Demonstratives: this, that, these, those in English

Overview

Demonstratives are words that point to specific things. In English, there are four demonstratives: this, that, these, those. They help you indicate which person, object, or idea you are talking about, based on whether it is near or far, and singular or plural.

At the A1 (Beginner) level, demonstratives are essential for everyday situations like shopping ("I'd like this one"), giving directions ("That building over there"), and identifying things ("These are my friends").

Demonstratives can function as both pronouns (replacing a noun: "This is nice") and adjectives (before a noun: "This book is nice"). The form is the same in both cases.

How It Works

	Near (here)	Far (there)
Singular	this	that
Plural	these	those

As adjectives (before a noun)

• This book is interesting. (one book, near me)
• That car is expensive. (one car, over there)
• These shoes are comfortable. (multiple shoes, near me)
• Those people are friendly. (multiple people, over there)

As pronouns (replacing a noun)

• This is my favorite song.
• That was a great movie.
• These are delicious.
• Those belong to Sarah.

Distance can be physical or abstract

• Physical: This chair (next to me) vs. that chair (across the room)
• Time: This week (current) vs. that day (in the past)
• Conversation: This idea (just mentioned) vs. that idea (mentioned earlier)

On the phone

English speakers use "this" to identify themselves and "that" to ask who the other person is:

• "Hello, this is Maria. Who is that?"

Examples in Context

English	Note
This is my book.	Near, singular -- identifying something
That car is expensive.	Far, singular -- pointing across the street
These shoes are comfortable.	Near, plural -- shoes I am wearing
Those people are friendly.	Far, plural -- people over there
What is this?	Asking about something nearby
Who is that?	Asking about someone at a distance
I like these cookies.	Near, plural -- cookies on my plate
That was fun!	Referring to a past experience
This is a good restaurant.	Current location
Can I try those on?	Referring to items on display (far)

Common Mistakes

Using "this" with plural nouns

• Wrong: This books are mine.
• Right: These books are mine.
• Why: "This" is singular. For plural nouns, use "these" (near) or "those" (far).

Confusing near and far

• Wrong: Can you pass me that pen? (when the pen is right next to the speaker)
• Right: Can you pass me this pen?
• Why: Use "this/these" for things close to you and "that/those" for things farther away. However, this distinction is flexible in casual speech.

Using "that" as a plural

• Wrong: That are my friends over there.
• Right: Those are my friends over there.
• Why: "That" is singular. Use "those" for plural nouns that are far away.

Usage Notes

In everyday conversation, the near/far distinction is sometimes relaxed. People might say "that" even for something nearby, especially when pointing. The important distinction is singular vs. plural.

British and American English use demonstratives identically.

"That" and "those" are also used to refer back to something already mentioned: "She said she was tired. That surprised me." This is a very common pattern in both speech and writing.

In informal English, "this" is often used when telling stories to introduce new elements: "So this guy walks into the room and..." This narrative "this" is very common in spoken English.

Practice Tips

• Point and name: Look around and practice identifying things. "This is my phone. That is the TV. These are my books. Those are the curtains."
• Practice shopping scenarios: Imagine you are in a store. "I like this shirt. How much are those shoes? Can I try these on? That jacket is nice."
• Near vs. far pairs: Describe pairs of similar objects at different distances. "This cup is mine; that cup is yours. These chairs are new; those chairs are old."

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Articles: a/an, the -- articles and demonstratives both specify nouns, but demonstratives are more precise