Demonstrative adjectives are words that are used to point out or refer to a specific noun or pronoun. In English, there are four demonstrative adjectives: “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those.”

This – Singular, Near

“This” is used to refer to a noun or pronoun that is nearby, either physically or in time. For example:

  • “This book is very interesting.” (The book is nearby or being discussed at the present time.)
  • “I’m going to eat this sandwich for lunch.” (The sandwich is nearby or being discussed at the present time.)

That – Singular, Far

“That” is used to refer to a noun or pronoun that is farther away, either physically or in time. For example:

  • “That car is very fast.” (The car is farther away or being discussed at a different time.)
  • “I had that sandwich for lunch yesterday.” (The sandwich is being discussed at a different time.)

These – Plural, Near

“These” is used to refer to a group of nouns or pronouns that are nearby, either physically or in time. For example:

  • “These shoes are very comfortable.” (The shoes are nearby or being discussed at the present time.)
  • “We are going to watch these movies tonight.” (The movies are nearby or being discussed at the present time.)

Those – Plural, Far

“Those” is used to refer to a group of nouns or pronouns that are farther away, either physically or in time. For example:

  • “Those houses are very beautiful.” (The houses are farther away or being discussed at a different time.)
  • “We watched those movies last week.” (The movies are being discussed at a different time.)

Placement

Demonstrative adjectives are usually placed before the noun or pronoun they are modifying. For example:

  • “This apple is very juicy.”
  • “Those houses are very beautiful.”

It’s important to note that demonstrative adjectives can also be used as pronouns, in which case they stand alone without a noun or pronoun to modify. For example:

  • “This is a very interesting book.” (In this sentence, “this” is a pronoun, standing in for “book.”)
  • “These are my favorite shoes.” (In this sentence, “these” is a pronoun, standing in for “shoes.”)