Decide whether the italicized word is being used as a determiner or a pronoun.

*i just subbed italicized with parenthesis*

(This) project has spiraled out of control.

In this sentence, the word this is used as a determiner.

Every time a pronoun stands next to a noun it denotes, it will be used as the determiner.

If you say: This is my mother, here this is used as a pronoun, because it isn't directly followed by a noun.