How to Use This, That, These, and Those Correctly

You hear these four words dozens of times every day. Choosing the right one takes two seconds — once you know the system.

Two Questions. Four Words.

Every time you’re not sure which word to use, ask yourself:

Is it close to me or far away? Is it one thing or more than one?

	One	More than one
Close	this	these
Far	that	those

That’s the whole system. Everything else is just practice.

This and These — Right Here

Use this and these for things that are close to you right now.

This → one thing, close:

• Can you sign this form? — the form is in front of you
• This coffee is amazing. — the cup is in your hand
• I love this song. — playing right now

These → more than one, close:

• These shoes are so comfortable. — you’re wearing them
• Can you take these bags? — you’re handing them over
• These photos are beautiful. — looking at them together

That and Those — Over There

Use that and those for things that are farther away.

That → one thing, far:

• What is that building? — you’re pointing across the street
• Can you pass me that book? — it’s not in your hands yet
• Is that your sister? — someone you see in the distance

Those → more than one, far:

• Who are those people? — a group across the room
• I love those old jazz cafés. — places you’re thinking about
• Those mountains look incredible from here.

Distance in Time, Not Just Space

Here’s something most learners don’t know: that and those also work for the past — things that are finished feel “far away.”

Situation	Word	Example
Happening right now	this / these	This movie is so good!
Just finished	that / those	That movie was so good!
Long ago	that / those	Those were different times.

If it’s happening now — this and these. If it’s over — that and those. Distance in time works exactly like distance in space.

On the Phone — One Special Rule

When you answer the phone, you always say:

Hello, this is Mark.

Not “that is Mark” — even though the other person is far away. You’re talking about yourself. And you are always close to yourself.

The same rule works when you introduce people:

Sarah, this is my friend Tom. Tom, this is Sarah.

Common Mistakes — Fixed

Quick Reference

Word	Distance	Number	Example
this	close / now	one	This is delicious.
that	far / past	one	That was amazing.
these	close / now	many	These are my keys.
those	far / past	many	Those were great days.

Your Turn

Look around right now. Try these out loud:

This is my ______. It’s right here. That building over there is ______. These are my ______. I use them every day. Those people across the street are ______.

Say them out loud. Your ear will tell you when it feels right.