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Demonstratives: This, That, These, Those

1 min
A1

Use this for one thing near you, that for one thing farther away, these for several things near you, and those for several things farther away.

CEFR A1·other

Formula

this
(this book, this house)
that
(that car, that idea)
these
(these shoes, these days)
those
(those people, those years)

Examples

Positive
This is my pen.
Negative
That is not my problem.
Question
Is this your bag? Are these your shoes?

Usage

  • •Point to people, things, or ideas
  • •"This/these" for things near you · "that/those" for things farther away
  • •Can stand alone ("This is good.") or modify a noun ("This cake is good.")

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This, that, these, or those — which one?

The choice depends on two things: how many, and how far. This (one, near) and these (many, near) point to things close to you. That (one, far) and those (many, far) point to things farther away: "This is my pen" vs "Those days are gone."

This vs that — near or far?

This is for something physically close, often something you're holding or right next to you. That is for something farther away, or for reacting to something someone just said: "That sounds great!"

How do you use this/that without a noun?

This, that, these, and those can stand alone, without a noun after them: "This is good." "That's exactly the problem." On the phone, English uses this to introduce yourself: "This is Anna" (meaning "I am Anna").

Comparison Table

This, that, these, and those by distance and number
FormNearFar
Singularthisthat
Pluralthesethose
Save this comparison chart
Comparison diagram: This, that, these, and those by distance and numberDownload PNG

More Examples

  • This morning was beautiful.

    Time near now (today)

  • Those days are gone.

    Time far in the past

  • These flowers smell amazing.

    Plural things close by

  • That sounds great!

    Reacting to what someone said

  • Whose are these gloves?

    Asking about plural objects

Common Mistakes

  • ✗Mixing singular/plural: "this shoes" should be "these shoes".
  • ✗Using "that" for things you're holding: "that book" (in your hand) should be "this book".

Tips

  • ✓Distance + number rule: THIS (1 near), THAT (1 far), THESE (many near), THOSE (many far).
  • ✓On the phone: "This is Anna." (= I am Anna) — use "this" when introducing yourself.

Advanced Notes

Beyond physical distance, demonstratives carry discourse meaning: "this" can introduce a new idea you're about to explain, while "that" often refers back to something already mentioned ("That's exactly the problem"). In spoken English, "that" is far more frequent than textbooks suggest — "That's amazing", "That makes sense", "I knew that". Distance is sometimes psychological rather than physical: "those people over there" can imply social distance or disapproval.

FAQ

Is it "this shoes" or "these shoes"?

These shoes — shoes is plural, so it needs the plural form these, not the singular this.

Do you say "that book" when it's in your hand?

No — use this for something you're holding or right next to you: "this book." Save that for things farther away.

What is the difference between demonstratives and articles like "the"?

The just marks a noun as specific or already known, without saying where it is. This, that, these, and those also show distance from the speaker — near or far.

What is the difference between "this" and "my"?

This points to distance — near or far. My shows who owns something. You can combine them: "This is my book."

Why do people say "This is Anna" on the phone?

When introducing yourself, especially on the phone, English uses this, not I: "This is Anna" means "I am Anna."

Practice

  1. 1. is my pen.
  2. 2. days are gone.
  3. 3. flowers smell amazing.
  4. 4. sounds great!
  5. 5.Are your shoes?
Quiz loads as you scroll…

Compare With

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