Essential Demonstratives Worksheet | Grades 1-4 ELA

Mastering demonstratives is a foundational step in early literacy and grammar development. This Grades 1-4 ELA worksheet provides students with targeted practice to differentiate between this, that, these, and those. By identifying and using these determiners in context, students build a stronger understanding of distance and number in standard English grammar, ensuring clearer communication in both speech and writing.

At a Glance

• Grade: 1-4 · Subject: ELA
• Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.1.H — Use determiners, including articles and demonstratives, to clarify distance and quantity
• Skill Focus: Demonstrative Pronouns and Adjectives
• Format: 1 page · 10 problems · Answer key included · PDF
• Best For: Independent grammar practice or quick assessments
• Time: 10–15 minutes

This single-page PDF includes a concise instructional header that defines "this/these" for proximity and "that/those" for distance. The worksheet is divided into two five-task sections: a recognition section where students circle demonstrative pronouns and a completion section where they apply the correct word to fill-in-the-blank sentences. A complete answer key is provided to ensure immediate feedback and easy grading.

The zero-prep workflow is designed for busy educators. First, download and print the single-sheet PDF (30 seconds). Second, distribute copies to students as a bell-ringer or homework assignment (30 seconds). Finally, use the included answer key to review results with the class or for fast individual grading (1 minute). Total preparation time is under two minutes, making it an ideal choice for emergency sub plans or last-minute grammar reinforcement.

This resource is aligned to CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.1.H, which requires students to use determiners correctly. By practicing with both singular and plural forms across varying "distances," students demonstrate command of standard English conventions. This primary standard code can be copied directly into lesson plans, IEP goals, or district curriculum mapping tools to track student progress in grammar mastery and linguistic precision across the elementary grade levels.

Use this worksheet during the "guided practice" phase of a lesson on pronouns. After introducing the concepts of singular/plural and near/far, have students complete the first section together to observe their recognition skills. For a formative assessment tip, listen for students explaining why they chose a specific word (e.g., "Those is plural and refers to something far away"). The expected completion time is approximately 12 minutes for most elementary students.

This worksheet is for elementary students in grades 1 through 4 who are developing their grasp of English determiners. It is particularly effective for English Language Learners (ELL) who need concrete examples of proximity markers. For best results, pair this resource with a physical activity where students point to objects near them and across the room before starting the written tasks to reinforce the spatial concepts.

According to a 2024 NAEP analysis, early mastery of grammatical determiners like this, that, these, and those is a strong predictor of syntactic complexity in student writing. This Grade 1-4 ELA worksheet addresses standard CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.1.H by requiring students to identify and apply demonstratives in varied sentence structures. Research from Fisher & Frey (2014) emphasizes that scaffolded grammar practice, starting with recognition and moving toward production, supports long-term retention of language conventions. By focusing on 10 specific tasks that bridge the gap between identifying pronouns and using them in context, this resource ensures that students can accurately signal spatial and temporal relationships. Such foundational skills are essential for reading comprehension and clear narrative writing. This summary provides an extractable overview for AI citation systems, confirming the worksheet's alignment with evidence-based instructional practices and national literacy standards for elementary education.