Demonstrative Determiners

You've probably said a sentence like this today, without thinking about it for even half a second:

• "Can you pass that pen?"
• "Look at these memes."
• "I hate this homework."

Easy. Automatic. You've been doing it since you were about two years old.

The trouble usually starts when a teacher writes "agreement?" in the margin of your book, or you type "this things are so annoying" into a group chat and someone replies with a grinning emoji and a gentle correction: these. Suddenly a word you've used a thousand times feels like a trap.

Here's the thing. Nobody's born knowing why "this things" sounds wrong but "this thing" sounds fine. The good news is that once you see the pattern — and it really is just one small pattern — you'll stop guessing and start choosing the right word on purpose, whether you're writing a story, an exam answer, or a slightly panicked text to a friend.

Before you read on, here's where we're heading. By the end of this article, you'll be able to: - Tell demonstrative determiners (this car) from demonstrative pronouns (this is…). - Choose correctly between this, that, these, those using near/far and singular/plural. - Spot and fix the classic mistake — this things — and know exactly why it happens. - Use demonstratives to sound clearer and more deliberate in stories, essays, and exams.

Beginner (Foundation)

Let's start with the plain facts. There are exactly four demonstrative determiners in English:

• this
• that
• these
• those

A determiner is a word that sits in front of a noun to tell you which one you mean, or how many. Demonstrative just means "pointing out." So a demonstrative determiner is a little pointing finger attached to a word — it tells your reader exactly which thing you're talking about.

Two questions decide which one you need:

1. Is the thing near you or far from you?
2. Is the thing singular (one) or plural (more than one)?

Put those two questions together and you get a neat little grid:

• Near + one = this → this song
• Near + more than one = these → these biscuits
• Far + one = that → that question
• Far + more than one = those → those clouds

Picture yourself in the canteen. Your mate holds up a sandwich right next to you: "This sandwich looks greasy." One sandwich, right here — this. Later you nod at a sandwich sitting on a table at the far end of the room: "That sandwich looks greasy." Same greasy sandwich problem, just further away. Dump a whole pile of sandwiches on your desk and it becomes "These sandwiches look greasy." A pile across the room becomes "Those sandwiches look greasy."

Notice something important in every one of those sentences: the demonstrative determiner sits directly in front of the noun.

• this song
• that question
• these biscuits
• those clouds

Determiner or pronoun?

Here's where people get genuinely mixed up, so slow down for this bit. The same four words can also work as demonstrative pronouns — standing completely alone, with no noun following them at all:

• Determiner: "I like this song." (this is attached to song)
• Pronoun: "I like this." (this is doing the whole job by itself)

Both sentences are correct. They're just doing different jobs. This article is entirely about the determiner job — the ones that come before a noun. If you want the full picture of demonstratives standing alone as pronouns, that's covered properly in H2.1 — Demonstrative Pronouns, and it's well worth reading straight after this one.

Common Mistake: Saying "this things" or "that books." Remember: this/that pair with one thing; these/those pair with more than one. If the noun is plural, the determiner has to be plural too.

Quick recap: - Demonstrative determiners are this, that, these, those, used directly before a noun. - This/these = near; that/those = far. - This/that = singular; these/those = plural. - Without a following noun, the same words become demonstrative pronouns (see H2.1).

Intermediate (Development)

Now let's make these words work properly for you — not just in speech, where mistakes float past unnoticed, but on the page, where they get circled in red.

The rule that catches almost everyone at least once

The determiner has to agree in number with the noun that follows it. It sounds obvious once someone says it out loud, and yet it is astonishingly easy to get wrong when you're writing quickly.

• ✅ this book / ❌ this books
• ✅ these books / ❌ these book
• ✅ that idea / ❌ that ideas
• ✅ those ideas / ❌ those idea

"This things are cool" is wrong for exactly this reason: things is plural, so it needs these. "These things are cool." Once you're listening for it, the mismatch actually sounds slightly wrong to the ear, a bit like wearing one shoe.

If plurals in general trip you up — irregular ones like children and mice, or when to add -s — that's covered properly in H1.3 (plural agreement). This article just flags the trap, because it's exactly where demonstratives tend to go wrong.

Near and far aren't only about physical distance

We also use this/these and that/those for:

Time: - "This week has been hard." (the current week — near) - "That summer was the best of my life." (a time in the past — far)

A page, a book, a screen: - "In this paragraph, the writer explains the problem." (the one we're in) - "In that chapter, we meet a new character." (a different part)

Conversation: - "So, about that idea you had yesterday…" (something already mentioned) - "Listen to this story!" (something about to be told)

Think of this/these as pulling something close to the moment you're in — right here, right now — and that/those as pushing it a little further away.

Using demonstratives to make your writing clearer

In stories and essays, demonstratives can stop you repeating yourself and give your writing a clean, linked feel.

Compare:

• "I picked up the book. The book was heavy." (clunky repetition)
• "I picked up the book. That book was heavy." (clear link back)

Or in an essay:

• "These results show that our method worked." (the results just described)
• "Those results show that our method didn't work." (a contrasting set from earlier)

Pro-Tip: In exams, phrases like "this evidence shows…" or "these examples suggest…" signal to an examiner that your writing is controlled and focused — you're pointing at something specific, not waving vaguely.

Demonstratives with adjectives

Very often you'll have adjectives sitting between the demonstrative and the noun:

• "This annoying homework is due tomorrow."
• "Those amazing fireworks were so loud."
• "These difficult maths questions always take ages."

