Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative Pronouns Definition

A demonstrative pronoun is a type of pronoun that points to/refers to someone or something.

Demonstrative pronouns are deictic, which means they cannot be understood without context, and their meaning is dependent on a reference to a certain time or space. For example:

Types of Demonstrative Pronouns

There are four main demonstrative pronouns:

• This
• That
• These
• Those

Demonstrative pronouns can be used to refer to something in close proximity or something far away. For example:

Demonstrative pronouns are sometimes accompanied by adverbs such as "here," "there," or "over there" to determine how close or far away something is. For example:

Plural Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns can be used to refer to a single thing or multiple things (plural). The two plural demonstrative pronouns are "these" and "those," whereas the two singular demonstrative pronouns are "this" and "that." For example:

Fig. 1 - The sentence "these lemons are fresh" contains the plural demonstrative pronoun "these."

Demonstrative Pronouns Examples

A demonstrative pronoun can directly refer to an object in a sentence or be used without an object. In case you need reminding, sentences contain the following:

1. A subject (a person or thing carrying out the action of a verb)

2. A verb

3. An object (a person or thing that receives the action of the subject) - though objects are not always necessary.

When a demonstrative pronoun is used with an object, it is placed before it. For example:

In this sentence, "coat" is the object, and the demonstrative pronoun "this" is placed before it to indicate the particular coat someone would like to buy. When combined, the two words form a noun phrase ("this coat"). A noun phrase is a group of words containing a noun or pronoun and any other modifiers.

Objects are not always directly referred to in a sentence, as they can be implied through context. In this case, the demonstrative pronoun assumes the position of the object. For example:

Here, "that" is used to refer to something that can only be understood if you are aware of the context. What does "that" actually refer to? Let's take a look at the sentence again with some context:

In this case, "that" refers to something previously mentioned (the chocolate cake). When a demonstrative pronoun is used to refer back to something, this is known as an anaphoric reference.

Context does not always have to be written or spoken. Alternatively, the context of a situation could be a non-verbal gesture, such as pointing to something or looking at something. For example:

Here, the context can only be understood if the listener in the conversation sees what is being pointed at.

Fig. 2 - The sentence "look at that horse" includes the demonstrative pronoun "that."

Demonstrative pronouns can also act as the subject of a sentence, for example:

Here, "those" is placed before the subject "cats" to specify which cats. Instead of referring back, "those" refers forward to the cats. When a demonstrative pronoun is used to refer to something that comes later in the sentence, this is known as a cataphoric reference (cat pun unintended!).

Sometimes, a demonstrative pronoun can be used in place of the subject, meaning the subject is not directly mentioned. For example:

Here, "those" refers to something that is not directly mentioned but instead is implied through context.

Demonstrative Pronouns List

To recap, the four demonstrative pronouns are:

• This (singular)

• That (singular)

• These (plural)

• Those (plural)