INSTRILL

Demonstrative Pronoun

We all know about pronouns. But do you know demonstrative pronoun is one of the types of pronouns? And where do we use these pronouns in our daily life? What is the meaning of a demonstrative pronoun?

For instance:

Suppose a girl named Shikha is pointing to the fruits which are far from her and saying “Those are fruits in the garden”.

So, Do you know the word “Those” is a pronoun, and it falls under which pronoun categories?

It falls under the Demonstrative pronoun. In this article, we will learn about the meaning of a demonstrative pronoun.

Meaning of Demonstrative Pronoun

Demonstrative Pronouns are the set of words used to indicate specific nouns, especially in a specific direction whether it is far or near. Sometimes, these are used to replace the noun as a subject in the sentence.

Example: This, That, These, Those.

Examples of Demonstrative Pronouns

• This is a beautiful painting.

• That is a jute curtain.

• These are the dusty windows.

• All books are content enriched, but this is better than those.

• The climate of Uttarakhand is better than that of Delhi.

Demonstrative Pronouns Vs Demonstrative Adjectives

Basis	Demonstrative Pronouns	Demonstrative Adjectives
Usage	The usage of demonstrative pronouns is to substitute the position of nouns.	Demonstrative adjectives are used just before nouns.
Replacement	It replaces nouns.	It does not replace noun.
Example	These are authentic recipes from my grandmother.	These flower fragrances are better than that.

Rules of Demonstrative Pronouns

• If 2 singular nouns join with the conjunction “and” in a sentence or a clause…

Use “this” for the lateral singular noun and use “that” for the first singular noun.

For Example:

Physical fitness and mental fitness both can be improved by regular exercise; this reduces stress, that boosts overall health.

In this example, “this” denotes “mental health” and “that” denotes “physical fitness”.

• If 2 plural nouns join with the conjunction “and” in a sentence or a clause…

Use “these” for the lateral plural noun and use “those” for the first plural noun.

For Example:

Igloos and huts both are houses; these are found in warm regions, and those are found in cold regions.

In this example, “these” denotes “huts” and “those” denotes “igloos”.

• Comparison between two nouns…

1. For Singular nouns – use “that of”

For Example:

The temperature of Delhi is more humid than that of Chandigarh.

In this example, “that of” denotes “temperature”

2. For Plural nouns – use “those of”

For Example:

The mountains of Himachal are greener than those of Gurgaon.

In this example, “those of” denotes “mountains”.

Practice Exercise

1. Fill in the blanks with a suitable demonstrative pronoun: ________ is the bird that I saw yesterday. a) These b) This

2. Fill in the blanks with a suitable demonstrative pronoun: ________ are the plants we purchased from the market. a) That b)Those

3. Correct the following sentence: The apples of Kashmir are sweeter than Nagaland.

4. Correct the following sentence: The streets of Rishikesh are more fancy than Delhi.

ENGLISH-RELATED CONCEPTS:

Pronoun	Personal Pronoun
Possessive Pronoun	Distributive Pronoun