What are Demonstrative Determiners: Definition, Rules, Examples and Exercises

Demonstrative determiners are an important part of English grammar because they help identify and point to specific people, places, animals, objects, or ideas. They provide clarity by indicating whether something is near or far and whether it is singular or plural. Without demonstrative determiners, it would often be difficult for listeners or readers to understand exactly which noun is being referred to.

In this guide, you will learn the meaning and definition of demonstrative determiners, understand how they are used in sentences, explore numerous examples, identify common mistakes, and practise your understanding through exercises with answers.

Table of Contents

• What are Demonstrative Determiners?
• Examples of Demonstrative Determiners
• How Do You Use Demonstrative Determiners Correctly?
• Common Mistakes to Avoid While Using Demonstrative Determiners
• Check Your Understanding of Demonstrative Determiners

What are Demonstrative Determiners?

Demonstrative determiners are words that point to or identify a specific noun in relation to the speaker. They help indicate which person, place, animal, object, or idea is being referred to by expressing both distance and number. Unlike general determiners such as a, an, or the, demonstrative determiners provide more precise information by showing whether the noun is close to or far from the speaker and whether it is singular or plural.

The four demonstrative determiners in English are this, that, these, and those.

• This refers to a singular noun that is close to the speaker.

• That refers to a singular noun that is farther away from the speaker.

• These refers to plural nouns that are nearby.

• Those refers to plural nouns that are farther away.

A demonstrative determiner always appears before a noun because its function is to determine or introduce that noun. For example, in the sentence This notebook belongs to me, the word this determines the noun notebook. Similarly, in Those students won the competition, the word those identifies which students are being discussed.

Besides indicating physical distance, demonstrative determiners are also used to refer to time and ideas. For instance, this week refers to the current week, whereas that year refers to a past or previously mentioned year. Likewise, expressions such as these problems or that suggestion point to specific ideas already understood from the context.

Examples of Demonstrative Determiners 

Understanding demonstrative determiners becomes much easier when they are studied in context. Although the four demonstrative determiners like this, that, these, and those all point to specific nouns, their usage depends on whether the noun is singular or plural and whether it is considered near or far from the speaker. Correct usage helps make communication clear and prevents confusion.

Consider the following examples:

Using This

• This book belongs to my sister.

• This road leads to the railway station.

• This assignment is due tomorrow.

• This restaurant serves excellent food.

Here, this introduces a singular noun that is close to the speaker or relevant to the present situation.

Using That

• That mountain looks beautiful from here.

• That computer needs repairing.

• That decision changed the company's future.

• That painting was created in the nineteenth century.

In these examples, that refers to a singular noun that is physically distant or has already been mentioned earlier.

Using These

• These flowers smell wonderful.

• These documents must be submitted today.

• These students performed exceptionally well.

• These recipes are easy to prepare.

The determiner these introduces plural nouns that are close to the speaker or currently under discussion.

Using Those

• Those buildings were constructed last year.

• Those athletes represented the country internationally.

• Those books belong to the school library.

• Those photographs remind me of my childhood.

Here, those points to plural nouns that are farther away or refer to things mentioned previously.

Demonstrative determiners are not limited to identifying physical objects. They are equally useful for referring to periods of time (this morning, that evening), experiences (those moments), and ideas (this proposal, those arguments). Their ability to establish clear reference makes them an essential component of accurate and effective English communication.

How Do You Use Demonstrative Determiners Correctly?

Using demonstrative determiners correctly requires understanding two key factors: distance and number. These determiners always appear before a noun and help specify exactly which person, place, object, animal, or idea is being referred to. Choosing the correct demonstrative determiner makes sentences more precise and easier to understand.

The following rules will help you use demonstrative determiners accurately:

1. Match the determiner with the number of the noun

Use a singular demonstrative determiner with singular nouns and a plural demonstrative determiner with plural nouns.

• This pen belongs to me.

• That building is very old.

• These apples are fresh.

• Those mountains look beautiful.

2. Consider the distance

Distance may refer to physical location or the context of the conversation.

• This and these refer to people or things that are near the speaker.

• That and those refer to people or things that are farther away.

For example:

• This chair is comfortable.

• Those houses were built recently.

3. Use demonstrative determiners with time expressions

Demonstrative determiners can also indicate time rather than physical distance.

Examples:

• This week has been very busy.

• That night was unforgettable.

• These days, many people work remotely.

• Those years were full of memorable experiences.

4. Place the determiner before the noun

A demonstrative determiner always comes directly before the noun it modifies.

This book is interesting. (Correct)

Book this is interesting. (Incorrect)

5. Avoid using demonstrative determiners without a noun

When this, that, these, or those are followed by a noun, they function as demonstrative determiners. If they replace the noun completely, they become demonstrative pronouns instead.

• This notebook is mine. (Determiner)

• This is mine. (Pronoun)

Common Mistakes to Avoid While Using Demonstrative Determiners

Although demonstrative determiners are among the simplest determiners in English grammar, learners often make mistakes because they confuse singular and plural forms or use them incorrectly with nouns. Recognising these common errors helps improve grammatical accuracy and sentence clarity.

The most frequent mistakes include:

Check Your Understanding of Demonstrative Determiners

Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate demonstrative determiner (this, that, these, or those).

1. ________ computer on the desk belongs to the manager.

2. Can you pass me ________ files beside you?

3. ________ mountains in the distance look beautiful.

4. I have never forgotten ________ day we first met.

5. ________ apples are fresh. Would you like some?

6. Please read ________ paragraph carefully.

7. ________ students standing near the gate are waiting for the principal.

8. Who owns ________ bicycle parked outside?

9. ________ books on my table need to be returned to the library.

10. I cannot hear ________ speaker at the back of the hall.

11. ________ questions are quite difficult to answer.

12. Could you move ________ chair closer to the table?

13. ________ painting hanging on the wall is over fifty years old.

14. ________ children playing in the park are my cousins.

15. I remember ________ evening very clearly.

16. ________ assignment must be submitted by tomorrow.

17. ________ houses across the street were recently renovated.

18. Can you explain ________ concept once again?

19. ________ shoes are too expensive for me.

20. ________ notebook here is mine.

Answers

1. This

2. These

3. Those

4. That

5. These

6. This

7. Those

8. That

9. These

10. That

11. These

12. This

13. That

14. Those

15. That

16. This

17. Those

18. This

19. Those

20. This