Demonstrative Pronouns

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Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns are a special type of pronoun that replace nouns to indicate location in distance or time.

What Are Demonstrative Pronouns?

Even though the word demonstrative sounds like it has to do with monsters, it actually comes from the word demonstrate, which means to show or indicate.

That’s exactly what demonstrative pronouns do - they demonstrate things in distance or time, whether near or far.

There are four main demonstrative pronouns, each corresponding with the questions How many? and How far?

How far?
How many? NearFar
OneThisThat
More than oneTheseThose

How Do I Use Demonstrative Pronouns?

They are used to replace things and tell proximity and quantity. That’s the key.

AND

They replace a noun.

Here are some examples:
1) This smells incredible.
2) Have you ever heard of that?
3) These are fantastically designed.
4) Do you think those will fit in my car?

QUICK TIP!

Don’t confuse Demonstrative Pronouns with Demonstrative Adjectives! Demonstrative adjectives are the same words but specifically describe the noun that comes after them. Demonstrative pronouns replace a noun.

Check out the difference:

Demonstrative pronounThat is definitely bigger than I thought.
(That replaces the word cake in the sentence below.)
Demonstrative adjectiveThat cake is definitely bigger than I thought.

Just remember that a demonstrative adjective ALWAYS has a noun after it!

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