"THIS book" or "THOSE cars" are examples of demonstrative pronouns. They demonstrate something, as if we are pointing our finger at something.Learn more in the lesson below.
It is important to first explain that demonstrative pronouns can be singular or plural and that they make reference as well to distance.
| this |
| that |
| these |
| those |
Examples:
Singular and “here”:
| I like this car. |
Singular and “there”:
| I like that car. |
Plural and “here”:
| I like these cars. |
Plural and “there”:
| I like those cars. |
Demonstrative pronouns can be accompanied by a noun, as in the examples above, or they may be found alone, as in the following examples.
Examples:
| This is a good book. |
| What is that? |
1. We use “this” when we present ourselves to someone on the telephone.
Example:
| Hello. This is Alicia. |
2. We use “that” when we are not sure with whom we are speaking.
Example:
| Peter, is that you? |
3. We use “this” when we are introducing people.
Example:
| Lucy, this is my friend Jill. |
4.“That” can be used to refer to something in the past.
Example:
| That pizza was delicious. |
Note: “That pizza” can be either a pizza we just finished eating or one that we ate on our holidays last year.
