I The variable demonstrative pronouns are "celui," "celle," "ceux," "celles." They are variable because they agree in gender and number. They are used to translate into French "the one(s) (that), "the one(s) (which), "the one(s) (who)" (do not use "l'un"). The plural forms, "ceux" and "celles," can also mean "those that," "those who," or "those which." Variable demonstrative pronouns can be used with any relative pronoun.
Ex.
1. Among the pens, give me the one that works.=Parmi les stylos, donnez-moi celui qui marche.
2. Do you see the one (who) I spoke about?=Voyez-vous celui dont j'ai parlé?
3. Show me the one (that) you spoke to.=Montrez-moi celui à qui tu as parlé.

Some verbs that are followed by the prepositions "de" and "à" or by a direct object and that are often used with a relative pronoun and a variable demonstrative pronoun are:

Exercise A. Translate the English words into French. Use a variable demonstrative pronoun and a relative pronoun. When appropriate use a verb from the above lists:Click for vocabulary help
1. Cette histoire est meilleure que __________________________
(the one (that) we told yesterday).

2. Préfères-tu ce poème ou _______________________
(the one that is on page 3?).

3. Quelle fille? fais-moi voir___________________________
(the one you are in love with) [do not use the verb "aimer"].

4. Do we ever like those (whom) we must obey?_________________________________

5. Parmi les enfants, choisissez _________________________
(the one I should listen to)

6. Parmi les jeunes filles, dites-moi ____________________
(the ones whom I should think about)

7. Un informaticien? ______________________________________
(Which is the one you wrote about?)

II Variable Demonstrative Pronouns are also used with "de" to indicate people or things possessed by someone or something.
Ex.
1. I am thinking about your ideas and Mari-Claire's.=Je réfléchis à tes idées et à celles de Marie-Claire.
2. She is cleaning the apartments on the first floor and those on the second floor.=Elle nettoie les appartements du rez-de-chaussée et ceux du premier étage.

Exercice B:Click for vocabulary help
8. Mon ordinateur est meilleur que_________________ (Paul's).

9. Are Harvard's courses better than Yale's?

10. Chicago's basketball team is better than Saint-Louis'.

11. Please put my car in the garage and leave Peter's in the street.

III Invariable demonstrative pronouns (cela, ceci, ça) are used to refer to an entire clause or to a general idea, but not to a specific word.
a) "Ceci" is generally used only in opposition to "Cela."
b) "Ça" is only used in conversation or in quoted conversation.
c) Replace "cela" with "ce" before the verb "être."

Exercice C:
12. Il a pris le train? _____________________ (That surprises me).

13. Napoléon a quitté la France. ____________________________(That was unfortunate.)

IV The invariable pronoun "ce" is used before "être" to say "It is" or "This (that) is." "Ce" can also be used before "devoir être" and "pouvoir être." The invariable pronoun "cela" is used before all other verbs to say "It" or "This (that)."

Examples:
1. C'est elle (Pierre, le médecin) qui l'a dit.
2. Cela paraît te déranger.
3. Ce doit être vrai.

Exercise D:
14. That makes me want to cry.

15. This is why I want to go to France.

16. It might be true ("can be true").

V. The French use "cela" and "ça" much less frequently than Americans use the equivalent pronouns, "this" and "that," especially in writing. The French prefer to replace "cela" and "ça" with the demonstrative adjectives "ce," "cet," "cette," or "ces" followed by a noun that resumes the entire idea. In this way they bind words more strongly to each other.
Example:
Il a pris le train?
That surprises me.=Cette action me surprend.

Exercice F. Translate by replacing "that" with a demonstrative adjective plus noun:Click for vocabulary help
17. Tu aimes les animaux? _____________________(That pleases me).

18. Ils comptent passer une semaine au Canada. _________________________(That should be fun (amuse them).)

VI "It is" is translated "Il est" and not "C'est" when followed by an adjective and when introducing a new idea. But when "It is" refers back to an idea that has already been stated, it is translated "C'est."
NOTE: "Il est" + adjective is followed by "de" + infinitive,
whereas "c'est" + adjective is followed by "à" + infinitive.

Examples.
1. It is important to arrive on time. = Il est important d'arriver à temps.
2. Yes, that's (it's) important to do. = Oui, c'est important à faire.

Exercise G.
19. It will be difficult to finish our work on time.

20. No. That will not be difficult to do.

Vocabulary:
to tell=raconter qqch
course=le cours
team=une équipe
unfortunate=malheureux

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