Demonstrative pronouns in English show which noun or pronoun they are referring to. They indicate proximity (nearness or distance) and number (singular or plural). There are four demonstrative pronouns :

*

This:

Refers to a singular noun close to the speaker. (e.g., "

This

is my car.")
*

That:

Refers to a singular noun far from the speaker. (e.g., "

That

is a beautiful bird.")
*

These:

Refers to plural nouns close to the speaker. (e.g., "

These

are my keys.")
*

Those:

Refers to plural nouns far from the speaker. (e.g., "

Those

are expensive shoes.")

Important Considerations:

*

Proximity is relative:

The distance indicated by "this/these" and "that/those" isn[SQ]t strictly measured in physical distance. It can also refer to time ("This week has been busy," "That year was tough"). Context is key.

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Demonstrative adjectives:

While often called demonstrative *pronouns*, these words can also function as *adjectives*. When they modify a noun, they are considered adjectives. For example: "

This

car is mine" (pronoun) vs. "

This

beautiful car is mine" (adjective). The difference lies in whether the word stands alone (pronoun) or modifies a noun (adjective).

*

Emphasis:

Demonstrative pronouns can be used for emphasis. For example, "

That

is the answer, not this one."

In summary, the core rule is understanding the relationship between proximity (near/far) and number (singular/plural) to correctly select the appropriate demonstrative pronoun or adjective.