Demonstratives: This, That, These, Those

Overview

The four demonstratives in English are this, that, these, and those. They are used to point to specific people, things, or ideas, distinguishing them from others by indicating whether they are near or far from the speaker. The nearness or distance can be physical, as in pointing to an object in a room, or conceptual, as in referring to something just mentioned or something from the distant past.

Demonstratives function in two distinct grammatical roles: as determiners that precede a noun and as pronouns that stand alone and replace a noun phrase entirely. Understanding both roles, and knowing when to use each of the four forms, is the core skill this lesson develops.

The Four Demonstratives and What They Signal

The four demonstratives divide along two axes: distance and number.

Distance refers to how near or far the thing being pointed to is from the speaker. This and these point to things that are near, whether physically close or recently mentioned. That and those point to things that are far, whether physically distant or mentioned earlier or longer ago.

Number refers to whether the noun being pointed to is singular or plural. This and that are singular. These and those are plural.

Demonstratives as Determiners

When a demonstrative precedes a noun, it is functioning as a determiner. In this role, it replaces the article and introduces the noun with a sense of pointing or identification. A demonstrative determiner and an article cannot occupy the same position before a noun.

The noun that follows a demonstrative determiner must agree with it in number. This and that precede singular nouns; these and those precede plural nouns.

Demonstratives as Pronouns

When a demonstrative stands alone without a following noun, it is functioning as a pronoun. In this role, it replaces a noun phrase that has already been established or that is clear from context.

Demonstrative pronouns are also used to introduce people in social and professional contexts. This is followed by a name is the standard way to introduce someone in person or on the phone.

Distance in Time

The near/far distinction that demonstratives express also applies to time. This refers to time that feels current or immediate: the present period, the current event, or something happening now.

That refers to time that is finished, more distant, or separated from the present. It is often used when looking back at a past period or event.

Demonstratives in Discourse

Beyond pointing to physical objects and times, demonstratives connect ideas within a text or conversation. A demonstrative can refer back to a whole sentence, an idea, or a situation that has just been expressed. This and these typically refer to something just introduced; that and those typically refer back to something already established or at a slight distance in the conversation.

Comparing All Four Demonstratives

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Using This or That With a Plural Noun

This and that are singular and must precede singular nouns. Using them with plural nouns is a number agreement error.

Mistake 2: Using These or Those With a Singular Noun

These and those are plural and cannot precede a singular noun.

Mistake 3: Using a Demonstrative and an Article Together

A demonstrative determiner already identifies the noun. Adding the, a, or an before or after it produces an ungrammatical noun phrase.

Mistake 4: Confusing Near and Far in Time References

Using that to refer to the current period or this to refer to a distant past event reverses the intended meaning.

Mistake 5: Using a Demonstrative Pronoun Without an Established Reference

When a demonstrative is used as a pronoun, the noun it refers to must be clearly established in context. Using one without any established reference leaves the sentence unclear.

Mistake 6: Using That Instead of This When Introducing Someone

When introducing a person in person or on the telephone, English uses this is, not that is. The person being introduced is treated as near to the speaker in the immediate shared context.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Choose the Correct Demonstrative

Choose the correct demonstrative from the brackets to complete each sentence.

1. ______ (This / These) documents on my desk need to be reviewed today.
2. ______ (That / Those) restaurant on the corner has excellent reviews.
3. Can you see ______ (that / those) mountains in the distance?
4. ______ (This / These) has been one of the most challenging weeks of the year.
5. ______ (That / Those) years after the war were marked by significant rebuilding.
6. ______ (This / These) is my colleague Dr. Ferraro. She leads the research team.

Exercise 2: Determiner or Pronoun?

Write D if the demonstrative is functioning as a determiner or P if it is functioning as a pronoun.

1. These are the forms you need to complete before leaving.
2. That presentation lasted nearly two hours.
3. This is entirely different from what we discussed last time.
4. Those windows at the end of the corridor need to be replaced.
5. She held up two samples. This one is the original; that is the copy.
6. These results are more promising than the team expected.

Exercise 3: Correct the Mistake

Each sentence contains one error involving a demonstrative. Rewrite the sentence correctly.

1. This chairs at the front are for the speakers.
2. Those information cannot be shared with external parties.
3. Good morning, that is James Park calling from the operations team.
4. The those files have already been transferred to the new system.
5. That week is going to be very demanding; we have three deadlines.

Exercise 4: Complete With the Correct Demonstrative

Fill in each blank with this, that, these, or those.

1. She submitted the application last year. ______ was a very stressful process.
2. ______ new software update has caused several unexpected issues.
3. He pointed to a group of old photographs on the wall. "______ were taken during the expedition," he said.
4. ______ are the final results from the trial. Please review them carefully.
5. She received some feedback from the panel. ______ helped her improve the proposal significantly.
6. ______ days before the launch were the most intense of the entire project.

Summary

Getting the number right and understanding the near/far distinction in both space and time are the two foundations of accurate use. Learners who also master the difference between demonstrative determiners and pronouns will find these words working reliably across every context.