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.”)