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Learn how to use this, that, these, and those to point to people, animals, places, objects, and ideas in everyday English.
This is my book. (one thing nearby)
That is your bag. (one thing farther away)
These are my shoes. (multiple things nearby)
Those are beautiful flowers. (multiple things farther away)
Follow these four steps to understand demonstratives and use them confidently in everyday conversations.
Learn what demonstratives are and why we use them.
Understand how distance helps you choose the correct word.
Choose the right demonstrative for one thing or multiple things.
Apply the rules to real-life examples and common situations.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
Imagine you are in a classroom and want to talk about a book on your desk. You might say, “This is my book.” If you want to talk about a book across the room, you might say, “That is my book.”
The words this, that, these, and those are called demonstratives. We use them to identify or point out people, places, objects, animals, and ideas.
One person or thing that is near.
Example: This pen is mine.
One person or thing that is farther away.
Example: That building is tall.
More than one person or thing that is near.
Example: These apples are fresh.
More than one person or thing that is farther away.
Example: Those trees are tall.
This and that refer to one person or thing. These and those refer to more than one. This and these usually indicate nearness, while that and those usually indicate greater distance.
Demonstratives help you make your meaning clear. They allow you to identify exactly which person or thing you are talking about without repeating a long description.
Use demonstratives when talking about objects, people, or places.
Example: Can you pass me that cup?
Identify books, notebooks, classroom objects, and learning materials.
Example: These questions are easy.
Point out products you want to buy or ask about.
Example: How much are those shoes?
Refer clearly to documents, tasks, and items during discussions.
Example: This report needs an update.
Before choosing a demonstrative, ask yourself two questions: Am I talking about one thing or more than one? And is it near or farther away? These questions will help you choose the correct word.
Demonstratives are words we use to point out or identify specific people, animals, places, objects, or ideas. The four main demonstratives in English are this, that, these, and those.
We choose a demonstrative based mainly on two things: whether we are referring to one thing or more than one, and whether it is near or farther away.
| Demonstrative | Number | Usual Distance | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| This | Singular | Near | This is my phone. |
| That | Singular | Farther away | That is your car. |
| These | Plural | Near | These are my books. |
| Those | Plural | Farther away | Those are your bags. |
Before a noun: This book is interesting.
Without a noun: This is interesting.
In the first sentence, “this” identifies the noun “book.” In the second sentence, “this” stands alone and refers to something understood from the situation or conversation.
The easiest way to understand demonstratives is to compare distance and number. Use this table whenever you are unsure which word to choose.
| Word | Use It For | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| This | One thing nearby | This chair is comfortable. | One nearby chair |
| That | One thing farther away | That chair is broken. | One chair farther away |
| These | Multiple things nearby | These chairs are new. | Several nearby chairs |
| Those | Multiple things farther away | Those chairs are old. | Several chairs farther away |
This sandwich is delicious.
You are referring to one sandwich that is nearby.
That mountain is beautiful.
You are referring to one mountain farther away.
These cookies are fresh.
You are referring to several cookies nearby.
Those birds are flying.
You are referring to several birds farther away.
This: one and near. That: one and farther. These: many and near. Those: many and farther.
Important: Distance can be physical or related to the conversation. For example, “That was a great idea” can refer to an idea mentioned earlier, even if no physical distance is involved.
Demonstratives can appear before nouns or stand alone as the subject or object of a sentence. The sentence structure depends on how you use the word.
Structure: Demonstrative + noun
Examples:
Here, each demonstrative comes directly before a noun and helps identify which person or thing is meant.
Structure: Demonstrative + verb
Examples:
When the demonstrative stands alone, it refers to something identified by the context rather than appearing immediately before a noun.
Structure: Demonstrative + be verb + description
Examples:
The description gives more information about the person, thing, or situation being discussed.
Examples:
Demonstratives are commonly used in questions when asking someone to identify a person or thing.
Use a singular verb with this and that when they stand alone. Use a plural verb with these and those.
English has four main demonstratives. Each has a specific role depending on whether the reference is singular or plural and near or farther away.
Use: One person or thing nearby.
Examples:
Use: One person or thing farther away.
Examples:
Use: More than one person or thing nearby.
Examples:
Use: More than one person or thing farther away.
Examples:
Demonstratives are not limited to physical objects. They can also refer to ideas, events, or situations.
Follow these simple rules to choose the correct demonstrative and build grammatically correct sentences.
Use this with a singular countable noun when referring to something nearby.
Correct: This bag is heavy.
Incorrect: These bag is heavy.
Use that with a singular noun when the person or thing is farther away or is identified in the context.
Correct: That building is very tall.
Incorrect: Those building is very tall.
Use these with plural nouns when referring to multiple people or things nearby.
Correct: These books are interesting.
Incorrect: This books are interesting.
Use those with plural nouns when referring to multiple people or things farther away.
Correct: Those children are playing.
Incorrect: That children are playing.
When demonstratives stand alone, remember the correct singular or plural verb form.
You do not always need to place a noun immediately after a demonstrative. The noun or idea can be understood from the context.
Example: Which cookies do you want?
Answer: These, please.
When a demonstrative directly identifies a noun, do not normally place a, an, or the before it.
Correct: This book is mine.
Incorrect: The this book is mine.
Demonstratives can express distance in a conversation or refer to something already mentioned.
Example: That is an interesting point.
Here, that refers to an idea rather than a physically distant object.
Learners sometimes confuse this, that, these, and those. The most common mistakes involve singular and plural nouns, verb agreement, and choosing the correct demonstrative.
❌ Incorrect: This books are interesting.
✅ Correct: These books are interesting.
