指示代词通常在“比较”结构中出现,其表示所指代的所指对象的一个新的副本(new copy),而并非是原来的所指对象。例如:
The money spent by James is more than that spent by his brother.
例句中that指代the money,只不过此the money非彼the money。这是两个部分的钱,一个部分是被詹姆斯花的钱,另外一个部分是被他的哥哥花的钱。如果用一般代词(it/they)来指代,则必须是同一个部分的钱,例如:
The money spent by James is more than it spent by his brother.
这个例句的意思是:“詹姆斯花的钱比他哥哥花的詹姆斯花的钱多”。
指示代词的指代也要保证“数的一致”,例如:
**Fish eyes are very different from that of a mammal.
Fish eyes are very different from those of a mammal.
由于eyes是复数,所以只有用those指代才是正确的。