Demonstrative Pronouns

English has just 4 demonstrative words — this, that, these, and those — but they serve 3 different functions: pointing to things in space, marking time, and connecting ideas in conversation. Master the simple grid below and you can handle all three.

	Singular	Plural
Near (close to the speaker)	this	these
Far (away from the speaker)	that	those

Two decisions are all you need: How far? and How many? The rest of this lesson shows you how to apply this grid across space, time, and discourse — and how to avoid the traps that catch most learners.

Don't confuse demonstrative pronouns with personal pronouns. Personal pronouns (I, you, he, she, it, we, they) refer to people and things already known in the conversation. Demonstratives (this, that, these, those) point to something — in space, in time, or in what someone just said. If you need a refresher on personal pronouns, see Personal Pronouns.

This, That, These, Those: Near and Far

The most basic use of demonstratives is pointing to things in physical space. The speaker's position decides whether something is "near" or "far".

Near: This and These

Use this (singular) and these (plural) when the thing is close to you — in your hand, next to you, or right in front of you.

Clue Words	Example
here, in my hand, next to me, right here	Look! These flowers in my hand are for you.
	This is my new bicycle. Do you like it?
	These cookies on the plate here are freshly baked.

Far: That and Those

Use that (singular) and those (plural) when the thing is away from you — across the room, over there, or in the distance.

Clue Words	Example
over there, in the distance, across the room, far away	Can you see that mountain in the distance?
	Those shoes by the front gate are mine.
	Look at those stars in the sky tonight!

Near the Listener = Far from the Speaker

A common source of confusion: if something is near the listener but far from the speaker, use that/those.

"Could you pass me that salt next to you?" (The salt is near you, but far from me.)
"Could you hand me those scissors on the table next to you?"

👉 Practice This, That, These, Those: Near and Far →

Demonstrative Pronouns vs Determiners

The same four words — this, that, these, those — can play two different grammatical roles. When they appear before a noun, some grammar books call them demonstrative adjectives (or demonstrative determiners). Knowing the difference between demonstrative pronouns and demonstrative adjectives helps you understand sentence structure and avoid agreement errors.

Two Roles, Same Words

Role	Pattern	Example
Pronoun (stands alone — no noun after it)	this/that/these/those + verb	This is delicious. Those are mine.
Determiner (before a noun)	this/that/these/those + noun	This dress is a gift. Those bags belong to the visitors.

The form doesn't change — only the position in the sentence tells you whether it's a pronoun or a determiner.

Subject–Verb Agreement

When a demonstrative is the subject, match the verb to singular or plural:

Demonstrative	Verb	Example
This / That	is / was	This is really hard. That was unfair.
These / Those	are / were	These are the rules. Those were the happiest days.

⚠️ The "It" Trap: When NOT to Use a Demonstrative

One of the biggest mistakes learners make is using this or that where English actually requires it.

Rule: When you refer back to a specific noun already mentioned in a simple continuation, use it (or they for plural) — not a demonstrative.

❌ Wrong	✅ Correct	Why
I bought a new laptop. This was expensive.	I bought a new laptop. It was quite expensive.	Simple back-reference to a known noun → use it
My cat follows me everywhere. This always sleeps on my bed.	My cat follows me everywhere. It always sleeps on my bed.	Continuing about the same subject → use it

When DO you use a demonstrative for back-reference? When you want to comment on a whole situation or idea, not just repeat a noun:

"She told me about her problems. That made me feel sad." (= the whole situation made me sad)
"She got two turns and I got none. That wasn't fair!" (= the whole situation)

Quick test: Can you replace the demonstrative with it and the sentence still works? If yes, use it. If the reference is to a whole event or idea (not a single noun), use that.

Time Expressions with Demonstratives

Demonstratives also mark time distance — this for the present period, that/those for past or distant periods:

Time Reference	Example
this = current period	I'm busy this week. / This morning I woke up at 4 a.m. / This year we are planning a holiday.
that = past or distant period	Do you remember that restaurant where we had dinner last year?
those = past period (plural)	We moved to London in 2010. In those days, we didn't have much money.

👉 Practice Demonstrative Pronouns vs Determiners →

Demonstratives in Real Life: Phone Calls, Introductions, and Referring Back

Beyond physical distance and time, demonstratives have important social and discourse functions in everyday English. These are fixed patterns that every learner needs to know.

Phone Calls: "This is..."

On the phone, English uses this — not I am or it is — to identify yourself or ask who is calling:

Situation	Pattern	Example
Identifying yourself	This is + name	"Hello, this is Maria. May I speak to Mr Lee?"
Asking who is calling	Who is this?	"Hello? Who is this?"
Identifying your workplace	This is + place	"Hi, this is the dentist's office. How can I help you?"
Checking who answered	Is this + place/name?	"Is this the pizza restaurant?"

