Demonstratives—this, that, these, those—help you point to things, show distance, clarify what you’re talking about, and sound natural in everyday English. They’re small words, but they shape meaning a lot. This guide shows you how to use each demonstrative correctly, how singular vs plural changes things, and how native speakers use them in real conversations.
What Demonstratives Do
Demonstratives help you show which thing you mean and how close it is to you (physically or mentally).
They answer questions like: Which one? That one? This one? These? Those?
The Four Demonstratives In English
| Word | Number | Distance | Example |
| This | singular | near you | “This pen is mine.” |
| That | singular | far from you | “That building is huge.” |
| These | plural | near you | “These cookies smell amazing.” |
| Those | plural | far away | “Those people look familiar.” |
The pattern is simple:
- Near + singular → this
- Near + plural → these
- Far + singular → that
- Far + plural → those
Using Demonstratives To Talk About Objects
“This” and “These” (Near You)
Use these when the object is physically close.
Examples:
- “This chair is comfortable.” (singular, near)
- “These photos are from my trip.” (plural, near)
“That” and “Those” (Far Away)
Use these when the object is farther away—across the room, outside, or just not near you.
Examples:
- “That bike over there is mine.” (singular, far)
- “Those lights are beautiful at night.” (plural, far)
Demonstratives In Real Conversations
Native speakers use them constantly:
At a store:
- “I’ll take this one.”
- “Could I see those shoes on the top shelf?”
Talking about food:
- “Try these, they’re delicious.”
- “I don’t like that, it’s too spicy.”
Pointing to people or places:
- “Who is that guy?”
- “Are those your friends?”
Demonstratives As Pronouns vs Adjectives
Demonstratives can act as adjectives (before a noun) or pronouns (standing alone).
Demonstrative Adjectives
Used before a noun.
- “This book is new.”
- “Those cookies look great.”
Demonstrative Pronouns
Used alone.
- “I like this.”
- “Who said that?”
- “Can you pass me those?”
Tip: If there’s no noun after it, it’s a pronoun.
Demonstratives For Time
Demonstratives also express time distance.
“This” for Present / Near Time
- “This morning”
- “This week”
- “This year”
“That” for Past / Distance
- “That day was unforgettable.”
- “That weekend was terrible.”
- “I remember that summer.”
Demonstratives For Ideas & Opinions
They aren’t only for physical distance—English uses them metaphorically.
“This” for something happening now
- “This is exactly what I mean.”
- “Listen to this!”
“That” for something already mentioned
- “That makes sense.”
- “That sounds difficult.”
Demonstratives In Emotional Distance
Tone changes meaning:
- “I don’t like that tone.” (emotional distance/disapproval)
- “Don’t talk to me in that way.” (negative attitude)
- “I love this song!” (positive energy)
Common Mistakes Learners Make
- Mixing singular & plural forms
- Wrong: “These book is new.”
- Correct: “This book is new.” / “These books are new.”
- Wrong: “These book is new.”
- Using “this/these” even when object is far
- Wrong: “This mountains are huge.” (also wrong plural)
- Correct: “Those mountains are huge.”
- Wrong: “This mountains are huge.” (also wrong plural)
- Adding “the” before demonstratives
- Wrong: “The these cookies are for you.”
- Correct: “These cookies are for you.”
- Wrong: “The these cookies are for you.”
- Using demonstratives without clarity
If your listener can’t see the object, add more detail:
- “This report we discussed yesterday…”
- “This report we discussed yesterday…”
Practice Exercises
A. Complete the sentence
- ______ book on my desk is yours.
- I love ______ flowers over there.
- ______ are my keys right here.
- Can you pass me ______?
- ______ mountain in the distance looks beautiful.
B. Fix the mistake
- “These car is expensive.”
- “That people are waiting.”
- “I like this, but those is better.”
C. Choose the right demonstrative
Your friend is standing next to you holding two cups of coffee. You say:
“Are ______ for me?”
You’re watching fireworks far away in the sky. You say:
“Wow! Look at ______!”
Yak’s Final Chewables
Demonstratives may be small words, but they make your English sharper and more precise. Once you know when to use this, that, these, and those, you can point at anything—objects, ideas, memories, people—with confidence. And if anyone ever hands you something delicious, remember: “Yes, this is exactly what I wanted.” Spoken like a true yak.