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 and your friends are packing for a road trip. You are standing next to some bags that you need to take (near distance), and pointing to boxes or items across the room that you need to leave behind (far distance). Pay close attention to the quantity and the physical distance to choose the correct word.
1 You are holding a small travel pillow in your hands. “I will definitely take ______ pillow on the trip.”
(A) these
(B) that
(C) this
(D) it
2 Pointing to a large green suitcase by the front door across the room. “Please grab ______ suitcase and put it in the car.”
(A) that
(B) those
(C) this
(D) he
3 Looking at two heavy backpacks resting right at your feet. “We need to put ______ backpacks in the trunk first.”
(A) they
(B) those
(C) this
(D) these
4 Pointing to several dusty cardboard boxes on the top shelf in the garage. “We don’t need everything. Leave ______ boxes on the shelf.”
(A) them
(B) those
(C) these
(D) that
5 You pull your passport out of your pocket and hold it up. “Don’t forget ______ passport! We can’t travel without it.”
(A) this
(B) it
(C) that
(D) these
6 You point to the bags next to your legs, and then point to a heavy cooler across the yard. “Take ______ bags next to me, but leave ______ heavy cooler over there.”
(A) those / this
(B) they / it
(C) these / that
(D) this / those
7 Pointing to a winter coat hanging on a chair far away in the living room. “Can you bring me ______ coat? It might be cold tonight.”
(A) those
(B) that
(C) it
(D) this
8 You are holding a blank luggage tag and a pen. “Please write your phone number on ______ tag.”
(A) this
(B) that
(C) these
(D) the
9 You are holding two camera lenses, and you point to some tripods in the far corner. “I’ll pack ______ lenses carefully, and you can grab ______ tripods.”
(A) this / that
(B) these / those
(C) them / they
(D) those / these
10 Pointing to a sleeping bag left on the floor on the other side of the bedroom. “We are staying in a hotel, so we don’t need ______ sleeping bag.”
(A) that
(B) this
(C) those
(D) it
11 You are holding your favorite pair of sunglasses in your hand. “Where should I pack ______ sunglasses so they don’t break?”
(A) this
(B) those
(C) them
(D) these
12 You are touching the black suitcase in front of you, comparing it to the red one by the window. “______ suitcase is mine, and the red one by the window is yours.”
(A) This
(B) It
(C) That
(D) These
13 Pointing to three water bottles left on the distant kitchen counter. “Don’t forget to grab ______ bottles before we leave the house.”
(A) those
(B) them
(C) these
(D) that
14 You are holding a paper road map in both hands. “Let’s check ______ map one more time before we start driving.”
(A) a
(B) that
(C) this
(D) these
15 You are holding a light jacket, and you point to a large backpack on the sofa across the room. “Can you shove ______ jacket into ______ backpack on the sofa?”
(A) that / this
(B) this / that
(C) it / it
(D) these / those
16 You are holding a large pile of folded clothes in your arms. “I need to find a way to pack all of ______ clothes.”
(A) them
(B) this
(C) those
(D) these
17 Standing next to a pile of small bags, you point to a pile of large bags outside. “I will carry ______ bags here, and you can carry ______ bags outside.”
(A) these / those
(B) them / they
(C) those / these
(D) this / that
18 Pointing to a massive pile of camping gear across the driveway. “We can’t fit all of ______ equipment in the car!”
(A) those
(B) these
(C) them
(D) that
19 Looking at the sneakers at your feet, then pointing to the hiking boots in the far corner. “Leave ______ sneakers here, but make sure to pack ______ boots in the corner.”
(A) those / these
(B) this / that
(C) these / those
(D) they / them
20 You are jingling the car keys in your hand, and pointing to the vehicle parked outside. “Are ______ keys for ______ car outside?”
(A) those / this
(B) these / that
(C) this / those
(D) they / it
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (C) this
- Why it’s correct (The Key): You are holding the pillow (zero distance/near) and it is singular.
- Error Analysis: (A) “these” is a Structural Error (plural). (B) “that” is a Meaning Trap (used for far objects). (D) “it” is a Common Mistake (personal pronouns cannot act as demonstrative adjectives before a noun).
2 (A) that
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The suitcase is singular and located across the room by the door (far distance).
- Error Analysis: (B) “those” is a Structural Error (plural). (C) “this” is a Meaning Trap (implies it is right next to you). (D) “he” is a Common Mistake.
3 (D) these
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The backpacks are plural and right at your feet (near distance).
- Error Analysis: (A) “they” is a Common Mistake (“they backpacks” is grammatically invalid). (B) “those” is a Meaning Trap (wrong distance). (C) “this” is a Structural Error (singular).
4 (B) those
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The boxes are plural and on the top shelf (far distance/out of reach).
- Error Analysis: (A) “them” is a Common Mistake. (C) “these” is a Meaning Trap. (D) “that” is a Structural Error.
5 (A) this
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The passport is singular and in your hand (near).
- Error Analysis: (B) “it” is a Common Mistake. (C) “that” is a Meaning Trap. (D) “these” is a Structural Error.
