👤Demonstrative pronouns

Demonstratives identify a specific person, thing or idea.

Choose the form by number and by how near or distant the referent feels in the situation.

Near and far can describe physical distance, time or distance in the conversation.

A demonstrative pronoun replaces the noun: This is delicious. Those are mine.

The same forms can be determiners before a noun: this soup, those shoes.

The number of the verb agrees with the demonstrative pronoun: This is; These are.

This and these often introduce something current or about to be said: this week, this idea.

That and those can refer back to something already mentioned or to a more distant time: that question, those years.

Speakers can choose a form to express psychological closeness or distance, so context matters.

Use this or that with a singular noun, and these or those with a plural noun.

Do not say this books or these book.

Add here or there when it helps make the contrast clear: this one here, those over there.