Demonstrative Adjectives: This, That, These, and Those

Choosing between this, that, these, and those depends on more than whether something is near or far away.

You also need to consider whether the noun is singular or plural, whether the reference feels close or distant in time, and how the speaker is presenting it in the conversation.

Traditional grammar calls these words demonstrative adjectives when they come before nouns. Modern grammar more often calls them demonstrative determiners.

What Is a Demonstrative Adjective?

A demonstrative adjective identifies a particular person, thing, place, or idea by showing which one or which ones are meant.

The four demonstratives are:

• this
• that
• these
• those

For example:

I prefer this route through the old district.

Can you see that tower beyond the bridge?

These documents need another review.

We discussed those concerns at last month’s meeting.

This, That, These, and Those at a Glance

“Near” and “distant” do not always refer to physical space.

Demonstratives and Noun Number

The form you choose depends partly on whether the noun is singular, plural, or uncountable.

This and That

Use this and that with singular countable nouns.

this chair

that entrance

They also work with uncountable nouns.

this information

that music

this equipment

that traffic

An uncountable noun does not become plural simply because there is a large amount of it.

Correct:

this furniture

Incorrect:

these furniture

These and Those

Use these and those with plural countable nouns.

these reports

those entrances

The demonstrative must match the noun in number.

Incorrect:

those report

Correct:

that report

or:

those reports

Distance Can Be Physical, Temporal, or Contextual

The familiar rule says:

this / these = near
that / those = far

That is a useful starting point, but English uses distance more broadly.

Physical Distance

Demonstratives can distinguish things by location.

Please sign this form in front of you.

Who owns that bicycle beside the gate?

Are these keys yours?

Look at those clouds over the hills.

Something close to the listener may still be described with that or those if it is farther from the speaker.

Could you hand me that folder beside you?

There is no fixed physical distance that determines the choice.

Time

Demonstratives can also locate something in time.

This often refers to a period that includes the present or feels close to it.

This week has been unusually busy.

We expect another update this afternoon.

These days, most of the team works remotely.

That and those can point to a more distant period.

That summer changed the direction of the project.

We had fewer resources in those years.

The contrast can therefore be temporal as well as physical.

Ideas and Shared Context

A demonstrative can identify something already known from the conversation or surrounding context.

The server failed again. That problem needs immediate attention.

Maya suggested delaying the launch. That suggestion was rejected.

These concerns deserve a closer look.

We should not repeat those mistakes.

No physical pointing is involved. The demonstrative identifies an idea, event, decision, or situation that the listener can recognize.

Speaker Perspective and Psychological Distance

Sometimes the choice reflects how the speaker frames something.

We need to solve this problem before the launch.

The problem is “close” because it is the speaker’s immediate concern.

Compare:

I don’t want to return to that argument again.

Here, that can create a sense of distance from the earlier argument.

This does not mean this is always positive or that is always negative. Tone and context determine the effect.

Demonstrative distance can therefore be physical, temporal, conversational, or psychological.

Demonstratives Within a Noun Phrase

A demonstrative normally appears near the beginning of the noun phrase, before ordinary adjectives and certain other modifiers.

this narrow corridor

that complicated procedure

these unexpected delays

A noun phrase can contain more than one kind of modifier:

those three historic buildings

Here:

• those identifies which group is meant;
• three gives the number;
• historic describes the buildings;
• buildings is the head noun.

This pattern shows how a demonstrative fits into the larger structure of the noun phrase.

Demonstrative Adjective vs Demonstrative Pronoun

The words this, that, these, and those can also stand without a following noun.

Traditional grammar usually calls them demonstrative pronouns in that use.

Compare:

I prefer this design.

Here, this appears before the noun design.

But:

I prefer this.

Here, this stands independently because the thing being referred to is understood from context.

Another pair:

Those photographs were taken before the renovation.

Those were taken before the renovation.

The form does not change, but its grammatical role does.

Why Modern Grammar Calls Them Demonstrative Determiners

Traditional school grammar commonly uses the term demonstrative adjective.

Modern grammar usually uses demonstrative determiner when this, that, these, and those appear before nouns.

The reason is that these words help establish which noun or noun phrase is being referred to, rather than describing one of its qualities.

So both labels may appear in English-learning materials:

• demonstrative adjective = traditional school-grammar term
• demonstrative determiner = common modern grammatical term

Knowing both terms prevents confusion when different grammar books use different classifications.

Demonstratives Do Not Combine Freely With Articles and Possessives

Demonstratives occupy determiner territory in the noun phrase, so they do not normally combine directly with another central determiner such as the, a, or a possessive before the same noun.

Incorrect:

this the document

Incorrect:

that my jacket

Use:

this document

or:

the document

and:

that jacket

or:

my jacket

English can combine demonstratives with other structures when the grammar allows it:

these three reports

some of those reports

all of these documents

These patterns reflect the way determiners are organized within English noun phrases.

How to Choose Between This, That, These, and Those

Three questions usually lead to the right choice:

1. Is the noun singular, plural, or uncountable?
2. Is the referent being presented as nearer or more distant?
3. Is the distance physical, temporal, conversational, or psychological?

Those three questions are usually enough to explain why this, that, these, or those fits a particular context.

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