Demonstrative adjectives point to a specific noun and show which one you mean. They answer “which?” and always come right before the noun they modify. English demonstrative adjectives are this, that, these, and those. They do not change for gender, but they do change for number and often imply distance.

Use this to point to one noun that feels near in space, time, or the conversation. Use that to point to one noun that feels farther away, earlier, less immediate, or already established. Distance can be physical, emotional, or contextual, not only literal location.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 Rule	Example	🇨🇳 中文 Example
Use this for one near or immediate thing	🧠 用 this 指向一个近在眼前或即时的事物	This book is mine.	📝 这本书是我的。
Use that for one farther or less immediate thing	🧠 用 that 指向一个更远或不那么即时的事物	That book on the top shelf is mine.	📝 顶层架上的那本书是我的。
Use this for the current moment or situation	🧠 用 this 指向当前时刻或情境	This week is busy.	📝 这周很忙。
Use that for a different time or previously mentioned situation	🧠 用 that 指向不同的时间或先前提及的情境	That week we traveled a lot.	📝 那一周我们旅行了很多。

Use these to point to multiple nouns that feel near or immediate. Use those to point to multiple nouns that feel farther away, less immediate, or already separated from the speaker’s current focus. Like this and that, the idea of distance can be literal or contextual.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 Rule	Example	🇨🇳 中文 Example
Use these for plural nouns that feel near	🧠 用这些指向感到近的复数名词	These cookies smell great.	📝 这些饼干闻起来很香。
Use those for plural nouns that feel farther	🧠 用那些指向感到更远的复数名词	Those houses across the street are expensive.	📝 那些在街对面的房子很贵。
Use these for items you are presenting or introducing now	🧠 用这些指向你现在正在展示或介绍的物品	These are the documents you need.	📝 这些就是你需要的文件。
Use those for items in a different set or group	🧠 用那些指向不同集合中的物品	Those documents belong to another client.	📝 那些文件属于另一位客户。

Demonstrative adjectives must match the noun in singular or plural. Use this and that with singular count nouns. Use these and those with plural count nouns. With noncount nouns, use singular forms this or that because the noun is treated as one amount or substance.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 Rule	Example	🇨🇳 中文 Example
Singular count noun takes this or that	🧠 单数可数名词用 this 或 that	This chair is comfortable.	📝 这把椅子很舒服。
Plural count noun takes these or those	🧠 复数可数名词用 these 或 those	Those chairs are comfortable.	📝 那些椅子很舒服。
Noncount noun usually takes this or that	🧠 不可数名词通常用 this 或 that	This information is helpful.	📝 这条信息很有用。
Use a plural noun if you want these or those with a substance	🧠 如要用一个带有物质的名词的复数，请使用这或那些	These facts are helpful.	📝 这些事实很有用。

Demonstrative adjectives come before the noun and usually before any other descriptive adjectives. They are determiners, so they occupy the “determiner slot” at the start of the noun phrase. This means you generally choose a demonstrative instead of other determiners like a, an, the, my, or some.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 Rule	Example	🇨🇳 中文 Example
Put the demonstrative directly before the noun phrase	🧠 将指示词直接放在名词短语之前	That idea makes sense.	📝 那个想法有道理。
Put the demonstrative before other adjectives	🧠 将指示词放在其他形容词之前	These new shoes hurt.	📝 这些新鞋子疼。
Do not combine a or an with a demonstrative	🧠 不要把 a 或 an 与指示词一起使用	This plan works.	📝 这个计划有效。
Usually choose either a demonstrative or a possessive determiner	🧠 通常只选择指示词或所有格限定词中的一个	That laptop is slow.	📝 那台笔记本很慢。

Demonstratives can be adjectives or pronouns. They are demonstrative adjectives when they modify a noun that appears right after them. They are demonstrative pronouns when they stand alone and replace the noun. The forms are the same, so the difference is whether a noun follows.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 Rule	Example	🇨🇳 中文 Example
Adjective when followed by a noun	🧠 当后跟名词时为形容词	This movie is long.	📝 这部电影很长。
Pronoun when it replaces a noun	🧠 当它替代名词时为代词	This is long.	📝 这是很长的。
Adjective clarifies which item within a set	🧠 形容词用于指明集合中的项	Those students are early.	📝 那些学生很早。
Pronoun points without naming the noun	🧠 代词在不命名名词时指示	Those are early.	📝 那些很早。

Demonstrative adjectives help organize information in speech and writing. This often introduces or highlights something you are focusing on right now in the text or conversation. That often refers back to something already mentioned, something the listener should already recognize, or something you are distancing yourself from emotionally.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 Rule	Example	🇨🇳 中文 Example
Use this to introduce a point you are developing now	🧠 用 this 来引入你现在正在发展的一点	This problem has two causes.	📝 This problem has two causes.
Use that to refer back to a previous idea	🧠 用 that 指回一个先前的想法	That problem affects many people.	📝 That problem affects many people.
Use that to create emotional distance or evaluation	🧠 用 that 创建情感距离或评价	I do not like that attitude.	📝 I do not like that attitude.
Use this to sound more engaged or immediate	🧠 用 this 听起来更投入或即时	I love this feeling.	📝 I love this feeling.

Demonstrative adjectives often point to time periods and events. This tends to connect to the present or the speaker’s current period. That tends to point to a more distant time or a period separated from now. Context decides what counts as near or far.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 Rule	Example	🇨🇳 中文 Example
Use this with a current period	🧠 用 this 指向当前时期	This morning I had meetings.	📝 今天早上我有会议。
Use that to point to a more distant or separate period	🧠 用 that 指向更远或分离的时期	That morning we missed the train.	📝 那天早上我们错过了火车。
Use this to refer to an upcoming moment you feel close to	🧠 用 this 指向一个你觉得近的即将到来时刻	This weekend we are hiking.	📝 这个周末我们要去远足。
Use that to refer to a past event as a completed chunk	🧠 用 that 指向过去作为已完成的一段	That weekend changed everything.	📝 那个周末改变了一切。

Demonstrative adjectives often appear with location phrases to help identify the noun. This and these pair naturally with here, and that and those pair naturally with there, especially in spoken English. The location phrase is optional, but it strengthens the sense of distance.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 Rule	Example	🇨🇳 中文 Example
Near demonstratives often go with here	🧠 接近的指示词通常与 here 搭配	This restaurant here is good.	📝 这里的这家餐馆很好。
Far demonstratives often go with there	🧠 远离的指示词通常与 there 搭配	Those people there look lost.	📝 那些在那里的人看起来迷路了。
The location phrase can be omitted if context is clear	🧠 如果语境清楚，可以省略地点短语	That restaurant is good.	📝 那家餐馆很好。
Use a longer phrase to identify which noun	🧠 使用更长的短语来指明具体的名词	This book on the table is yours.	📝 桌子上的这本书是你的。

Choose the demonstrative based on number and the kind of “distance” you want to express. Use this and these for near, immediate, or currently focused nouns, and that and those for farther, less immediate, or previously mentioned nouns. Place the demonstrative before the noun, and use it as your main determiner in the noun phrase.