Demonstrative adjectives
450 fill-in-the-gap exercises, 45 tests of ten
Four words, chosen by two things: how many, and how far away.
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Getting your first question ready.
Two questions
How many? One takes this or that; more than one takes these or those.
How far? Near takes this or these; far takes that or those.
Put the two together and only one word fits. The table above is the whole grammar.
Near and far are not only physical
Distance can be in time or in attention:
- this morning — the one we are in
- that summer — a different, remoter one
- these days — now
- those days — back then
On the telephone
A fixed convention worth knowing:
Hello, this is Anna. — introducing yourself Is that Tom? — asking who you are speaking to
Standing alone
The same four words work without a noun, as pronouns:
I’ll take this. Those are mine. What is that?
that for something just said
That often refers back to a whole idea rather than a thing:
The train was canceled. That explains why he was late.
All forms
| Near | Far | |
|---|---|---|
| one | this book | that book |
| more than one | these books | those books |
Examples
Taken from the 450 sentences in this drill. The answer is highlighted.
- These cranes we are looking at now are in the photograph as well.
- Take this scarf I am holding and put it in the bag.
- That magazine on the top shelf is in the photograph as well.
- Those notebooks on the top shelf are much better than the rest.
- These bicycles here are on the list as well.
- This notebook beside me is older than it looks.
- Look at that bird on the chimney opposite.
- Those lights in the windows opposite burn all night.
- These jars I just opened smell of vinegar.
- This page I am reading has a mistake in it.
- That glove on the top shelf is hard to see clearly.
- Those flowerpots over there are worth keeping.
Mistakes to avoid
Wrong: These book is mine. correct: This book is mine.
Book is singular, so this.
Wrong: Look at that birds. correct: Look at those birds.
Birds is plural and far away, so those.
Wrong: I like this shoes I am wearing. correct: I like these shoes I am wearing.
Shoes is plural and on your feet, so these.