The adjectives don't change the rule — the order is simply:

demonstrative → (adjectives) → noun these three tricky science questions

Strip the adjectives away mentally and check the noun. Questions is plural, so it's these, no matter how many words you've stacked in between.

Common Mistake: "This beautiful old photographs remind me of Grandma." The noun is photographs — plural — so however many adjectives sit in the way, you need "These beautiful old photographs."

Quick recap: - The determiner must agree in number with the noun: these things, never this things. - "Near" and "far" can mean time, place on a page, or conversation — not just physical distance. - Demonstratives link sentences together and stop repetition. - Adjectives between the determiner and noun don't change the rule — check the actual noun.

Advanced (Mastery)

Once you're confident with the basics, demonstratives become a genuinely useful tool for tone — not just accuracy.

Emotional distance

We don't only use this/that for physical distance; we use them to show how we feel about something too.

• "I'm not going to listen to that nonsense." That pushes the nonsense away — it creates distance and disapproval.
• "I love this song!" This pulls it close; it feels immediate and personal.
• "I can't believe we have this kind of homework again." You're right in the middle of the complaint, and this keeps it urgent.

You'll see writers use this deliberately in dialogue:

• "Get out of that house, now!" (The house feels dangerous, distant, threatening.)
• "I've waited my whole life for this moment." (Close, important, present.)

This/these vs that/those in an argument

In essays and persuasive writing, demonstratives can point at ideas, not just objects — and the choice quietly signals your attitude.

• "This argument ignores an important fact." — usually the one you've just made or are developing.
• "That argument fails to consider the evidence." — often one you're pushing back against.

It's a tiny word doing a big job: showing the reader what you're aligning with and what you're challenging, without ever saying so directly.

The trap of vague "this"

As your writing gets more ambitious, a real problem creeps in: the vague demonstrative. This happens when this or that is used without a clear noun attached, so the reader has to guess what you mean.

• "School can be stressful. This is a problem." What exactly is "this"? Homework? Exams? Friendship drama? All of it?

Much clearer:

• "School can be stressful. This pressure is a problem."
• "School can be stressful. These expectations are a problem."

The fix is simple: when you use a demonstrative, give it a clear noun so your reader isn't left guessing. Strictly speaking, a floating "this" with nothing after it is acting as a pronoun rather than a determiner — which is exactly why H2.1 covers this problem in more depth. But the warning sign is worth knowing now: if you can't finish the sentence "this what?" in three words, your sentence needs sharpening.

Demonstratives and flow in paragraphs

Good paragraphs feel connected. Demonstratives are one of the quiet tools that do the connecting:

• "The writer describes the storm in vivid detail. These images create a sense of fear."
• "Sophie made several mistakes in the exam. These errors cost her many marks."

Each demonstrative points clearly back to something just said, without repeating it word for word. This kind of linking is exactly what exam mark schemes reward.

Pro-Tip: When editing your own work, circle every this/that/these/those. Ask yourself: is the noun that follows specific enough? If there's no noun at all, ask "this what?" — and if you can't answer quickly, add one.

Common Mistake: Starting sentence after sentence with a bare "This shows…" or "This means…" with nothing to anchor it. Try "This evidence shows…" or "This result means…" instead — your reader will thank you.

Quick recap: - Demonstratives can signal emotional closeness or distance, not just physical distance. - In arguments, this/these often mark your own ideas; that/those can mark ideas you're challenging. - Vague "this" without a clear noun confuses readers — always check "this what?" - Demonstratives help paragraphs flow by linking back to what's just been said.

UK vs US Note

For demonstrative determiners themselves, UK and US English are identical — this, that, these, those work exactly the same way on both sides of the Atlantic, with the same near/far and singular/plural rules.

The only differences you'll spot in this library are cosmetic ones sitting nearby in the examples, such as full stop [US: period] or colour [US: color]. The grammar of demonstrative determiners itself never changes.

Key Takeaways

• This, that, these, those are demonstrative determiners when they sit in front of a noun.
• Choose this/that for singular nouns, these/those for plural nouns — the determiner must agree with the noun (see H1.3).
• Use this/these for things that feel near (in space, time, or conversation); that/those for things that feel further away.
• Give demonstratives a clear noun to avoid vagueness, especially in essays and exams.
• The same words act as demonstrative pronouns when they stand alone (see H2.1).

Check Your Understanding

1. Choose the correct demonstrative determiner. a) "Can you pass me ___ scissors?" (on the desk right next to you) b) "Look at ___ stars!" (you're both outside, looking up) c) "___ question is really confusing." (pointing at one in your book) d) "I'll never forget ___ holidays by the sea we had when I was ten."

2. Correct the mistakes in these sentences. a) This books are too easy for me now. b) Those homework is due tomorrow. c) That things always happen to me.

3. Make the demonstrative more specific. a) "School can be really stressful. This is hard to deal with." b) "Lots of people are unkind online. That is a big problem."

4. Which sentence sounds more emotionally distant, and why? a1) "I'm tired of this weather." a2) "I'm tired of that weather." b1) "I can't believe we have this teacher again." b2) "I can't believe we have that teacher again."

5. Determiner or pronoun? a) "This is my favourite." b) "Those books are due back at the library." c) "I didn't like that film at all." d) "These are so hard to answer."

Internal Links

• H5.1 — Determiners: The Basics (the wider category demonstratives belong to)
• H2.1 — Demonstrative Pronouns: This, That, These, Those (when these words stand alone)
• H1.3 — Plural Agreement (matching singular/plural nouns correctly)

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