Demonstrative Pronouns
Demonstrative pronouns — this, that, these, and those — point to specific people or things. They tell us whether something is near or far, and singular or plural.
What are demonstrative pronouns?
A demonstrative pronoun points to and identifies a noun — it tells us which one we mean. There are only four demonstrative pronouns in English, and each one carries two pieces of information: distance (near or far) and number (singular or plural).
Refers to one thing close to the speaker.
This is my favourite book.
Refers to one thing farther away.
That is her car over there.
Refers to multiple things close to the speaker.
These are the best seats.
Refers to multiple things farther away.
Those were difficult times.
The reference table
| Pronoun | Number | Distance | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| this | Singular | Near | This is delicious. |
| that | Singular | Far | What is that? |
| these | Plural | Near | These are mine. |
| those | Plural | Far | Those look heavy. |
Demonstrative pronouns vs. demonstrative adjectives
The same four words — this, that, these, those — can also be used as demonstrative adjectives (also called demonstrative determiners). The difference is simple: when they stand alone and replace a noun, they are pronouns. When they appear directly before a noun, they are adjectives.
| As a pronoun (stands alone) | As an adjective (before a noun) |
|---|---|
| This is heavy. (this = the object) | This bag is heavy. (this describes bag) |
| That was a great idea. | That idea was great. |
| These are on sale. | These shoes are on sale. |
| Those belong to her. | Those books belong to her. |
"This is broken." → pronoun (This stands alone, replacing the noun.)
"This chair is broken." → adjective (This describes the noun chair.)
Near and far: physical and abstract distance
Distance does not always mean physical space. This and these can refer to things that are close in time or just mentioned, while that and those can refer to things that are further in time or already mentioned.
Listen to this — you will love it. (something about to be introduced)
That was the best holiday I've ever had. (a past event, now over)
These are exciting times we are living in. (the present moment)
Those were the days! (a period in the past, now distant)
Using demonstrative pronouns on the phone
English uses this and that in a specific way during phone calls that surprises many learners.
Hello, this is Maria speaking. (introducing yourself)
Is that John? (asking who you are speaking to)
Who is this? / Who is that? (both are acceptable)
Common uses of demonstrative pronouns
- Pointing to objects: Can you pass me that? These are for you.
- Introducing or identifying: This is my colleague, Dan. That is the Eiffel Tower.
- Referring to a previous statement: She won first prize. That is incredible!
- Expressing contrast: I prefer these to those.
- Referring to time: This is a great opportunity. Those were harder times.
Common mistake: Do not use this/that/these/those with a noun when you mean to use them as pronouns. Saying "This book is interesting" is correct as an adjective. But "This is interesting" works as a pronoun only if the listener already knows what this refers to — make sure the reference is clear.
Tip: A quick way to remember the distance rule — this and these both start with th + i, and i stands for in (close in). That and those start with th + a or th + o — think of them as pointing away.