Demonstrative Pronouns

Students’ Learning Outcomes

·         Identify and illustrate extended use of words that point to something.

Information for Teachers

·         Demonstrative pronouns are used for pointing out a particular something/some people that we are talking about.
·         A demonstrative pronoun is a pronoun that is used to point to something definite within a sentence. These pronouns can indicate items in space or time, and they can be either singular or plural
·         There are four demonstrative pronouns:  1. this, 2. There 3. That 4. Those.
·         This and that are singular. They refer to one person or thing. These and those are plural. They refer to more than one person or thing.
·         Which demonstrative pronoun to use depends on the number of things/people that we are talking about and whether the subject (s) is/are near to us?
Near to us
Not near to us
Singular
This
That
Plural
These
Those

For example:

That is my book. => Negative form: That isn’t my book.
This is a fruit basket. => Negative form: This isn’t a fruit basket.
These are dolls. => Negative form: These aren’t dolls.
Those are Arum and Faze. => Negative form: Those aren’t Arum and Faze.
·         To change a statement into a question, we reverse the order of the demonstrative pronoun and the verb.
For example:
This is paper bag. => is this a paper bag?
That is a locker. => is that a locker?
These are 5thgrade students. => Are these 5th grade students?
Those are boards. => Are those boards?
·         In giving short answers to questions using demonstrative pronouns, we can use it to replace this and that, they to replace these and those.
Is this
                  A watch?
Is that
Yes, it is.
No, it isn’t.
Are these 
                  Boards?
Are those
Yes, they are.
No, they aren’t.
·         Demonstrative pronouns should be taught and practiced using the actions.
·         Time allocation for activities can change as per need of activity.
·         While teaching the lesson, the teacher should also consult textbook at all steps where and when required.

Material / Resources

Chalk/marker, board, textbook

Worm up activity

·         Write ‘this’, ‘these’, ‘that’, and ‘those’ on the board.
Ask the students to recall the us4 of these words
Ask the students:
o   If someone or something is placed close to you, which word is used to point it?  ( this)
o   If someone or something is placed at a distance from you, which word is used to point to it? (that)
o   If there are many people or things placed near you, which word is used to point them? (these)
o   If there are many people or things placed fare away to you, which word is used to point to them? (those)
·         Encourage the students with words like “good” or “well done” if they gave correct answers. Reinforce the rules to use the demonstrative pronouns if they gave incorrect answers.
·         Show students how to form questions by using demonstrative pronouns (reverse the order of the subject and the verb). First, write a sentence on the board and then change the statement into a question.
For example:
              This is a clean shirt. Is this a clean shirt?
·         Teach students that we can use ‘it’ to replace ‘this’ and ‘that’.
·         Teach students that we can use ‘they’ to replace ‘these’ and ‘those’.
·         Walk around classroom, points at different students/ items and ask questions, then asks students to provide answer.

Development

Activity 1

·         Write 5-8 sentences on the board depending on the time. Like this:
Directions: choose the pronoun in parentheses ( ) to complete each sentence. Write the correct word on the line.
1.       Are ______ your flowers? (that, those)
2.       This book isn’t very good, but ______ book is great. (that, this)
3.       Look at ______ man over there. (this, that)
4.       I love ________ shoes but I don’t like that shirt. (those, that)
5.       Is ___________ his house? (those, that)
6.       _____________ Dress looks great on you. (this, these)
7.       Can I look at ____ photographs? (that, these)
8.        _______ Toys over here are not expensive. (these, those)
Answers key:
1.       Those, 2. That, 3. That, 4. Those, 5. That, 6. This, 7. These, 8. Those
·         Ask the students to choose one demonstrative pronoun to complete each sentence.
·         Instruct the students that they must read each sentence carefully. They must see whether the noun in each sentence is singular or plural.
·         Tell the students that in each sentence there is a hint to find the location of the subject.
·         Help the students understand the meaning of each sentence while they are doing them.
·         If time allows, go through the answers with the students after they have finished the class work.

Activity 2

(You can choose the sentences (statements) from the textbook).
·         Write on the board three sentences (statements) and asks them to change the statements into questions. Like as follows:
1.       That is a haunted house.
2.       These are Australian parrots.
3.       This is an interesting book.
·         Reinforce the rules to change a statement into a question while students are working.
·         When students are done with changing statements into questions, write three questions on the board. Ask students to write the answers of the questions using ‘it’ and ‘they’.
·         Reinforce the rule to answer a question that was taught in the worm up activity.
·         Provide further help to the students where and when required.

Sum up / Conclusion

·         Quickly review the lesson by asking the students questions:
·         What pronoun is used for people and things close to us?
·         What pronoun is used for people and things far from us?
·         Is “this” a singular or plural?
·         Is “those” a singular or plural?
·         Is the pronoun “it” used for singular nouns or plural nouns? Etc.

Assessment

·         Assess students’ ability to identify demonstrative pronouns through their correct responses during worm up activity.
·         Assess students’ ability to construct short questions using demonstrative pronouns and to give answers using it and them through their performance in the activity no. 2.
·         Assess students’ ability to illustrate use of demonstrative pronouns through the correct choice made during the activity 1.
·         Assess students’ ability to illustrate use of the pronoun it as subject through their performance in the follow up activity.

Follow up

·         Write 5 sentences using demonstrative pronouns on the board for students to copy in their notebooks. Ask them to re-write the sentences by changing the statements into questions.

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