Demonstrative Pronouns (This / That / These / Those) – English Grammar Exercises for A1
Choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to complete each sentence.
You are standing at the counter of a bakery or cafe. You are ordering food. Pay close attention to the physical distance: if the food is inside the glass display case or on a shelf behind the staff, it is out of your reach (far). If you are holding an item like a menu, your wallet, or a bag the staff just handed to you, it is in your hands (near).
1 Pointing to a single chocolate cake inside the glass display case. “I would like ______ chocolate cake in the glass case, please.”
(A) those
(B) this
(C) that
(D) it
2 Pointing to a tray of chocolate chip cookies on the middle shelf behind the glass. “Can I get two of ______ chocolate chip cookies?”
(A) those
(B) them
(C) these
(D) that
3 Holding a paper menu in your hands and pointing to an item on it. “I want to order ______ combo meal, please.”
(A) that
(B) this
(C) it
(D) these
4 Pointing to a single sandwich far behind the glass counter. “Excuse me, how much is ______ sandwich?”
(A) it
(B) those
(C) this
(D) that
5 Pointing to some blueberry muffins inside the display. “Are ______ muffins fresh?”
(A) that
(B) they
(C) those
(D) these
6 Holding out a 20-dollar bill to the cashier to pay. “Can you break ______ bill for me?”
(A) these
(B) that
(C) it
(D) this
7 Pointing to a specific slice of apple pie behind the glass. “I will take ______ slice of pie.”
(A) this
(B) that
(C) it
(D) those
8 Pointing to several croissants on the bottom shelf of the display case. “I would love to buy ______ croissants.”
(A) those
(B) these
(C) them
(D) that
9 You are holding your own reusable coffee cup that you brought from home. “Can you fill ______ cup with black coffee, please?”
(A) it
(B) that
(C) this
(D) these
10 Pointing to a loaf of sourdough bread on the back wall shelf behind the cashier. “I also need ______ loaf of bread.”
(A) this
(B) it
(C) those
(D) that
11 Holding a single donut in your hand, but pointing to a tray of donuts inside the glass case. “I love ______ donut in my hand, but ______ donuts in the case look good too.”
(A) this / those
(B) that / these
(C) this / these
(D) it / they
12 Pointing to some small fruit tartlets behind the glass counter. “Please give me three of ______ tartlets.”
(A) these
(B) them
(C) those
(D) that
13 Pointing to a large bottle of orange juice in the fridge far behind the staff. “Can I have ______ orange juice?”
(A) it
(B) that
(C) this
(D) those
14 Pointing to a plate of colorful macarons behind the glass barrier. “What flavor are ______ macarons?”
(A) that
(B) those
(C) these
(D) they
15 The cashier hands you your paper bag of pastries. You hold it in your arms and say: “Thank you, ______ pastries smell amazing!”
(A) they
(B) this
(C) those
(D) these
16 Pointing to a large, decorated birthday cake on the top display shelf out of reach. “Who ordered ______ beautiful cake?”
(A) she
(B) this
(C) those
(D) that
17 Pointing to three bagels resting inside the bakery case. “Please toast ______ bagels for me.”
(A) them
(B) those
(C) these
(D) that
18 Looking at the coins sitting in the palm of your hand. “I hope ______ coins are enough to pay for my coffee.”
(A) these
(B) those
(C) this
(D) they
19 Holding a hot coffee in your hand, but pointing to a cold drink in the fridge behind the counter. “I will drink ______ hot coffee now, and save ______ cold drink for later.”
(A) it / it
(B) that / this
(C) this / that
(D) this / those
20 Pointing to the very last piece of cheesecake inside the glass display. “Oh, I must have ______ last piece of cheesecake!”
(A) it
(B) that
(C) this
(D) those
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (C) that
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The cake is singular and located behind the glass display case (far from you/out of your physical reach).
- Error Analysis: (B) “this” is a Meaning Trap (wrong distance). (A) “those” is a Structural Error (plural demonstrative for a singular noun). (D) “it” is a Common Mistake (personal pronouns cannot act as adjectives before a noun).
2 (A) those
- Why it’s correct (The Key): Cookies are plural and located on the shelf behind the glass (far).
- Error Analysis: (C) “these” is a Meaning Trap (wrong distance). (D) “that” is a Structural Error (singular). (B) “them” is a Common Mistake (“them cookies” is grammatically incorrect).
3 (B) this
- Why it’s correct (The Key): You are physically holding the paper menu in your hands (very near/zero distance) and the combo meal is singular.
- Error Analysis: (A) “that” is a Meaning Trap. (D) “these” is a Structural Error. (C) “it” is a Common Mistake.
