Demonstrative Adjectives

Used to point out specific nouns by indicating their position in space or time

Demonstrative Adjectives modify nouns by indicating which person or thing is being referred to, showing their relative distance from the speaker.

Function: To specify particular nouns and make clear which ones are being discussed.

Main Features

  • Always modify a specific noun (unlike demonstrative pronouns which stand alone)
  • Answer the question Which one(s)?
  • Must agree in number (singular/plural) with the noun they modify
  • Indicate distance (near or far) in space or time

The Four Demonstrative Adjectives

For Near Distance (in space/time):

  • This - singular (Example: this book)
  • These - plural (Example: these books)

For Far Distance (in space/time):

  • That - singular (Example: that building)
  • Those - plural (Example: those buildings)

Usage Rules

1. Spatial Distance

  • This/These: For things physically close to the speaker
    • Example: "This pen in my hand is blue."
    • Example: "These shoes fit me perfectly."
  • That/Those: For things farther away from the speaker
    • Example: "That mountain in the distance looks beautiful."
    • Example: "Those stars are millions of miles away."

2. Temporal Distance

  • This/These: For current or upcoming time periods
    • Example: "This week has been very busy."
    • Example: "I'm excited about these upcoming holidays."
  • That/Those: For past time periods
    • Example: "That summer we spent in Spain was amazing."
    • Example: "Do you remember those days we played together as kids?"

Common Errors and Fixes

1. Using wrong number agreement
  • ❌ This books → ✅ These books
  • ❌ Those car → ✅ That car
2. Confusing demonstrative adjectives with pronouns
  • ❌ This is my book. (pronoun) → ✅ This book is mine. (adjective)
  • ❌ I want those. (pronoun) → ✅ I want those shoes. (adjective)
3. Using 'them' as a demonstrative adjective
  • ❌ Them books are interesting → ✅ Those books are interesting

Practice Exercises

1. Choose the Correct Demonstrative Adjective

  1. (This/These) flowers in my hand are fresh. → These flowers in my hand are fresh.
  2. (That/Those) building across the street is new. → That building across the street is new.

2. Fill in the Blanks

  1. ______ painting on the far wall is valuable. (use: That)
  2. ______ cookies you baked yesterday were delicious. (use: Those)

3. Rewrite the Sentences Correctly

  1. This shoes are too tight. → These shoes are too tight.
  2. That birds are migrating south. → Those birds are migrating south.

Pro Tips

1. Remember the Distance Rule

Use your hands to visualize distance: hold one hand close for this/these and point farther away for that/those.

2. Time Reference Trick

For time references, imagine a timeline: this/these for present/near future, that/those for past.

3. The Noun Test

If the word is immediately followed by a noun, it's a demonstrative adjective. If it stands alone, it's a pronoun.

  • Adjective: That house is big.
  • Pronoun: That is big.