Demonstrative Adjectives | Basic Grammar for IELTS PDF Download

• Demonstrative Adjective

  • Demonstrative adjectives are words that indicate specific items or groups of items.
  • They help in distinguishing between near and far objects or people.
  • These adjectives include words like "this," "that," "these," and "those."

• Role of Demonstrative Adjectives

  • Demonstrative adjectives serve to point out or identify nouns in a sentence.
  • They can help in providing context or clarity to the listener or reader.
  • For example, in the sentence "Give me that book," "that" is a demonstrative adjective specifying which book is being referred to.

• Examples of Demonstrative Adjectives

  • "This" is used to refer to a singular item close to the speaker.
  • "That" is used to refer to a singular item farther away from the speaker.
  • "These" refers to multiple items close to the speaker.
  • "Those" refers to multiple items farther away from the speaker.

• Difference Between Demonstrative Adjectives and Pronouns

  • Demonstrative adjectives are used to modify nouns, while demonstrative pronouns replace nouns.
  • A demonstrative adjective is used before a noun, as in "this car," whereas a demonstrative pronoun is used on its own, as in "this is mine."
  • Understanding this difference is crucial for clear communication in English.

Examples of Demonstrative Adjectives

Here is a list of 10 examples that illustrate the function of Demonstrative adjectives in sentences:

• Those shoes are very expensive.
• That lady dressed in red is an actress.
• Grab those mittens to shield your hands from the cold.
• Put these dishes on the shelf.
• That shark is the longest-living of its kind.
• This kind of workout is enough to keep you fit.
• These snacks are for your daughter.
• Can you see that fence above the hill?
• Are those flowers near the gate yours?
• Those times were rough but meaningful.

Understanding Demonstrative Adjectives

• Demonstrative adjectives, such as "this," "that," "these," and "those," point to specific things and indicate their relative distance in space or time.
• They help in specifying nouns and distinguishing them from others.

Role of Demonstrative Adjectives

• They provide clarity by pointing out or referring to a particular noun.
• These adjectives help in indicating whether the noun is singular or plural and whether it is near or far in proximity.

Examples of Demonstrative Adjectives in Use

• Proximity: "This kind of workout is enough to keep you fit." - The word "this" indicates something close to the speaker.
• Distinction: "Are those flowers near the gate yours?" - "Those" differentiates the flowers near the gate from others.
• Plurality: "These snacks are for your daughter." - "These" shows that the snacks are multiple and in the vicinity.

Difference between Demonstrative Adjectives and Demonstrative Pronouns

List of Demonstrative Adjectives of All Tenses

Four categories of Demonstrative Adjectives are categorized into Singular and Plural tenses.

Singular

• This and That
• Example: This is the book I mentioned earlier. That is the house we visited last summer.

Plural

• These and Those
• Example: These are the flowers she likes. Those are the trees we planted in the garden.

Exercise to check understanding of Demonstrative Adjective

• Demonstrative adjectives help pinpoint an item's location relative to the speaker.
• This and that are used with singular nouns, while these and those modify plural nouns.
• Another common usage of demonstrative adjectives is to refer to specific points in time.
• They describe the nouns and pronouns in each sentence.

Explanation of Demonstrative Adjectives

• Demonstrative adjectives are words that point out specific things or people.
• They indicate whether the noun being referred to is singular or plural.
• For example, in the sentence "This book is interesting," 'this' is a demonstrative adjective referring to a singular noun, 'book.'
• In contrast, in the sentence "These cookies are delicious," 'these' is a demonstrative adjective modifying the plural noun, 'cookies.'

Usage in Describing Location

• Demonstrative adjectives can also indicate the location of an object in relation to the speaker.
• For instance, "That house is beautiful" specifies a singular noun, 'house,' at a distance from the speaker.
• Similarly, "These flowers are pretty" highlights a plural noun, 'flowers,' closer to the speaker.

Demonstrative Adjectives – FAQs

• What are Demonstrative Adjectives?

  Adjectives are words that describe nouns or pronouns. Demonstrative adjectives specifically indicate the position or proximity of the noun or pronoun they refer to.

• What is the definition of a Demonstrative adjective?

  A Demonstrative adjective is a word that describes a noun by specifying its position in space or time. These adjectives help in differentiating objects by their distance from the speaker.

• Give some examples of Demonstrative adjectives

  Examples of Demonstrative Adjectives:

  • That perfume reminds me of my mother.
  • This book is everything I imagined.
  • Those branches look fresh and alive after the rain.
  • These apples are crunchy and tasty.

• Why use Demonstrative Adjectives?

  Demonstrative adjectives like "this," "that," "these," and "those" simplify language by replacing repeated nouns or pronouns. They enhance clarity and fluency in English communication.

How to find a Demonstrative adjective in a sentence?

When searching for a Demonstrative adjective within a sentence, it is crucial to recognize that this type of adjective highlights the subject or object carrying out an action in the sentence. Essentially, it functions as a describing word that specifies the attributes of the noun or pronoun existing in the sentence.

Why Demonstrative Adjectives Are Important?

Demonstrative adjectives serve as descriptors or determiners utilized to indicate or express a noun's relative temporal or spatial location. These adjectives precede all other words in the sentence, contributing significant meaning by providing insights into the qualities and positions of the nouns or pronouns used.

Grammar Parts of Speech English SSC/Banking

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