Demonstrative Pronouns in EnglishA2

Demonstrative pronouns stand in for a noun and point to a specific person, thing, or group. English has four main forms: this, that, these, and those. They let you choose one item or several items, and they show whether the thing is near or far. In speech and writing, they often replace a repeated noun: This is mine, Those are expensive. Without the demonstrative pronoun, the sentence can lose the clear reference. These forms belong to the wider system of Pronouns, and they often work with the same ideas of reference and substitution that appear with Subject Pronouns and Relative Pronouns.

Use this for one thing near the speaker. Use these for more than one thing near the speaker. The form changes with number, not with gender. A person can hold a phone and say, This is new. A shop worker can lift two shirts and say, These are on sale. The pronoun usually appears before the verb be: This is my ticket, These are fresh apples. It can also appear in questions and commands: Is this yours? Take these with you. When the noun is already understood from the situation, the demonstrative pronoun replaces it completely. It is different from Demonstrative Adjectives, which come before a noun, as in this book and these keys.

Nearby reference for singular and plural

Nutzung	Erklärung
Singular near the speaker	Use this when you point to one thing that is close to you.
Plural near the speaker	Use these when you point to more than one thing that is close to you.

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Use that for one thing farther away, and those for more than one thing farther away. The distance can be physical, but it can also be social or mental. A speaker may point across a room and say, That is my seat. A seller may gesture toward a shelf and say, Those are the last boxes. Like this and these, these pronouns change for number only. That matches singular nouns, and those matches plural nouns. They often appear before be: That was a good idea, Those were my friends. In conversation, they can also show a clear contrast: I want that, not this. When the noun is not repeated, the demonstrative pronoun carries the full reference by itself.

Far reference for singular and plural

Nutzung	Erklärung
Singular farther away	Use that when you point to one thing that is farther from you.
Plural farther away	Use those when you point to more than one thing that is farther from you.

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In everyday English, demonstrative pronouns often appear in short, direct exchanges. This is my brother introduces a person or thing in front of the speaker. That’s the problem points to something the listener already understands. A cashier may ask, Do you want this? and a customer may answer, I’ll take those. Speakers use demonstratives to choose, identify, and respond quickly. They work well with pointing, showing, and handing things over. After a noun has been mentioned, a demonstrative pronoun can replace it: I bought new shoes. These are more comfortable. In reported or indirect speech, demonstratives help keep track of what the speaker means, which is useful for Indirect/Direct Reference in Discourse and for the sentence patterns covered in Making Statements.

Common spoken uses of demonstratives

Phrase	Zweck
This is my phone.	introduces one nearby thing
These are for you.	offers nearby plural items
Do you want this?	asks about one nearby item
I will take those.	chooses farther plural items
That sounds great.	shows agreement with an idea
This one is better.	compares and selects a nearby item

Demonstrative pronouns can point to time as well as to physical objects. This can mean the present or the near future: This is a busy week, This is the last train today. That can refer to a past event or a moment already known: That was a difficult year. They also reach backward in a conversation to refer to something just mentioned: We need milk, bread, and eggs. Those are on the list. They can point forward to an explanation or a following idea: This is what I mean: the train was late and the meeting started without us. In speech, demonstratives can add emphasis or attitude: That was amazing, This is exactly what I needed. Their position stays simple, usually before be or before a short clause they introduce, which makes them important for Word Order and for clear reference in Sentence Structure.

Other demonstrative meanings in context

Idee
Use this to talk about the current time or situation.
Use that to refer back to something already mentioned.
Use this to point forward to something you are about to explain.
Use this for extra emphasis in speech.