Introductions: "This is..."

When introducing someone who is present, always use this is — never he is or she is as the introduction:

"Mum, this is my friend Alex. Alex, this is my mother."
"Tom, I'd like you to meet someone. This is my colleague, Sarah."
"Ladies and gentlemen, these are the winners of tonight's competition!"

Referring Back: This vs That in Discourse

When you refer to something already said or done, the choice between this and that follows a clear pattern:

Function	Word	Example
Referring back to what was just said (anaphoric)	that	"The meeting was cancelled. That was really disappointing."
Reacting to news or information	that's	"I passed all my exams!" — "That's wonderful!"
Commenting on a situation	that	"He never listens to anyone. That is his biggest problem."
Introducing what comes next (cataphoric)	this	"Listen to this: never give up."

The general rule: that looks back at what was said; this looks forward to what's coming.

Perspective Shift: The Same Object, Different Speakers

The same object can be that for one speaker and this for another — it depends on who is closer:

A: "What is that?" (pointing at an object across the room) B: (picks it up) "Oh, this is a traditional Japanese instrument called a koto."

A uses that (far from A). B uses this (now near B). The object didn't move between categories — the speaker's position changed.

👉 Practice Demonstratives in Context →

Getting Started: This and That

If you are a complete beginner, start here. This section covers only the singular forms — this (near) and that (far).

The Simple Rule

Word	Distance	Example
this	Near you (here, in my hand, next to me)	This is my book. (here)
that	Far from you (over there, in the sky, far away)	That is a big house. (over there)

Look for the clue in brackets or in the sentence:

(here), (in my hand), (next to me) → this
(over there), (in the sky), (far away) → that

More Examples

Sentence	Clue	Answer
___ is my pen. (in my hand)	in my hand = near	This
___ is a bird. (in the tree)	in the tree = far	That
___ is my friend Tom. (next to me)	next to me = near	This
___ is a cute dog. (over there)	over there = far	That

Once you feel confident with this and that, move on to the plural forms these and those in Set 1 above.

👉 Practice Starter: This and That →

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Incorrect	Correct	Why Learners Make This Mistake
I bought a new laptop. This was expensive.	I bought a new laptop. It was expensive.	Using a demonstrative for simple back-reference to a known noun — use it instead
That is Maria speaking. (on the phone)	This is Maria speaking.	Phone identification always uses this, even though the other person is far away
Those were delicious cookies here on the plate.	These are delicious cookies here on the plate.	Ignoring the spatial clue "here" — near the speaker requires these, not those
I'm busy that week. (= the current week)	I'm busy this week.	Using that for the current time period — this marks the present, that marks a distant period
This was a great holiday. (looking back at last summer)	That was a great holiday.	Using this to refer back to a past experience — that is for commenting on something already finished
These is the rules.	These are the rules.	Subject–verb agreement error — these and those are plural and take are/were

Quick Summary

The 2×2 Grid

	Singular	Plural
Near	this	these
Far	that	those

3-Step Decision Flowchart

How far? Near the speaker → this/these. Far from the speaker → that/those.
How many? One thing → this/that. More than one → these/those.
What function? Pointing in space, marking time, or referring to ideas — the same grid applies to all three.

Phone and Introduction Conventions

Situation	Always use
Identifying yourself on the phone	This is + name
Introducing someone present	This is + name
Reacting to what someone said	That's + adjective
Commenting on a past event	That was...

When to Use "It" Instead

Referring back to a specific noun already mentioned → it
Commenting on a whole situation or idea → that

Practice Tips

Look for spatial clues first. Words like here, there, over there, in my hand, next to you, and in the distance are your strongest signals for choosing the right demonstrative.
Test "it" before "this/that" when referring back. If you can replace your demonstrative with it and the sentence still makes sense, it is probably the better choice.
Practise phone phrases as chunks. Memorise "This is [name]" and "Who is this?" as fixed phrases — don't try to analyse them grammatically.
Pay attention to time words. This week/month/year = now. That day/week = a past or distant time. Those days = a past period. The time clue tells you which demonstrative to use.
Check singular vs plural last. Most learners get the near/far decision right but forget to match singular (this/that) with plural (these/those). Always check the noun's number.

Practice All Exercises

Work through all four sets of demonstrative pronouns exercises with answers — 80 multiple choice questions covering this, that, these, and those from Pre-A1 to A2. These demonstrative adjectives and pronouns exercises cover near and far demonstratives, pronouns vs determiners, phone calls, introductions, and referring back. Each set focuses on a different aspect, so working through them in order gives the best results. All exercises are available online and as printable PDF worksheets.