Those and them

[streakybacon]

As in:

"I want to buy those shoes"
"I'm going to buy them"

rather than "I'm going to buy them shoes."

I know instinctively which one to use but can't think how to explain it to ds who favours the latter.

Can a super-pedant explain, please?

[Donk]

Them is a pronoun and replaces the noun.

Those is a demonstrative adjective and must be used with the noun to show which particular shoes you are going to buy (you need to be point at those shoes as you say it).

[streakybacon]

Gosh, you're clever!

Thanks Donk!
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