Demonstrative pronouns are words that point to people or things. The main words are this, that, these, and those. They can show if something is near or far. They can also stand alone without a noun.

Use one form for one person or thing, and another form for more than one. Use near forms for things close to the speaker or close in the situation. Use far forms for things farther away or less immediate in the situation.

Word or Phrase	Definition
this	This points to one thing near the speaker.
that	That points to one thing far from the speaker or less immediate in the context.
these	These point to more than one thing near the speaker.
those	Those point to more than one thing far from the speaker or less immediate in the context.

This and that are singular. These and those are plural. The form must match the number of people or things you mean.

Subject	Form
one person or thing	this or that
two people or things	these or those
many people or things	these or those

Near and far can mean physical distance. They can also mean distance in the conversation or in the speaker's mind. Speakers do not always choose the same word in every situation, so this choice is sometimes flexible.

Rule
Use this and these for people or things that feel near to the speaker.
Use that and those for people or things that feel farther away.
In some contexts, speakers use that for an idea or object that feels less immediate, even when it is not physically far.

Demonstrative pronouns can replace a noun. The listener or reader must be able to understand what they refer to. The reference should be clear in the sentence or situation.

Rule
Use a demonstrative pronoun alone when the person or thing is already clear.
Make the reference easy to understand from the words around it.
Use singular or plural form to match the person or thing you mean.

Demonstrative pronouns should point clearly to the right person or thing. In short sentences, the meaning is often clear from the situation. You can now choose this, that, these, or those by number and by near or far meaning, and you can use them with a clear reference.