Search results for 'tag:Pronouns tag:Demonstrative Adjectives' matching tags 'Pronouns' and 'Demonstrative Adjectives'

Re: 'That' vs 'It'

Clive — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 05:24:23 GMT

Hi,

I've been asked to explain the difference between using 'that' and 'it' in a sentence, and give some examples, to my Japanese junior high ESL learners. Can anyone help me?

E.G. What is the difference between:
"Who owns that house?"
"Who owns it?"

I don't know if that's a good example or not, but that was what I was given.

"Who owns that house?" We are talking about a house, and indicating the house that we are talking about. eg we might be pointing at it. In other words, 'that' is a demonstrative adjective.

"Who owns it?" We are not necessarily talking about a house. We are talking about something that was previously mentioned or identified. eg Look at that nice car. Who owns it? In other words, 'it' is a pronoun.

I wonder if you are really being asked what the difference is between thefollowing statements.

"Who owns it?" I've already explained this.

"Who owns that?' Here, 'that' is not an adjective as above, but instead is a demonstrative pronoun. I suggest you begin to explain this by simply saying 'When you say this, you might point to the thing that you are talking about'.

Best wishes, Clive

Re: Are these pronouns or adjectives?

Clive — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 04:24:53 GMT

Hi,

this that these those - are these demonstrative pronouns or demonstrative adjectives?

They are both. eg Pronoun - This is a banana. I like this. eg Adjective - I'm going to eat this banana.

what where which who and whose - are these interrogative pronouns or interrogative adjectives?

Are these pronouns or adjectives? In two textbooks, they are categorized differently which is really confusing.

They should be adjectives I think

Let's look at 'what', for instance. Again, it can be both.

eg Pronoun - What do you mean? Adjective - What books do you like?

I think that you need to make and consider some actual sentences like these with the others, instead of just thinking 'theoretically'.

I'm surprised that your textbook does not make this clear. Try looking in a good dictionary and see what it says.

Best wishes, Clive

Are these pronouns or adjectives?

Anonymous — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 03:53:34 GMT

this that these those - are these demonstrative pronouns or demonstrative adjectives?

what where which who and whose - are these interrogative pronouns or interrogative adjectives?

Are these pronouns or adjectives? In two textbooks, they are categorized differently which is really confusing.

They should be adjectives I think : /

Re: Pronoun question

Cool Breeze — Sat, 26 May 2007 10:01:18 GMT

Clive wrote:
in the following sentence "This man is very old" is "This" a demonstrative pronoun, an adjective and a determiner???

It's a demonstrative adjective, which means it is a determiner.

It's not a pronoun, because it does not represent a noun, it cannot be replaced by a noun.

Hi Clive

Perhaps it would be a good idea for the original poster to ask what her teacher/lecturer wants this to be called in her sentence. I am familiar with your argumentation, but as I said in my previous post, there are grammarians who don't use the term 'demonstrative adjective' at all. That's why I said all the terms used in the original post could be considered correct.

Otto Jespersen is one of those who don't use the term 'demonstrative adjective'. To him, this is always a demonstrative pronoun and it is of no consequence whether it can be replaced by a noun. This is from his book Essentials of English Grammar:

"Pronouns of Pointing

16.2₁. English has (or had) three demonstrative pronouns for three different instances from the speaker:

this that yon (yonder)

...

First on this side, then on that.
I like this cake better than that one.
You must do it like this."

In his classification there is no such thing as a demonstrative adjective and consequently he no doubt would have rejected the term if someone had given it to him as an answer. To always call this a pronoun may represent traditional Latin-based grammar and may be more common on the European side of the Atlantic, but it's a good example of confusing terminology.

For me, labels aren't very important - and as I implied in my previous post: let everyone take their pick.

Cheers
CB

Re: Pronoun question

Clive — Sat, 26 May 2007 05:19:11 GMT

Hi guys,

in the following sentence "This man is very old" is "This" a demonstrative pronoun, an adjective and a determiner???

It's a demonstrative adjective, which means it is a determiner.

It's not a pronoun, because it does not represent a noun, it cannot be replaced by a noun.

However, in the sentence 'This is the old man', 'this' is a demonstrative pronoun because it represents the word 'man'.

Best wishes, Clive

Re: Past participles used as nouns

Clive — Sat, 19 May 2007 19:04:31 GMT

Hi,

I am afraid I phrased my question wrongly.

I meant to ask about the use of a plural for the past participle.

