Demonstrative Pronouns vs. Demonstrative Determiners
The words this, that, these, those play a central role in pointing out specific people, objects, or ideas in English. However, they perform two distinct grammatical functions: serving as Demonstrative Pronouns or as Demonstrative Determiners (Adjectives). Recognizing this structural distinction is essential for proper sentence composition and grammar analysis.
A Demonstrative Pronoun stands entirely alone as the subject or object of a clause, replacing a noun phrase (e.g., "This is my laptop"). A Demonstrative Determiner immediately precedes and modifies a head noun (e.g., "This laptop is mine").
✅ Demonstrative Pronoun: That was an incredible performance.
✅ Demonstrative Determiner: That performance was incredible.
✅ Discourse Pronoun: The company doubled its profits. This surprised everyone.
1. Proximity and Number Matrix
The four demonstratives vary across two grammatical dimensions: Number (singular vs plural) and Proximity (near vs far in space, time, or emotion):
| Proximity / Distance | Singular Form | Plural Form |
|---|---|---|
| Near (Spatial, Temporal, Emotional) | This (This book, This is great) | These (These books, These are great) |
| Far (Spatial, Temporal, Emotional) | That (That building, That was fun) | Those (Those buildings, Those are ours) |
2. Demonstrative Pronouns in Formal Discourse
In academic writing, demonstrative pronouns often refer back to full prior sentences or complex clauses. However, using a standalone demonstrative pronoun can sometimes create reference ambiguity. Adding a head noun turns it into a clear demonstrative determiner phrase:
- Ambiguous Pronoun: The inflation rate rose by 4%, and interest rates spiked. This caused market instability.
- Clear Determiner Phrase: The inflation rate rose by 4%, and interest rates spiked. This rapid surge caused market instability.
To quickly test whether a word is a pronoun or a determiner, look at the word immediately following it. If it is followed directly by a verb (e.g., "This is..."), it is a Pronoun. If followed directly by a noun (e.g., "This book..."), it is a Determiner.
3. Common Errors and Corrections
| ❌ Incorrect Usage | ✅ Correct Usage |
|---|---|
| These is the best document we have reviewed. | This is the best document we have reviewed. |
| Those books on the shelf belongs to me. | Those books on the shelf belong to me. |
| I prefer this ones over those. | I prefer these over those. (Or: this one) |
✍️ Quick Practice — Test Your Knowledge
Identify whether the bold word is a Demonstrative Pronoun or Demonstrative Determiner:
- These grapes are fresh and sweet.
- That is the reason why we arrived late.
- Could you pass me those files on your desk?
Answers: 1. Determiner | 2. Pronoun | 3. Determiner
Summary & Key Takeaways
- Demonstrative Pronouns stand alone ("This is..."); Demonstrative Determiners modify nouns ("This report is...").
- Use this / these for near proximity; use that / those for distance in space or time.
- In formal writing, pair demonstratives with explicit nouns to prevent vague pronoun references.