Grade 5 Worksheet: Editing: Incorrect Use of Demonstratives (This/That/These/Those)

This Grade 5 worksheet focuses on correcting errors related to the use of demonstratives: this, that, these, and those. These words are used to point out or indicate specific people, places, or things, but they are often misused in sentences. For example, students may mistakenly use “This houses” instead of “These houses” or “That apples” instead of “Those apples.”

Through a series of engaging activities, students will practice choosing the correct demonstrative based on whether the noun is singular or plural and its proximity (near or far). By completing exercises like multiple-choice questions, sentence corrections, and paragraph editing, learners will solidify their understanding of when to use “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those.”

By the end of the worksheet, students will be able to confidently apply demonstratives in their writing and speech, helping them express themselves more clearly.

Why Correct Use of Demonstratives Matters in Grammar?

The correct use of demonstratives enhances clarity in communication by making it clear which object or person is being referred to. For Grade 5 learners, understanding demonstratives is crucial because:
1. “This” and “that” are used with singular nouns, while “these” and “those” are used with plural nouns.
2. Demonstratives help specify which noun is being discussed (near or far).
3. Incorrect use of demonstratives can lead to confusing or incorrect sentences.
4. Mastery of demonstratives supports clearer, more effective communication in both writing and speaking.

This worksheet provides the necessary practice to help students master demonstrative usage and avoid common mistakes.

What’s Inside This Worksheet?

This worksheet includes five interactive activities to practice and reinforce the correct usage of demonstratives:

🧠 Exercise 1 – Choose the Correct Demonstrative
Students select the right demonstrative for sentences, such as deciding between "this" and "that" or "these" and "those."

✏️ Exercise 2 – Correct the Sentence Using the Right Demonstrative 
Learners will identify and fix errors in sentences like “These house is big” or “That books are interesting.”

📋 Exercise 3 – True or False
Students evaluate statements about demonstrative usage to determine if they are correct or incorrect.

🔤 Exercise 4 – Underline the Incorrect Use of Demonstratives
In this exercise, students will underline the incorrect demonstrative in sentences and correct them.

📝 Exercise 5 – Edit and Rewrite the Paragraph 
Students will edit a paragraph with multiple demonstrative errors, applying their knowledge of the rules.

✅ Answer Key (For Parents & Educators)

Exercise 1 – Choose the Correct Demonstrative
1. a) These books 
2. a) That bag 
3. a) Those houses 
4. b) These flowers 
5. a) This bag 
6. b) This pencil 
7. a) Those stars 
8. a) This chair 
9. a) That dog 
10. b) Those stars 

Exercise 2 – Correct the Sentence Using the Right Demonstrative
1. These apples are sweet. 
2. This pen is blue. 
3. These flowers are beautiful. 
4. This book is interesting. 
5. These cars are very fast. 
6. These boys are my friends. 
7. These pencils are sharp. 
8. These birds are flying high. 
9. These students are waiting outside. 
10. This house is very big. 

Exercise 3 – Write True or False
1. False 
2. True 
3. True 
4. False 
5. True 
6. True 
7. True 
8. True 
9. False 
10. True 

Exercise 4 – Underline the Incorrect Use of Demonstratives
1. These pen belongs to me. → This pen 
2. This flowers smell nice. → These flowers 
3. Those book is very interesting. → This book 
4. That apples are very juicy. → These apples 
5. This flowers smell nice. → These flowers 
6. This students are ready for the test. → These students 
7. Those pencil is very small. → This pencil 
8. This chair is broken. → This chair 
9. These house is very large. → This house 
10. That cars are parked outside. → These cars 

Exercise 5 – Edit and Rewrite the Paragraph
1. Riya visited a village during her holidays. When she arrived, she saw these houses with beautiful gardens. She pointed at those small huts and told her brother that these huts looked very old. Near the road, she saw those trees full of mangoes, and these mangoes looked very fresh. Later, the children of the village showed her those playgrounds where they played every evening. Riya liked these places because the air was fresh and the surroundings were peaceful. Her brother said that these villages were very different from their busy city.

Help your child become a stronger reader by learning how to discover word meanings using context clues and sentence contrasts.

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