My General Overseer got on this verse of the Bible — For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people [Isa. 28:11] — in church and asked a very simple question while trying to emphasize a point.
His question was: Which part of speech is 'this' as used in that verse?
At some point, he asked, "Any English teacher here?"
Well, I was in church; in one of the local branches but my G.O. was teaching from the headquarters!
Someone in the congregation told him the answer. "This" as used in that verse is an adjective. Really? Yes, it is!
Many, I assume, think otherwise. They probably think it is a pronoun.
Let me provide the clarification below.
There is this type of pronouns that are referred to as DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS. They are four in number:
i. this (singular)
ii. these (plural)
iii. that (singular)
iv. those (plural)
But are you also aware that there are a type of adjectives that are referred to as DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES and they are four in number! Examples?
Well, the examples aren't different from those listed above. They are:
i. this (singular)
ii. these (plural)
iii. that (singular)
iv. those (plural)
How do you know the difference? It's simple, very simple.
It's all about usage. Let's make use of the DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS in a sentence.
1a. This is serious.
1b. I know this.
2a. These are my friends.
2b. I know these.
3a. That wasn't funny.
3b. The eagle-eyed supervisor saw that.
4a. Those were his ideas.
4b. He likes those.
However, let's make use of the DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES in a sentence.
1a. This matter is serious.
1b. I know this boy.
2a. These boys are my friends.
2b. I know these boys.
3a. That comedian wasn't funny.
3b. The eagle-eyed supervisor saw that exam cheat.
4a. Those impressions were his ideas.
4b. He likes those concepts.
What's the difference? Well, the difference, if you have noticed, is that when this, that, these, those are used as (demonstrative) pronouns, they are used alone WITHOUT a noun coming between them and the verb; or should I say when this, that, these, those are used as (demonstrative) pronouns, a noun is not used after them. See the examples again.
1a. This is serious.
1b. I know this.
Notice that example (1a&b) above can be broken thus:
This (d. pronoun) + is (verb) + serious (adjective).
I (pronoun) + know (verb) + this (d.pronoun)
In other words, when this, that, these, those are used as (demonstrative) pronouns, they function (alone or solely) as subject or object in a sentence.
1a. This is serious. (Subject)
1b. I know this. (Object)
However, when this, that, these, those are used as (demonstrative) adjectives, notice very carefully, as seen in the examples, they are used before a noun.
1a. This matter is serious.
1b. I know this boy.
Notice that example (1a&b) above can be broken thus:
This (d. adj) + matter (noun) + is (verb) + serious (adjective).
I (pronoun) + know (verb) + this (d. adj) + boy (noun)
Different from the previous example under demonstrative Pronoun which was broken thus:
This (pronoun) + is (verb) + serious (adjective).
In other words, when this, that, these, those are used as (demonstrative) adjectives, they function as modifiers in a subject or object in a sentence.
What are modifiers? Permit me to answer that in another blog post. See link below.
LIKE DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES LIKE POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES!
In the same way that there are demonstrative pronouns and demonstrative adjectives, there are also possessive pronouns (PP) different from possessive adjectives (PA). Thankfully, the principle that applies is the same.
When possessive adjectives are to be used, they are used before a noun. However, when possessive pronouns are to be used, they are solely used (or used alone).
PP PA
mine my
ours our
yours your
his *his
hers her
its —
theirs their
1a. The book is mine. (PP)
1b. This is my book. (PA)
2a. It is ours. (PP)
2b. It is our own. (PA)
3a. This is yours. (PP)
3b. This is your phone. (PA)
4a. His pen fell off. (PA)
4b. I have my pen with me and he has his with him.(PP)
5a. Where is her chocolate? (PA)
5b. Where is hers? (PP)
I will discuss "its" in another blog post. Like the saying goes in our local parlance, E get why!
6a. Mr Williams gave us some apples and I have given theirs to them. (PP)
6b. Mr Williams gave us some apples and I have given them their own. (PA)
Notice carefully that possessive pronouns so not take apostrophe. Hence it will wrong to write them thus — ours'/our's; your's/yours'; her's/hers', theirs'/their's.
Thank you for reading.
The blogger, Ọlábánjì O. Odùrómbì, can be contacted via SMS/WhatsApp/phone call on 08037699294.
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