English Demonstratives: this, that, these, those

In Brief

English uses this and these for people or things understood as near, and that and those for people or things understood as farther away. This and that are singular; these and those are plural.

Number	Near	Farther away
One	this	that
More than one	these	those

Overview

A demonstrative is a pointing word: it identifies the particular person, thing, place, time, or idea that a speaker means. English has four basic demonstratives: this, that, these, and those. You meet them at A1 because they are essential for simple everyday exchanges: choosing food, asking about an object, introducing someone, or referring to something you can see.

The basic choice depends on two questions. First, is the speaker referring to one thing or more than one? Second, does the speaker present it as near or farther away? Physical distance is the easiest starting point, but “near” and “far” can also describe time, attention, or emotional closeness. For example, this week is the week around now, while that day recalls a day at some distance in the past.

These words can appear before a noun (a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea): this book, those people. They can also stand alone when the intended noun is already clear: This is mine; I prefer those. The form does not change for gender, and English does not add an article such as the after a demonstrative.

How It Works

The basic four-way system

Demonstrative	Number	Distance	Before a noun	Standing alone
this	singular	near	this chair	This is comfortable.
that	singular	farther away	that chair	That is comfortable.
these	plural	near	these chairs	These are comfortable.
those	plural	farther away	those chairs	Those are comfortable.

When a demonstrative comes before a noun, traditional grammar may call it a demonstrative adjective. Many modern grammars call it a demonstrative determiner—a word placed before a noun to show which one is meant. When it stands in place of the noun, it is a demonstrative pronoun—a word that replaces a noun phrase. You do not need these labels to choose the correct form; the same near/far and singular/plural rules apply in both positions.

Choosing singular or plural

Use this or that with a singular countable noun:

• this ticket
• that student
• this idea

Use these or those with a plural noun:

• these tickets
• those students
• these ideas

With an uncountable noun (something normally treated as a mass rather than separate units), use singular this or that: this water, that music, this information. To point to separate portions or items, add a countable expression: these bottles of water, those pieces of information.

The verb must agree with the singular or plural form. This is and that is are singular; these are and those are are plural:

• This is my book.
• That car is expensive.
• These shoes are comfortable.
• Those people are friendly.

Choosing near or far

Use this/these for something physically close to the speaker:

• Could you sign this form? (The form is in front of me.)
• These keys are mine. (The keys are here in my hand.)

Use that/those for something farther from the speaker:

• Who lives in that house? (The house is over there.)
• Look at those clouds. (The clouds are in the distance.)

Distance is judged from the speaker’s viewpoint, not by a fixed number of metres. A shop assistant holding a jacket may say this jacket; a customer pointing to the same jacket across the counter may say that jacket. Gesture, eye direction, and shared context often make the intended meaning clear.

Before a noun or on its own

Before a noun, use the pattern:

demonstrative + noun

• this phone
• those red apples

Do not add a, an, or the. The demonstrative already identifies the noun:

• this bag, not this a bag
• those houses, not the those houses

When the noun is obvious, the demonstrative can stand alone:

• “Which mug do you want?” “That one.”
• “Are these your gloves?” “No, those are mine.”

English often adds one after singular this/that and ones after plural these/those when selecting from a group: this one, that one, these ones, those ones. The plural forms with ones are grammatical, but simply these or those is often more natural.

People, introductions, and identification

Demonstratives can refer to people, but their use depends on the situation. In an introduction, English commonly uses singular this:

• This is my colleague, Maya.
• Hello, Sam. This is Alex. (on the phone)

When identifying people at a distance, that and those are normal: Who is that?; Those are my parents by the door. Directly calling a nearby person this person can sound impersonal, so use a name, a pronoun, or an introduction instead.

Examples in Context

The “meaning” column makes the speaker’s intended distance or reference explicit; it is not a separate translation because both the language being learned and the language of explanation are English.

English example	Meaning in context	Note
This is my book.	The book here belongs to me.	Singular, near, standing alone
That car is expensive.	The car over there costs a lot.	Singular, far, before a noun
These shoes are comfortable.	The shoes here feel comfortable.	Plural, near
Those people are friendly.	The people over there are friendly.	Plural, far
Could I try this one, please?	I want to try the nearby item I am indicating.	Singular selection
Are those your bags by the door?	I am asking about the bags over there.	Plural question
This coffee tastes wonderful.	The coffee I am drinking now tastes wonderful.	Uncountable noun
Who is that in the blue coat?	Identify the person at a distance.	Person, standing alone
This is Elena, our new manager.	I am introducing Elena.	Introduction
These are the documents you requested.	Here are the requested documents.	Presenting something
I’ll never forget that summer.	I mean a particular summer in the past.	Distance in time
I’m very busy this week.	I mean the week around now.	Near in time
That sounds like a good plan.	The idea you just expressed seems good.	Referring to a statement
Listen to this: we’ve won the contract.	Pay attention to what I am about to say.	Introducing new information
Those were difficult years.	The years being recalled were difficult.	Past period, plural

Common Mistakes

Using a singular form with a plural noun

• Wrong: this shoes
• Right: these shoes
• Why: Shoes is plural, so it needs plural these or those. Use this shoe for one shoe.