A search through the OED gives only 2 results for words ending in "eds", i.e. "undecideds" and "intendeds", this latter example being quite old (Dickens, 1838). Webster's matter-of-factly gives an example with "undecideds" but it seems to be the only instance available of such a use ("Are you still among the undecideds?")

I wonder if it would not be possible to simply write "We drive those undecided into the arms of the enemy" instead of "We drive those undecideds into the arms of the enemy". Yes. You could also write 'those people who were undecided'. I think 'undecided' is really just a reduced or abbreviated form of that.

The use of the plural form seems to be unnecessary and very rare indeed. I wouldn't entirely call the plural form unnecessary. Consider the two different structures involved . 'In 'those undecided', I see 'undecided' as an adjective qualifying the demostrative pronoun 'that'. In 'those decideds', 'those' is a is a demonstrative adjective qualifying the noun 'undecideds'.

I think this kind of usage often comes about from a scenario like this. You have a list of people who have committed their vote to a particular party. Then you have a list of people whose vote is currently uncommitted. The headings for these two lists are 'Committed' and 'Uncommitted'. Now, as a kind of shorthand, you can refer to them by using the title, eg You can say things like There are more 'committeds' than 'uncommitteds'. Sometimes, the quotes are omitted, although I'd prefer to use them.

If enough people start to say and to write this, the words will eventually find their way into the dictionary.

You searched through the entire OED? Wow!

How about 'beloved'? You are my beloved. In my whole life, I have only had two beloveds.

Best wishes, Clive

Re: that - demonstrative pronoun

Clive — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 01:50:00 GMT

Hi,

'That' can be a demonstrative pronoun, eg Look at that.

'That' can be a demonstrative adjective, eg Look at that tiger. The plural form is 'those', eg Look at those tigers.

'That' can be a conjunction introducing a subordinate clause, eg Tom knows that Mary loves her.

Now let's simplify your rather complicated sentences and look at them.

1. Ensure that paths . . . are . . . marked on the ground. Here, 'that' is a conjunction, introducing the clause that follows it. You could omit it, and just say Ensure paths . . . are . . . marked on the ground.

2. Ensure those paths . . . are . . . marked on the ground. Here, 'those' is a plural demonstrative adjective, qualifying 'paths'.

I hope you can now understand these sentences. if not, please write again.

Best wishes, Clive

Re: Can someone correct this for me

Clive — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 04:08:10 GMT

Hi,
We (PRO), therefore, the Representatives (N) of the United States of(PREP) America, in general(adj) congress assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge(N) of the world for the rectitude(n) of our intentions do(v), in the name and(conj) by authority of the(article) good people of these(demonstrative adjective) colonies, solemnly adv publish (verb) and declare, that these (demonstrative adjective) united colonies are(V), and of right(N) ought to be Free(adj) and Independent States; that they(PRO) are absolved from all(adj) Allegiance(n) to the British Crown(n), and that(conjunction, introducing a subordinate clause) all political(adj) connection between(PREP) them and the State(noun) of Great Britain(n), is(v) and ought to be totally(adv) dissolved; and that as free and(conj) independent states, they have full power to levy(v) war, conclude peace, contract(v) alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other(adj) acts and things which(relative) independent(adj) states may(v) of right do.--and for(prep) the support(noun) of this(demostrative adjective) Declaration(noun), with a firm(adj) reliance on the protection of divine(adj) Providence(n), we mutually(adv) pledge to each(adj) other our lives, our Fortunes(n), and our sacred Honor(adj,n)).

I like this sweater. = demonstrative adjective.

I like this. = demonstrative pronoun

Best wishes, Clive

Re: a sentence with "those"

CalifJim — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 03:49:00 GMT

Used before a noun, this, that, these, and those are demonstrative adjectives.
Without the noun the same words are called demonstrative pronouns.

These shoes are not for kids. (adjective)
But those are for kids. (pronoun) (We know that "shoes" is meant, but it is not said here. those represents those shoes.)

CJ

Re: Can that be omitted?

Mister Micawber — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 11:56:22 GMT

In Q1 you cannot omit the second that (that land) because it is the demonstrative adjective, not the relative pronoun. The other that can be omitted.

In Q2 the second and third that can be omitted. The basic rule is that that can be omitted as long as the meaning is not confused by doing so. There are other restrictions-- that cannot be omitted when it is the subject of the clause: The dog that ate my sandwich has disappeared.

PS: Oh, I see-- you highlighted the wrong that in Q1. Yes, the that before he could can be omitted, but the sentence is clearer if it is retained.