Grade 5 English Determiners – Demonstrative Determiners Notes
English Notes — Demonstrative Determiners
Topic: Determiners — Subtopic: Demonstrative Determiners
Subject: English (for learners aged about 10, Kenya)
What are demonstrative determiners?
Demonstrative determiners are words we use before a noun to show which thing or things we mean. They point to things that are near or far.
Near (close to speaker)
- this — before a singular noun (near)
- these — before plural nouns (near)
→ this / these
Far (not near)
- that — before a singular noun (far)
- those — before plural nouns (far)
→ that / those
How to remember:
- "This" and "these" are for things that are close to you (think: touchable).
- "That" and "those" are for things that are far from you.
- "This" and "that" = one thing (singular). "These" and "those" = more than one (plural).
Examples (easy, Kenyan contexts):
- This book is mine. 📚 (one book near me)
- These mangoes are sweet. 🥭🥭 (mangoes near me)
- That matatu is full. 🚍 (a matatu over there)
- Those hills are beautiful. ⛰️⛰️ (Ngong Hills far away)
- This sukuma wiki is fresh. 🥬 (a bundle of sukuma wiki close by)
Demonstrative determiner vs demonstrative pronoun
- As a determiner, the demonstrative comes before a noun: this bag, those chairs.
- As a pronoun, it replaces the noun: This is my bag., Those are chairs.
Short practice — choose the correct word:
- _______ banana is ripe. (one, near) [this]
- _______ bananas are for sale. (many, near) [these]
- _______ house over there is big. (one, far) [that]
- _______ goats on the hill belong to my neighbour. (many, far) [those]
- _______ is my pencil. (pointing to a pencil) [This]
Common mistakes
- Don't use "this" with plural nouns (wrong: this chairs).
- Don't use "those" for things close to you (wrong: those pen in my hand).
Tip: To practise, point to objects around you and say sentences: "This is my notebook." "Those trees are tall." Saying them aloud helps you remember.
Teacher's note: Use real objects from class (books, bottles, bags) to show near/far. Simple games like "point and say" make learning fun for 10-year-olds.