Demonstrative Adjectives | Examples, Definition & List
English has four primary demonstrative adjectives: “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those.” Demonstrative adjectives give information about the location of a noun or pronoun.
The choice of demonstrative adjective depends on the number (singular or plural) and the relative distance (near or far) of the noun being modified.
| Near (proximal) | Far (distal) | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | This shirt is too small. | That shirt looks like it would fit me. |
| Plural | These plants are thriving. | Those plants, in the shade, are dying. |
What is a demonstrative adjective?
Demonstrative adjectives (also called demonstrative determiners), like all adjectives, give more information about a noun or pronoun. They always come at the beginning of a noun phrase (e.g., “these big green wool mittens”).
Demonstrative adjectives are used to indicate the distance of the thing or person being referred to from the speaker or writer.
- “This” (singular) and “these” (plural) refer to something or someone relatively close. So, they are called near (or proximal) demonstratives.
- “That” (singular) and “those” (plural) refer to something or someone relatively far away. So, they are called far (or distal) demonstratives.
Demonstrative adjectives can indicate distance in a variety of contexts. They can be used to refer to literal physical distance from the speaker or writer.
Are you sure you want to buy these silver earrings? What about those gold ones, over there?
Demonstratives can also be used to refer to distance in time, with “this” and “these” typically referring to the current time or near future and “that” and “those” referring to some time in the past.
That year was just terrible. [Some year in the past]
People spend too much time on their phones these days. [Currently]
Lastly, demonstratives can also be used to indicate a nonliteral or abstract distance, such as when discussing ideas or previous statements. When used in this way, the difference in meaning between near (“this/these”) and far (“that/those”) demonstrative adjectives is often quite subtle.
These questions are important to understanding the path forward. [Questions that have just been raised]
The company spokesperson said that the product would not be recalled. This statement was taken by many consumers to mean that the company had verified the safety of the product. [“This” is often used in this way to refer to an immediately preceding sentence]
Some sources also classify ordinal numbers (e.g., “first,” “second,” “third”) as demonstrative adjectives because they are often used to describe the location of something, whether literally (e.g., “My house is the second one on the left”) or metaphorically (e.g., “Our first priority is safety”).
Demonstrative adjectives vs demonstrative pronouns
The words “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those” function as both demonstrative adjectives and demonstrative pronouns. Together, these adjectives and pronouns are referred to as “demonstratives.”
- A demonstrative adjective appears before a noun or pronoun and modifies it.
- A demonstrative pronoun, like all pronouns, replaces a noun and functions on its own as the subject or object of a sentence. Demonstrative pronouns are used when the noun is clear from context.
| Demonstrative adjective examples | Demonstrative pronoun examples |
|---|---|
| This cake is amazing. | This is amazing. |
| I’ll take that plate for you. | I’ll take that for you. |
| Does Tyrone want these shoes? | Does Tyrone want these? |
| I told you not to eat those berries. | I told you not to eat those. |
The demonstrative adjectives “this” and “that” are often used with the pronoun “one” when referring to a noun that has already been mentioned or is understood from context.
This one is mine.
While the phrases “these ones” and “those ones” are technically grammatically correct, they are used far less frequently, especially in more formal contexts. Instead, people typically use the demonstrative pronouns “these” or “those.”
- I usually like donuts, but I don’t like these ones.
- I usually like donuts, but I don’t like these.
Frequently asked questions about demonstrative adjectives
- What is the difference between demonstrative adjectives and demonstrative pronouns?
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The words “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those” function as both demonstrative adjectives and demonstrative pronouns. They give information about the number (singular or plural) and distance (near or far) of the thing or person being referred to.
- A demonstrative adjective appears before a noun and modifies it (e.g., “This salsa is very spicy”).
- A demonstrative pronoun replaces a noun and functions on its own as the subject or object of a sentence (e.g., “That is my favorite restaurant”). Demonstrative pronouns are used when the noun is clear from context.
- What is the difference between “this” and “that”?
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“This” and “that” are both used as demonstrative adjectives and demonstrative pronouns. Both are used to refer to singular nouns (e.g., “this book,” “that restaurant”).
This is used to refer to something that is relatively close to the speaker, and that is used to refer to something that is relatively farther away (e.g., “Take this book, and put it on that shelf”). The choice of “this” or “that” is greatly influenced by the context of a sentence.
- Is “that” an adjective?
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“That” is a special type of adjective, called a demonstrative adjective. Demonstrative adjectives (“this,” “that,” “these,” and “those”) are used with a noun or pronoun to give information about its relative location (e.g., “Put that box on this cart”).
- Is “these” an adjective?
-
“These” is a special type of adjective, called a demonstrative adjective. Demonstrative adjectives (“this,” “that,” “these,” and “those”) are used with a noun or pronoun to give information about its relative location (e.g., “These earrings would look perfect with that dress”).
- Is “those” an adjective?
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“Those” is a special type of adjective, called a demonstrative adjective. Demonstrative adjectives (“this,” “that,” “these,” and “those”) are used with a noun or pronoun to give information about its relative location (e.g., “Those books go on this shelf”).