6 (C) these / that
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The bags next to your legs are plural and near (“these”). The cooler across the yard is singular and far (“that”).
- Error Analysis: (A) “those / this” is a Meaning Trap (reverses the near/far logic completely). (B) “they / it” is a Common Mistake. (D) “this / those” is a Structural Error (wrong singular/plural matching).
7 (B) that
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The coat is singular and hanging far away.
- Error Analysis: (A) “those” is a Structural Error. (C) “it” is a Common Mistake. (D) “this” is a Meaning Trap.
8 (A) this
- Why it’s correct (The Key): You are holding the tag (singular, near).
- Error Analysis: (B) “that” is a Meaning Trap. (C) “these” is a Structural Error. (D) “the” is a Common Mistake (while “the tag” is grammatically fine, it fails the communicative goal of pointing to the specific physical item in your hand).
9 (B) these / those
- Why it’s correct (The Key): Lenses in hand are plural and near (“these”). Tripods in the far corner are plural and far (“those”).
- Error Analysis: (A) “this / that” is a Structural Error (fails to account for plural nouns). (C) “them / they” is a Common Mistake. (D) “those / these” is a Meaning Trap (reverses distance).
10 (A) that
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The sleeping bag is singular and on the other side of the room (far).
- Error Analysis: (B) “this” is a Meaning Trap. (C) “those” is a Structural Error. (D) “it” is a Common Mistake.
11 (D) these
- Why it’s correct (The Key): “Sunglasses” is always a plural noun in English, and they are in your hand (near).
- Error Analysis: (A) “this” is a Structural Error (a huge trap for learners who think one physical item = singular). (B) “those” is a Meaning Trap. (C) “them” is a Common Mistake.
12 (A) This
- Why it’s correct (The Key): You are touching the suitcase, so it is singular and near.
- Error Analysis: (B) “It” is a Common Mistake. (C) “That” is a Meaning Trap. (D) “These” is a Structural Error.
13 (A) those
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The water bottles are plural and on the distant counter (far).
- Error Analysis: (B) “them” is a Common Mistake. (C) “these” is a Meaning Trap. (D) “that” is a Structural Error.
14 (C) this
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The map is singular and in your hands (near).
- Error Analysis: (A) “a” is a Common Mistake (lacks the pointing function). (B) “that” is a Meaning Trap. (D) “these” is a Structural Error.
15 (B) this / that
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The jacket is in your hand (this). The backpack is on the sofa across the room (that). Both are singular.
- Error Analysis: (A) “that / this” is a Meaning Trap (reverses distance). (C) “it / it” is a Common Mistake. (D) “these / those” is a Structural Error.
16 (D) these
- Why it’s correct (The Key): “Clothes” is always a plural noun, and they are in your arms (near).
- Error Analysis: (A) “them” is a Common Mistake. (B) “this” is a Structural Error (“this clothes” is grammatically wrong). (C) “those” is a Meaning Trap.
17 (A) these / those
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The bags here are plural and near (these). The bags outside are plural and far (those).
- Error Analysis: (B) “them / they” is a Common Mistake. (C) “those / these” is a Meaning Trap. (D) “this / that” is a Structural Error.
18 (D) that
- Why it’s correct (The Key): “Equipment” (like luggage or baggage) is an uncountable noun, so it takes a singular demonstrative. It is across the driveway (far).
- Error Analysis: (A) “those” is a Structural Error (learners often think a massive pile = plural, but “equipment” never takes an ‘s’ or “those”). (B) “these” is a Meaning Trap and Structural Error. (C) “them” is a Common Mistake.
19 (C) these / those
- Why it’s correct (The Key): Sneakers at your feet are plural and near (these). Boots in the corner are plural and far (those).
- Error Analysis: (A) “those / these” is a Meaning Trap. (B) “this / that” is a Structural Error (shoes/boots are plural). (D) “they / them” is a Common Mistake.
20 (B) these / that
- Why it’s correct (The Key): Keys are plural and in your hand (these). The car is singular and outside (that).
- Error Analysis: (A) “those / this” is a Meaning Trap. (C) “this / those” is a Structural Error. (D) “they / it” is a Common Mistake.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- The Sorting Rule (Near vs. Far):
- Use This (singular) / These (plural) for items you are actively holding, touching, or that are resting right at your feet. These are the items you will “take” with you right now.
- Use That (singular) / Those (plural) for items located across the room, on a high shelf, or outside. These are the items you point at to “leave behind” or ask someone else to grab.
- Tricky Travel Nouns:
- Plural Only: Items like sunglasses, glasses, clothes, scissors, jeans always require These or Those, even if it is just one physical pair/pile.
- Uncountable (Singular): Words like luggage, baggage, equipment, gear, information are uncountable. Even if you have 10 suitcases, if you refer to them as “luggage”, you must use This or That (e.g., “Pack all of that luggage”).
- The Pronoun Trap: Do not use it, they, or them directly before a noun. (Never say: “Pack them bags” or “Leave it box”). You must use demonstrative adjectives to point.