- LPU MCA Semester 1
- PEL546
- Unit 4
PEL546 · Unit 4: Determiners
Demonstrative determiners
9 practice questions · in the ETE syllabus
Key points
- this/these are near; that/those are far
- Demonstratives agree in number with the noun
- A determiner is followed by a noun; a pronoun stands alone
- On the phone: this is for yourself, that is for the other person
Demonstratives point out people or things. They show distance (near or far) and number (singular or plural).
| Near | Far | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | this | that |
| Plural | these | those |
As a determiner a demonstrative is followed by a noun and agrees with it in number: this book, these books, that car, those cars. As a pronoun it stands alone: Those are new. On the telephone we introduce ourselves with this (Hello, this is Asha) and ask about the other person with that (Is that Ravi?). This and these can also refer to the present and to things just mentioned or in front of you, while that and those refer to things in the past or at a distance.
Exam trap: this and that take singular nouns, these and those plural nouns. Thats is not a word, so write that's (that is) with an apostrophe.
Try two questions
Choose the correct word: Look at ___ birds over there!
- these
- this
- those
- that
Show the answer
C. The birds are plural and far away, so those is used.
Why not A: these refers to plural things that are near.
Why not B: this is singular.
Why not D: that is singular.
Choose the correct word: ___ is my new phone, which I am holding right now.
- That
- This
- Those
- These
Show the answer
B. This refers to one thing near the speaker.
Why not A: That points to something far.
Why not C: Those is plural and far.
Why not D: These is plural.