English Grammar Understanding the Basics - Evelyn P. Altenberg, Robert M. Vago 2010
Lesson 23: Demonstrative pronouns
Unit 7: Pronouns
Part I: Kinds of words
Do you remember the underlined words in the sentences below?
1. Are you sure you want this?
2. We agreed about that.
3. I’m not sure I like these.
4. Those look delicious.
In Lesson 13 we talked about the use of demonstratives before a noun, for example: this dog, that idea, these songs, those curtains. That is, we talked about demonstratives used as determiners. But demonstratives can also be used without a noun following them, as you can see from sentences 1-4. In these cases, because the demonstrative replaces a noun (or noun phrase), it is called a demonstrative pronoun. For example, in sentence 1, the demonstrative pronoun this can be replacing a noun such as spaghetti or magazines.
It’s easy to remember demonstrative pronouns, because there are only four of them; they are listed in Quick tip 23.1.
Quick tip 2 3.1
There are only four demonstrative pronouns: this, that, these, and those.
It might help you remember the word ’’demonstrative’’ if you think of these words as ’’demonstrating’’ something, in a way, pointing to something.
Test yourself 23.1
Underline the demonstrative pronoun in each of the sentences below.
Sample: Lenny wasn’t sure he really wanted those.
Getting started (answers on p.100)
1. That wasn’t really Hannah’s job, but I appreciate her doing it anyway.
2. Natasha really likes these.
3. He wasn’t good at riddles but managed to solve those.
4. I never thought it would come to this.
5. These are very difficult times.
More practice (answers on the website)
6. Those were the good old days.
7. Sean thought he would never see that.
8. This is absolutely unacceptable.
9. Mrs. Wallace would rather buy these.
10. That is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen.
Test yourself 23.2
Decide if each pronoun below isa subject, object, reflexive, or demonstrative pronoun.
Sample: she subject
Getting started (answers on p. 100)
1. yourselves
2. those
3. me
4. we
5. itself
More practice (answers on the website)
6. them
7. that
8. us
9. herself
10. these
Test yourself 23.3
Underline the pronouns in each of the sentences below. Label each as demonstrative, subject, object, or reflexive. Some sentences will have more than one pronoun.
Sample: Did you spill that on yourself? (subject; demonstrative; reflexive)
Getting started (answers on p. 100)
1. We were angry at ourselves.
2. He asked us to explain this.
3. It works just as well at home.
4. They sent these to us.
5. The baseball player dusted himself off.
More practice (answers on the website)
6. You should do this for yourself.
7. This reminds me of why I should respect myself.
8. That is the way they should behave themselves.
9. We excused ourselves right after dinner.
10. It could bother them.