How to Spot Demonstrative Adjectives

The English language is full of twists and turns that make it very difficult to learn, even if you are a native speaker. One of the least understood portions of sentence structure are adjectives, especially demonstrative adjectives. These adjectives tell you if the noun is singular or plural and if it's located near or far from the writer.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Find the adjective that points out the person or object. Usually in the form of "this" or "that," it's an easy way to spot a demonstrative adjective. For example, in the sentence "This car stinks," the word "this" points out the object, which is the car. In the example, "That car is loud," the word "that" points out the object. The word that points out the object is the demonstrative adjective.

2. Determine if the noun is singular or plural. The word that helps you make the determination is the demonstrative adjective. For example, when you use the phrase, "those cars" the use of the word "those" helps us know that cars should be plural. On the other hand, "this," helps us determine that car is singular.

3. Discover the proximity of the item to the writer or speaker. The word "these" usually means the item is close; "those" usually means the item is further away. For example, "These cars are close to me, but those cars are far away." The word that describes the proximity is the demonstrative adjective.