What Is a Demonstrative Pronoun?

There is often some confusion about what is a demonstrative pronoun and a demonstrative adjective. This arises from the fact that the same words are used for both - the most popular being this, that, these and those.

Basically, the only difference between demonstrative pronouns and demonstrative adjectives is that demonstrative adjectives modify nouns, and are followed by the nouns, while demonstrative pronouns replace the noun.

Defining a Demonstrative Pronoun

So demonstrative pronouns are the same pronouns that are also used for demonstrative adjectives - this, that, these and those. How do you tell the difference? The difference is in the sentence structure.

The demonstrative pronoun takes the place of the noun phrase.

The demonstrative adjective modifies the noun and is always followed by the noun.

For example, here are some demonstrative pronouns that are taking the place of the underlined noun phrase:

The food you're cooking smells delicious. --> That smells delicious.

The pretzel-like yoga move we're doing really hurts. --> This really hurts.

What is the strange Sasquatch-like creature coming toward us? --> What is that?

The cockroaches currently giving birth under our kitchen sink are totally gross. --> Those are totally gross.

The pink petit fours on my plate are my favorites. --> These are my favorites.

There are three other words that are sometimes used as demonstrative pronouns - such, none, and neither.

Examples are:

He will allow none.

Neither will do.

"Such is the human race, often it seems a pity that Noah... didn't miss the boat." - Mark Twain

Using a Demonstrative Pronoun

Typically, when you use a demonstrative pronoun, you will either need to indicate what you're talking about by pointing or otherwise gesturing toward it, or your listener(s) will need to be looking at it as well. For this reason, demonstrative pronouns are mostly used in spoken English.

However, demonstrative pronouns can be used in written English if the context makes clear the noun to which the demonstrative pronoun refers. A list, for example, in close proximity to (either before or after) "these" or "those" would be clear enough.

"Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, brown paper packages tied up with strings - these are a few of my favorite things."

Or you could refer to a description of an object, activity or situation as "this" or "that" if you do so immediately following the description.

They make you wear rented shoes, you always smell bad when you leave, my thumb nail always breaks off, and I'm not good at it. That is why I hate bowling.

Defining a Demonstrative Adjective

As mentioned earlier, the four demonstrative adjectives are also this, that, these and those. They are adjectives because they modify nouns. That means they come before nouns in a sentence. For example:

Is this book yours or mine?

Did you finally throw away that old t-shirt?

These shoes smell disgusting.

I told you those old magazines were a fire hazard.

Demonstrative adjectives indicate exactly which noun the speaker means and where it is (or they are) relative to the position of the speaker.

If the noun in question is nearby, he uses this (singular) or these (plural).

If the noun is out of the speaker's reach, he uses that (singular) or those (plural).

Then he always follows the demonstrative with any other accompanying adjectives in their proper order and finally, the noun.

Replacing a Noun

So what is a demonstrative pronoun? It's a single demonstrative word that takes the place of a noun, a noun phrase, a string of noun phrases, an activity, or a situation in both written and spoken English.