.	Always placed before the noun.
Usage	Used to introduce or identify nouns.	Used to specify particular nouns.

List of Demonstrative Pronoun

This – Refers to a singular noun that is close to the speaker.
That – Refers to a singular noun that is farther from the speaker.
These – Refers to plural nouns that are close to the speaker.
Those – Refers to plural nouns that are farther from the speaker.

How To Use Demonstrative Pronouns

• Identify the Object: First, identify the object you’re referring to.
• Choose the Correct Pronoun:
• If the object is close to you (physically or in time), use “this” for singular and “these” for plural.
• If the object is further away (physically or in time), use “that” for singular and “those” for plural.
• Replace the Object: Replace the object with the appropriate demonstrative pronoun in your sentence.
• For example:
• “This is my book.” (referring to a book near you)
• “These are my friends.” (referring to friends nearby)
• “That is your car.” (referring to a car further away)
• “Those are old photographs.” (referring to photographs not nearby)