Demonstratives: This, That, These, and Those
Demonstratives: This, That, These, and Those
Demonstrative words help us point out specific items based on their distance from the speaker and their quantity. For example, you use "this" for a single item close to you ("this textbook") and "those" for multiple items further away ("those dolls over there").
In this challenge, you will practice choosing the correct demonstrative pronoun or adjective across a variety of imaginative scenarios. You will determine whether objects are near or far, and singular or plural, while helping a wizard go shopping, spotting a UFO while stargazing, navigating a time traveler's adventures, and sorting out a messy roommate's bedroom.
You'll work through 11 questions featuring a mix of single-choice, multi-choice, drop-down, and drag-and-drop formats.
Try the quiz to check your knowledge!
Demonstrative
Demonstrative vs article: both go before a noun and specify which one. But articles mark definiteness (the = known), while demonstratives mark proximity — this (near me) vs that (away from me). You can't use both together: the this book ❌.
Demonstratives are the four pointing words: this/that (singular), these/those (plural). They indicate distance (near/far) and function as both determiners and pronouns.
Diagnostic: are you pointing at something and indicating how close it is? → demonstrative. Just marking it as known? → article (the).
Pronoun
Pronoun vs noun: nouns name explicitly (Sarah, the book). Pronouns substitute and point back (she, it). Pronouns are a closed class (you can't invent new ones easily), while nouns are open (new ones appear constantly). The main complication: pronouns still carry case marking that nouns have lost.
A pronoun replaces a noun or noun phrase. Types: personal, demonstrative, relative, interrogative, reflexive, indefinite.
Diagnostic: every pronoun must have a clear antecedent (the noun it replaces). If the reader can't tell which noun a pronoun refers to → ambiguity error.
Determiner
Determiner vs adjective: both appear before a noun, but determiners specify which/how many while adjectives describe what kind. Determiners come first: the big cat (✅) vs big the cat (❌). You can stack adjectives (big fluffy cat) but generally only one determiner per noun.
A determiner is a function slot before a noun filled by articles, demonstratives, possessives, or quantifiers.
Diagnostic: does the word tell you which one or how many rather than what kind? → determiner. Does it describe a quality? → adjective.
English Grammar Basics
Basics vs intermediate/advanced grammar: if you're unsure whether to study articles or conditionals, tense basics or reported speech — you need to check whether your foundations are solid first. Basics covers everything up to A2.
English Grammar Basics groups the core building blocks: nouns, verbs, adjectives, prepositions, present/past tenses, questions, and negation.
Diagnostic: if you still hesitate over she don't vs she doesn't, or a vs an — start here. Master these and intermediate topics stop feeling random.
A1 | Elementary | Beginners
A1 vs A2: A1 covers isolated survival phrases (Where is…?, I am…, How much?). A2 handles connected sentences about familiar routines and simple past events. If you can manage short fixed phrases but not string together original sentences about your day, you're still A1.
A1 is the entry level of the CEFR: greetings, introductions, numbers, basic present tense, and core function words.
Diagnostic: can you describe yesterday using past tense? No → A1. Yes → you're moving into A2.
Easy
Easy vs Medium vs Hard: Easy = one rule, obvious answer, A1–A2. Medium = one rule but realistic distractors, A2–B1. Hard = interacting rules, edge cases, B2+. Start Easy to check you have the basics before moving up.
The Easy tag filters for single-rule, short-sentence, common-vocabulary challenges designed for beginners or for anyone wanting a confidence check on fundamentals.
Diagnostic: if you get Easy questions wrong, stay here — your foundations need work. If they feel trivial, move to Medium.