Using a plural form with a singular verb

• Wrong: Those is my keys.
• Right: Those are my keys.
• Why: Those is plural and takes are. The basic pairs are this/that is and these/those are.

Adding an article

• Wrong: that the building / a this problem
• Right: that building / this problem
• Why: A demonstrative already fills the identifying position before the noun. Do not combine it directly with a, an, or the.

Forgetting the plural ending on the noun

• Wrong: these book
• Right: these books
• Why: These signals more than one, so a regular countable noun must also be plural. Irregular plurals still use these/those: these children, those people.

Treating “near” and “far” as rigid measurements

• Less suitable: This mountain over there is beautiful.
• More natural: That mountain over there is beautiful.
• Why: Over there normally presents something as distant, so that matches the viewpoint. Context can change the choice, but the demonstrative and other distance words should usually support the same perspective.

Using “that” to identify yourself on the phone

• Wrong: That is Priya. (said by Priya about herself)
• Right: This is Priya.
• Why: English conventionally uses This is + name for telephone self-identification: Hi, this is Priya from the clinic. Use that to ask about or identify the person at the other end: Is that Leo?

Usage Notes

In informal speech, that is often contracts to that’s: That’s fine; That’s my seat. This is can contract to this’s in rapid speech, but that spelling is uncommon and learners should normally write this is. There are no standard contractions such as these’re or those’re in ordinary edited writing, though the words may run together in fast speech.

Speakers frequently use demonstratives without literally pointing. This can bring something into the current focus: Here’s what happened this morning. That often refers back to something another person has said: “I passed the exam.” “That’s great!” In conversation, that can express either approval or rejection depending on the rest of the sentence and the speaker’s tone: That’s exactly what we need versus I don’t like that.

Demonstratives also help organise time. Common expressions include this morning, this month, and this year for the period containing “now.” That morning, that month, and that year refer to a period already identified in a story or conversation. Be careful with this Saturday: depending on region and context, it may mean the next Saturday or the Saturday in the current week. If the date matters, say this coming Saturday, next Saturday, or give the date.

When referring to people, tone matters. Who’s that? is neutral when the person is not nearby or cannot hear. That woman may sound abrupt if used within her hearing. A more considerate phrase is often the woman by the window, or simply the person’s name.

Beyond the Basics / Advanced Use

You do not need to master these uses at A1, but you will encounter them often as your English develops.

Psychological distance

Near and far can be emotional rather than physical. A speaker may use this to show involvement or immediacy and that to create distance:

• I love this city. The city feels present and personally relevant.
• I’m tired of that attitude. The speaker rejects or distances themself from the attitude.

This is a tendency, not a mechanical rule. Context and tone determine the effect.

Referring forward and backward in a text

This often introduces what comes next: Remember this: always back up your files. That often points back to a complete thought: The server failed again. That caused a long delay. In formal writing, however, an unsupported this can be vague. Instead of This shows the policy failed, a writer may use This result shows that the policy failed, naming exactly what this refers to.

“This” in stories and informal speech

In lively informal storytelling, this can introduce a person or thing as if bringing it close to the listener: So this guy walks into the café and asks for me. This use does not mean the person is physically nearby. It creates immediacy and is more common in conversation than in formal writing.

“That” clauses are different

Not every that is a demonstrative. In I think that she is right, that introduces a clause (a group of words containing a subject and a verb). It does not point to a distant thing and has no plural form. Compare:

• That is surprising. — demonstrative pronoun
• I know that it is true. — clause-linking word

Likewise, relative that in the book that I bought connects book with information about it. These uses belong to later grammar topics.

Fixed expressions

Demonstratives appear in many common expressions:

• That’s it. — It is finished, or that is the correct answer.
• That’s all. — There is nothing more.
• This and that. — Various small things: We talked about this and that.
• at this point — now, or at this stage
• those days — a past period understood from context

Their meanings still grow from pointing, but the “distance” may be abstract.

Practice Tips

1. Use a four-square drill. Put one object and several objects near you, then choose one object and several objects farther away. Say four sentences: This is…, These are…, That is…, and Those are… Change the objects and repeat.
2. Describe a real picture. In a photo, imagine where the speaker is standing. Write six sentences using all four forms, and check both the distance choice and noun number: that child, those trees.
3. Track reference in conversation. When listening to English, pause after this or that and ask what it points to: a visible object, a time, something just said, or something about to be introduced. This develops the broader uses without weakening the beginner rule.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Articles: a/an, the — compare articles with demonstratives and learn why only one normally appears in front of a noun.