ESEN
Blog
This, That, These, Those in English: Which One to Use and When
This and that are singular, these and those are plural. This/these is near, that/those is far.
Written by Bryan López, Profesor de inglés · Updated
This, that, these, and those are used to point something out. This and that are singular, these and those are plural. This and these are used for something near you, that and those for something far away.
The 4 by distance and number
It also works with time, not just space
This/these are used for the present or something close in time: "This year has been great." That/those are used for something distant in time, past or future: "I remember that day." "Those were good times."
Publicidad
Practice this, that, these, those with real audio
Interactive exercises, real pronunciation, and the full lesson taught in English.
A special use on the phone
In English, you identify yourself on the phone with this, not I: "This is Carlos" (not "I am Carlos" when answering). To ask who's on the other end, you use that: "Is that Maria?" It's a special use that doesn't follow the usual near/far logic.
Common mistakes learners make
Some languages have three levels of distance (this, that, and a further "that over there"), but English only has two (this/that). It's common to instinctively look for a "middle option" for something that's neither very close nor very far, but in English you always have to pick one of the two, there's no third option.
Publicidad
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between this, that, these, and those?
This (singular, near), that (singular, far), these (plural, near), those (plural, far). All of them are used to point something out.
When do you use this and when do you use that?
This for something near you (This is my phone), that for something far away (That is your car). Both are singular.
When do you use these and those?
These for several things near you (These are my keys), those for several things far away (Those are your shoes). Both are plural.
Do this, that, these, and those also work with time?
Yes. This/these for the present or something recent ("this year"), that/those for something distant in the past or future ("that day," "those years").
What do this, that, these, and those mean?
They're demonstrative words that point to something specific: "this/that" (singular) and "these/those" (plural), depending on the distance from the speaker.
How do you use this and that on the phone?
To identify yourself, you use this: "This is Carlos." To ask who's speaking, you use that: "Is that Maria?"
Practice this, that, these, those with real audio
Interactive exercises, real pronunciation, and the full lesson taught in English.