Why? Use these with plural nouns when referring to multiple things nearby.
❌ Incorrect: These apple is sweet.
✅ Correct: This apple is sweet.
Why? Use this for one nearby person or thing.
❌ Incorrect: Those building is tall.
✅ Correct: That building is tall.
Why? Use that for one thing farther away. Use those for multiple things farther away.
❌ Incorrect: These is my shoes.
✅ Correct: These are my shoes.
Why? When these and those stand alone, they normally take the plural verb are.
❌ Incorrect: The this pen is mine.
✅ Correct: This pen is mine.
Why? A demonstrative directly identifies the noun, so you do not normally put an article before it.
Example: That was a great idea.
Why? Here, that refers to an idea or situation, not necessarily to something physically far away.
| Incorrect | Correct | Remember |
|---|---|---|
| This flowers are pretty. | These flowers are pretty. | Plural + near = these |
| Those car is new. | That car is new. | Singular + farther = that |
| These is my bag. | This is my bag. | Singular + is |
| Those are my book. | Those are my books. | Plural + are |
Use these simple memory tricks to remember which demonstrative belongs in each situation.
Think of one object right beside you.
Example: This phone is mine.
Think of one object farther away.
Example: That house is beautiful.
Think of several objects close to you.
Example: These pens are new.
Think of several objects farther away.
Example: Those trees are tall.
Before choosing a demonstrative, ask yourself:
Question 1: Am I talking about one thing or more than one?
Question 2: Is it near or farther away?
This: singular and near.
That: singular and farther away.
These: plural and near.
Those: plural and farther away.
Say this pattern aloud a few times. Then try making your own sentence with each word.
Use this quick reference to review the four demonstratives and understand when to use each one.
| Word | Number | Distance | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| This | Singular | Near | This is my cup. |
| That | Singular | Farther away | That is my cup. |
| These | Plural | Near | These are my cups. |
| Those | Plural | Farther away | Those are my cups. |
This and that refer to one person or thing.
Example: That dog is friendly.
These and those refer to more than one person or thing.
Example: These dogs are friendly.
This and these usually indicate nearness.
Example: These flowers smell lovely.
That and those usually indicate greater distance.
Example: Those flowers look lovely.
Practice using this, that, these, and those. Read each sentence carefully and choose the word that best fits the context.
1. _____ is my pencil here on the desk.
a) Those b) This c) These
2. _____ houses across the road are beautiful.
a) That b) This c) Those
3. _____ apples in my hand are fresh.
a) These b) That c) This
4. Look at _____ bird on the distant tree.
a) These b) That c) This
5. _____ are my new shoes beside me.
a) Those b) That c) These
1. This books are mine.
2. Those car is expensive.
3. These is my notebook.
4. That flowers are beautiful.
Rewrite each sentence using the correct demonstrative and the correct noun or verb form.
1. _____ is my favorite shirt. (one shirt nearby)
2. _____ mountains look amazing. (multiple mountains far away)
3. _____ are my keys here in my hand. (multiple keys nearby)
4. _____ building across the street is a school. (one building farther away)
Look around your room or classroom and write four sentences:
Try to use real objects around you so you can connect each demonstrative with its meaning.
Imagine you are shopping with a friend. You are holding two shirts, looking at one jacket nearby, and pointing to three bags across the store.
Write one sentence about the shirts, one about the jacket, and one about the bags. Use the appropriate demonstratives.
Test your understanding with the dedicated Demonstratives Quiz. Practice more questions and strengthen your grammar skills.
📝 Take the Demonstratives QuizDemonstratives help us point out or identify people, places, objects, and ideas. The four main demonstratives are this, that, these, and those.
| Demonstrative | Number | Usual Distance | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| This | Singular | Near | This is my pen. |
| That | Singular | Farther away | That is your bag. |
| These | Plural | Near | These are my books. |
| Those | Plural | Farther away | Those are my shoes. |
Keep practicing with everyday objects and conversations. The more you use demonstratives, the easier it becomes to choose the correct word.
Next lesson: Possessives — learn how to show ownership using words such as my, your, his, her, our, and their.
Find simple answers to common questions about using this, that, these, and those correctly in English.
Demonstratives are words used to identify or point out specific people, places, objects, animals, or ideas. The four main demonstratives are this, that, these, and those.
Use this for one person or thing that is usually nearby. Use that for one person or thing that is usually farther away. For example: “This book is mine” and “That book is yours.”
Use these for multiple people or things nearby and those for multiple people or things farther away. For example: “These apples are fresh” and “Those apples are fresh.”
Yes. Demonstratives can come directly before nouns. For example: “This car is new,” “That house is large,” “These books are useful,” and “Those flowers are beautiful.”
Yes. Demonstratives can stand alone when the person or thing is clear from the situation. For example: “What is this?” “That is mine,” and “These are delicious.”
When demonstratives stand alone, use is with this and that, and are with these and those. For example: “This is my pen” and “These are my pens.”
Yes. Demonstratives can refer to ideas, events, or situations, not just physical objects. For example: “That was a great idea” and “This is what I wanted to explain.”
No. When a demonstrative directly identifies a noun, do not normally put an article before it. Say “this book,” not “the this book.”
No. Demonstratives can also express distance in a conversation or refer to something already mentioned. For example: “That is an interesting point.”
Remember this simple pattern: this means one and near; that means one and farther; these means many and near; and those means many and farther.
Keep this lesson handy for revision. Review the four demonstratives, their usage rules, example sentences, common mistakes, and practice activities whenever you need a quick refresher.
Review this, that, these, and those with beginner-friendly explanations, examples, grammar rules, and practice activities.
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