This, That, These, Those

In English, this, that, these, and those help us refer to objects, people, or ideas. Their usage depends on whether we’re talking about something near or far and whether it’s singular or plural. This lesson will help you understand and use them effectively as determiners, pronouns, and substitutes.

1. Using This and That as Determiners

💡 This refers to singular nouns that are near the speaker.
💡 That refers to singular nouns that are far from the speaker.

Examples:

  • 📱 This phone is new.
  • 📚 This book is interesting.
  • 🍎 This apple is delicious.
  • 🎒 This backpack is mine.
  • 🖊️ This pen belongs to me.
  • 🧥 This jacket keeps me warm.
  • 💻 This computer is fast.
  • 📷 This camera takes great pictures.
  • 🏠 That house belongs to my friend.
  • 🚗 That car is really fast.
  • 🐕 That dog is brave.
  • 🖼️ That painting is beautiful.
  • 🌆 That city is amazing.
  • 🎢 That ride looks scary.
  • ⛺ That tent is old.

2. Using These and Those as Determiners

💡 These refers to plural nouns that are near the speaker.
💡 Those refers to plural nouns that are far from the speaker.

Examples:

    • 🍇 These grapes are sweet.
    • 👞 These shoes are cheap.
    • 📚 These books are helpful.
    • 🖍️ These markers are colorful.
    • 🐦 These birds are small.
    • 🎵 These songs are my favorites.
    • 🍎 These apples are fresh.
    • 🏡 Those houses look similar.
    • 🚌 Those buses are yellow.
    • 🚲 Those bikes belong to my friends.
    • 🌉 Those bridges are very old.
    • 🛍️ Those stores sell expensive items.
    • 🌳 Those trees are tall.
    • 🐄 Those cows are grazing in the field.
    • 🏔️ Those mountains are breathtaking.

3. Using This and That as Pronouns

💡 This replaces a singular noun that is near the speaker.
💡 That replaces a singular noun that is far from the speaker.

Examples:

    • This is my pen. ✏️
    • This is a beautiful flower. 🌸
    • This is my house. 🏡
    • This is delicious! 🍕
    • This is my favorite book. 📚
    • This is a funny movie. 🎥
    • This is the answer to the question. ✅
    • That is a tall building. 🏢
    • That is my friend’s car. 🚗
    • That is an interesting painting. 🎨
    • That is a loud noise. 🔊
    • That is a huge mountain. 🏔️
    • That is a cute puppy. 🐶
    • That is a beautiful rainbow. 🌈
    • That is an exciting idea. 💡

4. Using These and Those as Pronouns

💡 These replaces plural nouns that are near the speaker.
💡 Those replaces plural nouns that are far from the speaker.

Examples:

  • These are my books. 📚
  • These are fresh apples. 🍎
  • These are colorful balloons. 🎈
  • These are my favorite shoes. 👟
  • These are delicious cookies. 🍪
  • These are soft pillows. 🛏️
  • These are clean plates. 🍽️
  • These are warm blankets. 🛌
  • Those are tall trees. 🌳
  • Those are bright stars. ⭐
  • Those are beautiful flowers. 🌼
  • Those are my neighbors’ cars. 🚗
  • Those are high mountains. 🏔️
  • Those are hungry birds. 🐦
  • Those are colorful kites. 🪁

5. Substituting with That and Those

💡 That replaces a singular noun mentioned earlier to avoid repetition.
💡 Those replaces plural nouns mentioned earlier to avoid repetition

Examples:

  • A: Do you want this apple?
    B: Yes, I want that. 🍎
  • A: These books are heavy.
    B: Yes, those are hard to carry. 📚
  • A: Do you like this song?
    B: Yes, I like that. 🎵
  • A: These paintings are beautiful.
    B: Yes, those are amazing. 🖼️
  • A: I made this cake.
    B: That looks delicious! 🍰
  • A: This bike is new.
    B: Is that yours? 🚲
  • A: These boxes are for shipping.
    B: Please label those. 📦
  • A: This pen is broken.
    B: Can I use that instead? 🖋️
  • A: I like these houses.
    B: Those are really nice! 🏡
  • A: This drink is refreshing.
    B: I’ll have that too! 🍹