Demonstratives Worksheets

All About These 15 Worksheets

Demonstratives-this, that, these, and those-may be small words, but they pull a lot of weight in English. They point, clarify, and make communication specific instead of vague. This collection of worksheets helps students see just how powerful these everyday words can be. Through a mix of underlining, rewriting, filling blanks, and sentence building, kids practice recognizing and using demonstratives until it feels second nature.

What makes this set so useful is the variety of angles it covers. Some worksheets keep it simple with spot-and-circle tasks, while others push learners to rewrite sentences, swap subjects, or create their own descriptions. That mix of recognition and application means kids don’t just memorize-they actually understand how demonstratives function in different contexts. The playful themes, like detective work and obstacle challenges, add a dash of fun to grammar practice.

Even better, these worksheets tie grammar to real-world communication. Whether you’re pointing out “that cookie” on the counter, describing “these books” on a shelf, or clarifying “those friends” in a story, demonstratives pop up everywhere. Practicing them here helps students write and speak with greater precision. In short, this set equips learners to be clearer, sharper communicators both in the classroom and beyond.

Have a Look Inside Each Worksheet

Find and Underline
Students read sentences and underline the demonstrative words like this, that, these, and those. It’s a straightforward “spot and mark” exercise that keeps focus on accuracy. Kids get repetitive practice that makes recognition automatic. This builds a strong foundation for using demonstratives correctly in their own writing.

Fill in the Blanks
Learners complete sentences by adding the missing demonstrative word. Each blank gives them a chance to decide which word fits best based on number and distance. It’s like plugging in puzzle pieces that make the sentence whole. The activity builds confidence in applying demonstratives naturally.

Completing Sentences
Students extend sentence starters with the right demonstrative. It’s an engaging way to practice while also encouraging creativity. The exercise mixes grammar with a bit of sentence building fun. Kids learn to make choices that keep meaning clear and precise.

Identification and Application
This worksheet goes beyond spotting demonstratives-it asks students to use them in their own sentences too. They identify words in provided examples and then apply the pattern. The mix of recognition and production cements understanding. It’s a two-step approach that deepens mastery.

Ideas and Indicators
Learners look at ideas or clues in a sentence and match them with the correct demonstrative. It’s about interpreting context to make the best choice. The activity shows how demonstratives act as “indicators” that point things out. Kids practice thinking carefully about what’s being referenced.

Unraveling the Connection
Students explore how demonstratives connect nouns and ideas within sentences. It’s like unraveling a thread that ties words together. By highlighting and choosing demonstratives, they see the relationships clearly. The practice builds stronger awareness of sentence structure.

As a Pronoun or Adjective?
This worksheet challenges kids to decide whether a demonstrative is acting as a pronoun or an adjective. They’ll classify usage in different sentences. The activity sharpens critical thinking about grammar roles. It helps learners understand that one small word can do two different jobs.

Clarity Through Rewriting
Students rewrite sentences using demonstratives to make the meaning clearer. It’s an editing task that blends grammar knowledge with communication skills. The exercise emphasizes how small changes can prevent confusion. Kids see how demonstratives boost clarity in everyday writing.

Subject Swap
Here, learners swap sentence subjects while still keeping demonstratives in the right place. It’s a playful way to test flexibility. The swapping keeps the exercise fresh and avoids rote memorization. Students learn that demonstratives adapt easily across different contexts.

Simplification Challenge
This worksheet asks kids to simplify longer sentences by focusing on demonstratives. They cut clutter while keeping meaning intact. It feels like a grammar clean-up job. Learners finish with a sharper sense of how demonstratives streamline communication.

Demonstrative Descriptions
Students practice writing descriptions that use demonstratives effectively. The task blends grammar with creative expression. It encourages them to point things out in vivid, specific ways. Kids learn how demonstratives make sentences more direct and descriptive.

Sentence Completion with Precision
This activity asks learners to finish sentences carefully with the right demonstrative. Precision is the goal-they must choose based on both grammar and context. It’s a fine-tuning exercise that pushes attention to detail. Students build confidence in making thoughtful language choices.

Analyzing and Rewriting
Students analyze sentences for demonstrative usage and then rewrite them in a clearer way. It’s a double-layer activity: comprehension first, editing second. The back-and-forth reinforces accuracy and improvement. Learners practice being critical and constructive with their grammar.

Understanding Usage In Context
This worksheet places demonstratives in real-life style sentences. Learners pick the correct word by paying attention to surrounding clues. The activity shows that grammar isn’t abstract-it’s practical and everyday. Students leave seeing demonstratives as useful tools, not just drills.

Tackling Obstacles
Here, students face trickier sentences with potential “obstacles” to correct usage. They must think carefully to avoid common mistakes. The challenge format makes it feel like conquering grammar hurdles. Success here builds confidence for harder reading and writing tasks.

What Are Demonstratives?

Demonstratives are words used to point to specific people, places, or things. They are a type of pronoun or adjective that indicate the location or proximity of an object in relation to the speaker or listener. In English, there are four main types of demonstratives: “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those.”

Here is a brief explanation of each type of demonstrative:

“This” is used to refer to a singular object that is close to the speaker. For example, “This pen is mine.”

“That” is used to refer to a singular object that is farther away from the speaker. For example, “That book on the shelf is interesting.”

“These” is used to refer to multiple objects that are close to the speaker. For example, “These shoes are comfortable.”

“Those” is used to refer to multiple objects that are farther away from the speaker. For example, “Those houses across the street are expensive.”

Demonstratives are used in everyday conversation and writing to help indicate the location or proximity of objects and to provide clarity and specificity in communication. Understanding and using demonstratives correctly is an important part of English grammar, and students should practice identifying and using them in their speaking and writing to improve their language proficiency.

When Is a Demonstrative a pronoun or adjective?

In several of these worksheets, students will be asked to identify whether a demonstrative is used as a pronoun or as an adjective in a sentence. To determine whether a demonstrative is being used as an adjective or a pronoun in a sentence, it’s important to look at the role it’s playing in the sentence and its relationship to other words.

When used as an adjective, a demonstrative modifies a noun or a pronoun by specifying its proximity or location. In this case, the demonstrative comes before the noun it modifies. For example:

This book is interesting. (demonstrative “this” is used as an adjective modifying the noun “book”)

Those shoes are expensive. (demonstrative “those” is used as an adjective modifying the noun “shoes”)

On the other hand, when used as a pronoun, a demonstrative takes the place of a noun and stands alone in place of the noun. In this case, the demonstrative can be used by itself to refer to an object that has already been mentioned or is clear from context. For example:

I want this. (demonstrative “this” is used as a pronoun, replacing the noun that has already been mentioned)

Those are mine. (demonstrative “those” is used as a pronoun, referring to an object that is clear from context)

In some cases, a demonstrative can be used both as an adjective and a pronoun in the same sentence. For example:

This is my book. I like this. (demonstrative “this” is used as an adjective modifying the noun “book” in the first sentence, and as a pronoun standing alone in the second sentence)

Understanding the context and function of the demonstrative in a sentence can help determine whether it is being used as an adjective or a pronoun.