4 (D) that
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The sandwich is singular and behind the glass counter (far).
- Error Analysis: (C) “this” is a Meaning Trap. (B) “those” is a Structural Error. (A) “it” is a Common Mistake.
5 (C) those
- Why it’s correct (The Key): Muffins are plural and inside the display case (far).
- Error Analysis: (D) “these” is a Meaning Trap. (A) “that” is a Structural Error. (B) “they” is a Common Mistake.
6 (D) this
- Why it’s correct (The Key): You are holding the bill in your hand (near/zero distance) and it is singular.
- Error Analysis: (B) “that” is a Meaning Trap. (A) “these” is a Structural Error. (C) “it” is a Common Mistake.
7 (B) that
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The slice of pie is singular and behind the glass (far).
- Error Analysis: (A) “this” is a Meaning Trap. (D) “those” is a Structural Error. (C) “it” is a Common Mistake.
8 (A) those
- Why it’s correct (The Key): Croissants are plural and on the bottom shelf behind the glass (far).
- Error Analysis: (B) “these” is a Meaning Trap. (D) “that” is a Structural Error. (C) “them” is a Common Mistake.
9 (C) this
- Why it’s correct (The Key): You are holding your own cup (near) and it is singular.
- Error Analysis: (B) “that” is a Meaning Trap. (D) “these” is a Structural Error. (A) “it” is a Common Mistake.
10 (D) that
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The loaf of bread is singular and on the back wall shelf (far).
- Error Analysis: (A) “this” is a Meaning Trap. (C) “those” is a Structural Error. (B) “it” is a Common Mistake.
11 (A) this / those
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The donut in your hand is singular and near (this). The donuts in the case are plural and far (those).
- Error Analysis: (B) “that / these” is a Meaning Trap (reverses the distance logic completely). (C) “this / these” is a Structural Error (donuts in the case are far, not near). (D) “it / they” is a Common Mistake.
12 (C) those
- Why it’s correct (The Key): Tartlets are plural and behind the glass counter (far).
- Error Analysis: (A) “these” is a Meaning Trap. (D) “that” is a Structural Error. (B) “them” is a Common Mistake.
13 (B) that
- Why it’s correct (The Key): Orange juice is an uncountable noun (treated as singular) and is far behind the staff.
- Error Analysis: (C) “this” is a Meaning Trap. (D) “those” is a Structural Error. (A) “it” is a Common Mistake.
14 (B) those
- Why it’s correct (The Key): Macarons are plural and behind the glass barrier (far).
- Error Analysis: (C) “these” is a Meaning Trap. (A) “that” is a Structural Error. (D) “they” is a Common Mistake.
15 (D) these
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The pastries are plural and you are now holding the bag in your arms (near).
- Error Analysis: (C) “those” is a Meaning Trap (they are no longer behind the glass). (B) “this” is a Structural Error (“this pastries” is incorrect). (A) “they” is a Common Mistake.
16 (D) that
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The cake is singular and out of reach on the top display shelf (far).
- Error Analysis: (B) “this” is a Meaning Trap. (C) “those” is a Structural Error. (A) “she” is a Common Mistake.
17 (B) those
- Why it’s correct (The Key): Bagels are plural and inside the bakery case (far).
- Error Analysis: (C) “these” is a Meaning Trap. (D) “that” is a Structural Error. (A) “them” is a Common Mistake.
18 (A) these
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The coins are plural and in the palm of your hand (near).
- Error Analysis: (B) “those” is a Meaning Trap. (C) “this” is a Structural Error. (D) “they” is a Common Mistake.
19 (C) this / that
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The hot coffee is in your hand (this). The cold drink is singular and in the fridge behind the counter (that).
- Error Analysis: (B) “that / this” is a Meaning Trap (reverses distance). (D) “this / those” is a Structural Error (“those drink” is wrong). (A) “it / it” is a Common Mistake.
20 (B) that
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The piece of cheesecake is singular and inside the glass display (far).
- Error Analysis: (C) “this” is a Meaning Trap. (D) “those” is a Structural Error. (A) “it” is a Common Mistake.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- The “Glass Barrier” Rule: When you are at a bakery, cafe, or store, any item located inside a glass display case or on a shelf behind the cashier is considered physically distant. You cannot touch it. Therefore, you must point and use That (for one item) or Those (for multiple items).
- In Your Hands: Use This (singular) or These (plural) only for items you are actively holding or touching, such as your money, a physical menu, or the food bag the cashier just handed to you.
- The Pronoun Trap: Never use personal or object pronouns (it, they, them) directly before a noun to point something out. Do not say “I want them cookies” or “Can I get it cake?” You must use demonstrative adjectives: “I want those cookies” or “Can I get that cake?”