Demonstrative Pronouns, which point out things, as this, these, that and those. Because they convey a high degree of specificity and distinctiveness in pointing out ("demonstrating") a referent; They are showing words.
They can be either a subject or an object in a sentence. We know which one to use by looking at the number of and distance of the thing(s) we are referring to. Use this and these when you are talking about things near you. Use that and those when you are talking about things farther away.
| Distance | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nearby | this | these |
| Far away | that | those |
In writing, the demonstrative pronouns may take antecedents, but there is no fixed rule. The pronoun may point forward.
e.g
| This is my answer |
| That was too much for me |
| These are good mangoes |
| Hand me those candles, please |
We should not be confused with Demonstrative pronouns and Demonstrative adjectives.
| PRONOUN | This is my house | Are those the flowers you picked ? |
|---|---|---|
| ADJECTIVE | This house is mine | Did you pick those flowers? |
Abbreviation An abbreviation is a short form of a word or expression. Abbreviations are used for words used frequently.