What is a Demonstrative Pronoun?
Demonstrative Pronouns are ‘this, that, these, & those” and are used to point out something or someone. The number of these pronouns is specific. There are only 4 demonstrative pronouns.
Singular Demonstrative pronouns:
- This and that
These two pronouns are used for singular nouns. They follow singular auxiliary verbs (is, was, has, will). Like:
- This is a car. (thing)
- This was my car. (thing)
- That is a car. (thing)
- That was near to you. (idea)
- That has an extended tail. (animal)
What is the difference between this and that?
what are indefinite pronouns? Reflexive pronouns
This is used for singular and near nouns but is used for far singular nouns.
2) These and those.
These and those are used for plural nouns. They follow plural auxiliary verbs (are, were, have had, will) like:
- These are cars. (things)
- These were cars. (things)
- Those bags are blue. (color of things)
- Those are friendly people. (person)
- Those are long-legged animals. (animals)
There is a slight difference between demonstrative adjectives and demonstrative pronouns. So, do get bewildered. The same words are used as demonstrative adjectives too, but they are used before the noun to point out that noun.
Ex.
- I saw this man on the road.
- Do you like that car?
- I have bought those books.
Some more examples.
- This is a long table.
- That is a short table.
- These are beautiful pictures.
- Those are yummy dishes.
Demonstrative Pronouns Exercises
The following exercises are about demonstrative pronouns. Try to fill in the blanks with this, that, these & those, some of the blanks require auxiliary verbs too. So, check out carefully and fill them in correctly.
- ________________ is a car over the road.
- That
- These
- Those
2. Are __________your shoes hanging on the wall?
- That
- those
- this
3. ___________________is not my pen, I have taken mine.
- These
- Those
- This
4. Due to rain, _____________students did not attend the class.
- These
- Those
- That
5. _______________is sleeping near me.
- These
- That
- This
6. This _______________a nice pen.
- Were
- Is
- Have
7. That ________________my camera broke down on the table.
- Have
- Has
- Was
8. These ______________my plates at the party.
- Have been
- Has been
- Was
9. ______________have fought very well on the battlefield.
- That
- those
- this
10. Did this ___________plugged by you?
- Had
- Have
- Was
Answers to the following exercise.
- That is a car over the road.
- Are those your shoes hanging on the wall?
- This is not my pen, I have taken mine.
- Due to rain, these students did not attend the class.
- This is sleeping near me.
- This is a nice pen.
- That was my camera broken down on the table.
- These have been my plates at the party.
- Those have fought very well on the battlefield.
- Did this was plugged in by you?