Demonstrative Adjectives

 DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVE

 Demonstratives are deictic words that indicate which entities a speaker refers to, and distinguishes those entities from others. Demonstratives are usually employed for spatial dexis (using the context of the physical surroundings), but in many languages they double as discourse deictics, referring not to concrete objects but to words, phrases and propositions mentioned in speech. Demonstrative Adjectives are used to demonstrate or indicate specific things. These are called demonstrative because they show something. They point out nouns. They always answer the question which one? "This", "that", "these" and "those" are all Demonstrative Adjectives. Demonstrative Adjectives come even before adjectives of number.

In the following example, Demonstrative Adjectives are underlined.

• Let's take this burger and later read that book.

Demonstrative Adjectives are identical to the demonstrative pronouns, but are used as adjectives to modify nouns or noun phrases. In this case they are not followed by nouns (as Demonstrative Adjectives are), but take the place of nouns.

In the following example, demonstrative pronouns are underlined.

 Let's take this and later read that.

Examples

• If you play that song again, I will call your parents.

That is a demonstrative adjective. It refers to a specific song.

• Awards will only be given to those students who study at least 18 hours a day.

Those is a demonstrative adjective. It refers to specific people.

• This shoe needs to be repaired.

In the sentence above, the Demonstrative Adjective points out which shoe. The demonstrative adjective this modifies shoe and the noun phrase this shoe is the subject of the sentence.

• Note: The relationship between a Demonstrative Adjective and a demonstrative pronoun is similar to the relationship between a possessive adjective and a possessive pronoun, or to that between a interrogative adjective and an interrogative pronoun