DEMONSTRATIVES

English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)

DEMONSTRATIVES

Demonstratives, which can either come before nouns or be used alone, are four: this, that, these and those. They can be classified using two criteria which are number and reference.

Using the number criterion, “this” and “that” are singular; “these” and “those” are plural.

Using the reference criterion, “this” and “these” are used for close reference; “that” and “those” are used for far reference:
~These~ boys across the road are naughty (nonstandard).
Those boys across the road are naughty (standard).

~This were~ not the things we asked for (nonstandard).
These were not the things we asked for (standard).
~These was~ my plan (nonstandard).
This was my plan (standard).
GAB