- This is my car.
- That‘s yours.
- These are my books.
- Those are John’s books.
- Who’s that?
- That‘s Christian.
Kinds of Demonstrative Pronouns
There are four demonstrative pronouns we usually use to replace a noun. Let’s see the following tables.
| Demonstrative Pronouns | Function | Distance To The Speaker |
| this | To indicate and represent a singular noun. | Near |
| that | To indicate and represent a singular noun | Far |
| these | To indicate and represent a plural noun | Near |
| those | To indicate and represent a plural noun | Far |
Demonstrative Pronouns And Demonstrative Adjectives
Demonstrative pronouns can stand alone to represent nouns, while demonstrative adjectives must be followed by nouns. Let’s see the following table.
| Demonstrative Pronoun | Demonstrative Adjective |
this that these those | this house that girl these houses those girls |
Let’s see them in sentences!
| Demonstrative Pronoun | Demonstrative Adjective |
I like this. That‘s too expensive These are my new books. Those are our team members. | I like this house. That house is too expensive. These books are about travel. Those people are our team members. |
Demonstrative Pronouns For Introduction
Demonstrative pronoun this can be used for introduction. Let’s see the following example.
- Jack ( to George),”George, this is Mary.”
- Jack ( to Mary),”This is my brother, George.”
Demonstrative Pronouns Followed By One/Ones
Demonstrative pronouns are usually followed by one or ones to show options or comparison. Let’s see the following example.
- This shirt is too small. I’ll buy that one.
- “Which trousers do you like?” “I like these ones.”
Demonstrative Pronouns Exercises
Exercise I
In this exercise you have to complete the sentences with this, that, these or those.
- Which books do you want to borrow, this or …?
- I like … books better than those ones.
- This is my house and … is my brother’s.
- Look at … ducks. They are coming into our yard.
- This Lamborghini is so expensive. That’s why I prefer …. one on the corner which has a reasonable price.
- Can you …. clouds above? It’s going to rain. Let’s get into the house.
- ….. apples are fresher than those ones.
- Don’t shoot …. bird. It’s protected by laws.
- Can you get me … tomato, Dear?
- We are lost. Let’s ask …. man. He is fishing by the river.
Exercise II
Answer the following questions (You can speak with your partner). Try to use demonstrative pronouns or adjectives.
- Which one do you prefer, this house by the road or that one on the hill?
- What are you going to do this weekend?
- Can you describe two of your best friends?
- Imagine you’re sitting in your living room. Describe things around you.
- Get your family photograph. Describe everyone in the photo to someone.
Answers
Exercise I
- Which books do you want to borrow, this or that?
- I like these books better than those ones.
- This is my house and that is my brother’s.
- Look at those/these ducks. They are coming into our yard.
- This car is so expensive. That’s why I prefer that one on the corner which has a reasonable price.
- Can you those clouds above? It’s going to rain. Let’s get into the house.
- These apples are fresher than those ones.
- Don’t shoot that bird. It’s protected by laws.
- Can you get me that tomato, Dear?
- We are lost. Let’s ask that man. He is fishing by the river.
Exercise II
Different answers are possible.
- I prefer that house on the hill.
- This weekend I’m going to swim.
- This is Jack. He is twenty. He is tall and good looking. And, that is George. He is twenty five years old. He is quiet and hardworking.
- This is my living room. There are a lot of things in it. On my right on the wall, you can see some photographs. The first one on the right is my brother. etc.
- These are my family. The tallest person in the family is my youngest brother. And, that girl, who is beside him, is his girlfriend. etc.
Download the exercise here.
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