Overview
Demonstrative determiners (this, that, these, those) point to specific nouns. This/these indicate things near the speaker; that/those indicate things further away. They are also used for time: this morning (current period), that day (a past day). As pronouns they stand alone; as determiners they precede a noun.
Near vs Far
- thisthis + singular near noun: this book, this idea
- thesethese + plural near noun: these books, these ideas
- thatthat + singular far noun: that building, that time
- thosethose + plural far noun: those people, those days
Discourse Reference
- this: introduces or refers forward → This is the problem:…
- that: refers back to something already mentioned → That was a mistake.
- Near in time: this week, this morning (current)
- Far in time: that summer, those years (past/remote)
Common Mistakes
- ❌ These informations → ✅ This information (uncountable)
- ❌ That chair here → ✅ This chair (near = this)
- ❌ Those advice → ✅ That advice (advice = uncountable)
When to use
Pointing near
This coffee is excellent.
Pointing far
Look at that mountain over there.
Discourse ref
This brings me to my next point.
Time reference
Those were simpler times.