This, That, These And Those | Clear Rules For Learners

English has four handy words for pointing at things in space, time, and conversation. Learners meet them on day one, then keep running into small doubts years later in real use. Do I say “this pen” or “that pen”? When do I write “these ideas” instead of “those ideas”? This guide walks through clear patterns so you can pick the right form without stopping to think every time.

This, That, These And Those In English Grammar

Teachers call these four words demonstratives. They help the listener see which person, thing, moment, or idea you mean. Each word carries two pieces of information at once: distance and number. Distance answers the question “near me or not?” Number answers “one or more than one?” The table below gives a quick snapshot.

Word	When You Use It	Sample Sentence
this	singular, near the speaker in space	This book on my desk is new.
that	singular, far from the speaker in space	That tree across the street looks tall.
these	plural, near the speaker in space	These shoes by my chair feel tight.
those	plural, far from the speaker in space	Those houses on the hill seem old.
this	singular, near in time or just starting	This week has been busy at work.
that	singular, distant in time or finished	That summer still feels special.
these / those	plural ideas already known in the talk	Those plans we made yesterday sound fine.

In short, this and these point to what feels close. That and those point to what feels more distant. Close and far can mean space, time, or even mental distance. A topic you like may feel closer, while a topic you dislike may feel far away, so you might choose that instead of this.

Near And Far: Distance In Space

The most common use connects to physical distance. Think of a room. When you touch or almost touch an object, English normally uses this for one and these for more than one. When you point across the room, English normally uses that for one and those for more than one. The person you talk to watches your hand, eyes, or body and matches that with the word you choose.

Speakers also bring distance into video calls, phone calls, and text messages. During a call you might say “this screen” for the screen in front of you because your friend cannot see it. For things near the other person, you can switch to that or those. You might say “Is that dog near you still barking?” because the dog is close to the listener, not to you.

Many grammar books use short rules here: this and these for near things, that and those for far things. The Cambridge Grammar page on demonstratives repeats this point and pairs it with many sample sentences so you can see it in action with real contexts.

Singular And Plural Choices

Distance alone is not enough. English also cares about number. This and that match a single person, object, or idea. These and those match more than one. The verb must agree with the form you choose. Say “this is” and “that is” with singular nouns or with the pronoun alone, and “these are” or “those are” with plural nouns or with the pronoun alone.

Here is a simple pattern. When the noun is countable and singular, pair it with this or that. When the noun is countable and plural, pair it with these or those. Uncountable nouns like water, money, or furniture behave like singular nouns. Speakers pick this or that with them, not these or those. So you may say “this rice tastes good” or “that music sounds loud,” but not “these rice” or “those music.”

Agreement matters in writing as well as in speech. Readers expect the verb and demonstrative to match. A sentence such as “this cars are fast” looks wrong at once. Changing it to “these cars are fast” fixes the pattern. Once you notice how your ear reacts, it becomes easier to catch and repair slips in your own sentences.

Using This, That, These, Those In Real Life

Grammar rules turn into real skill only when you use them often. Try small spoken drills during your day. Point at items on your desk and say short phrases aloud: “this pen,” “these notes,” “that window,” “those folders.” Change your position in the room and say the phrases again. When a thing that was near becomes far, you change this to that and these to those.

Next, bring people into the mix. During a class or meeting, you can quietly name people in your thoughts with demonstratives. A friend beside you becomes “this friend.” A classmate near the door becomes “that student near the door.” A group of friends at your table turns into “these friends,” while people in another corner of the room become “those friends.” This silent exercise builds fast, automatic choices.

The same words help with time. Speakers often link “this morning,” “this week,” or “this year” with periods that feel close to now or already running. They link “that day,” “that month,” or “that year” with periods that feel finished or distant. Writers also use that to create a little distance from events they prefer to keep at arm’s length, such as “that exam” or “that long winter.”

Demonstratives As Determiners And Pronouns

So far, the examples above place each word before a noun. In that role, it works as a determiner and tells the reader which person or thing you mean. English also allows all four forms to stand alone. In that case, the word works as a pronoun. The British Council lesson on demonstratives uses both types and shows how they fit into everyday speech.

Watch how the pattern changes in short pairs. “This phone is mine” turns into “This is mine.” “Those cookies are fresh” turns into “Those are fresh.” The noun drops, but the listener still understands which items you mean from the situation, shared knowledge, or earlier parts of the talk. When that context is missing, you usually need to keep the noun so your sentence stays clear.

Writers often use demonstrative pronouns to connect sentences. A line such as “This is what I learned today” refers to the information that follows. A line such as “That was a tough lesson” refers back to something already described. These small words work like arrows that tie a paragraph together.

Typical Mistakes With English Demonstratives

Even advanced learners still slip with demonstratives. Some mistakes come from direct translation from another language. Others appear under pressure, such as in exams or job interviews. Paying attention to a few common patterns can save you from repeating them.

Problem Area	Wrong Sentence	Better Sentence
singular vs plural form	This cars are noisy.	These cars are noisy.
distance choice	These students over there are late.	Those students over there are late.
uncountable noun	These information are new.	This information is new.
double subject	These they are my notes.	These are my notes.
missing noun	I do not like this.	I do not like this movie.
unclear time reference	That week I feel tired.	That week I felt tired.
overuse of that	That problem here is hard.	This problem here is hard.

Notice how many errors link to number and distance. A quick check during writing can catch both. Ask yourself two questions: am I talking about one thing or more than one? Is this thing near me, near the listener, or far from both? Once you answer, the right form usually appears on its own.

Some learners also avoid demonstrative pronouns and repeat the noun instead. This makes sentences longer than they need to be. Try replacing a repeated noun with this, that, these, or those when the reference is already clear. After two lines about a long report, a sentence such as “That was hard to finish” sounds smoother than repeating “The report was hard to finish.”

Short Practice Plan For Learners

To make this topic part of your natural speech, mix short practice blocks into your week. One simple routine needs ten minutes. First, write two short lists on paper: one with singular nouns, one with plural nouns. Next to each noun, add phrases with this, that, these, and those as appropriate. Then read the lines aloud several times until the pattern feels safe.

Next, bring in real objects. Walk around your room or workplace with a notebook. Write quick notes such as “this table,” “these keys,” “that picture,” “those chairs.” Change your position, then adjust each line. The same table may turn into “that table” once you stand near the door instead of beside it. Repeating this drill trains both your ear and your eyes.

With time, this, that, these and those stop feeling like a strict grammar topic and start feeling like everyday tools. Each one gives your listener a clear signal about number, distance, and attitude. Once you trust these signals, you can place your attention on your message instead of worrying about tiny words in each sentence.