This, That, These, Those: With Examples and Exercises

Beginner

What are “this, that, these, those”?

We use this / that / these / those to show which things or people we mean.

this that these those

One or more than one

We generally use this / that to talk about one thing or person and these / those to talk about more than one thing or person.

Examples:

  • car is new. (One car.)
  • cars are new. (More than one car.)
  • boy is my brother. (One boy.)
  • boys are my friends. (More than one boy.)

Before a noun or by themselves

We can use this / that / these / those before a noun, or by themselves. Here are some examples without nouns.

Examples:

  • How much is this, please?
  • Look at that! It’s beautiful.
  • Are these your keys?
  • I like those.

When we use this / that / these / those by themselves, they usually only talk about things, not people.

Example:

  • This girl is hungry. (NOT: This is hungry.)

Near and far

We usually use this / these to talk about things or people that are close to us and that / those to talk about things or people that are further away from us.

Example:

  • This bag (in my hand) is heavy, but that bag (on the table) is light.

This / these have a similar idea to here and that / those have a similar idea to there.

Near and far in time

As well as things that are near to us and far away from us in space, we can also use this / that / these / those to talk about things that are near to us and far away from us in time. We usually use this / these for things in the present and that / those for things in the past.

Examples:

  • I like this film. (We’re watching it now.)
  • I didn’t like that film. (We watched it last week.)

A whole experience or discussion

We can also use this and that more generally, to talk about a whole experience or a whole discussion. We often use that when the other person has said something.

Examples:

  • That’s a good idea. (The idea that you have explained.)
  • This is great! (I mean the whole experience of today.)

People: introductions and the telephone

We can use this and that by themselves exceptionally to talk about people when we say who the person is. This happens when we introduce people and on the telephone.

On the telephone

When we’re on the telephone, in UK English, we use this to say who we are and that to talk about the other person.

Examples:

  • Hello, this is Julia. (Julia is speaking.)
  • Who’s that?

If we use a pronoun like me on the telephone, we use it, not this.

Example:

  • It’s me. (NOT: This is me.)

Introducing people

We can also use this to introduce people to each other.

Examples:

  • Anna, this is Tom.
  • This is my friend Mark.

This, That, These, Those | Easy English Grammar for Beginners (A1)

GRAMMAR REFERENCE

This / That / These / Those

One or more than one — near or far

NEAR (HERE)
one this
more than one these
FAR (THERE)
one that
more than one those
✓ BEFORE A NOUN
this / that + noun
This car is new.
✓ BY THEMSELVES
these / those = things
Are these your keys?
? WHO IS IT?
this / that + is + name
This is my friend Mark.
HOW WE USE THEM
NEAR IN SPACE This bag is heavy.
FAR IN SPACE That bag is light.
NOW I like this film.
PAST I didn't like that film.
INTRODUCING Anna, this is Tom.
TELEPHONE (UK) This is Julia. Who's that?
REMEMBER
People need a noun — This girl is hungry. (not This is hungry.)
On the telephone, use "it" with "me" — It's me. (not This is me.)
One or more than one 0 / 8
Near and far 0 / 8
Introductions and telephone 0 / 8
See all