This, that, these and those: how to use them
Short answer: This, that, these and those point to things. Use this (one) and these (many) for things near you. Use that (one) and those (many) for things far from you. Match the verb: this is, that is, these are, those are.
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At a glance
| Near you | Far from you | |
|---|---|---|
| One thing | this (This is my pen.) | that (That is a house.) |
| Many things | these (These are my books.) | those (Those are dogs.) |
In short
- this and that are for one thing. these and those are for many.
- this and these are near. that and those are far.
- this / that + is. these / those + are.
What is the rule for “this, that, these, those”?
The rule
this and these are near. that and those are far.
How it looks
this / that + is + one thing · these / those + are + many things
What it means
this / that = one. these / those = many. near or far shows where.
When to use it
Use them when you point to things.
How it works
- Decide how many things there are: one or more than one.
- Decide where they are: near you or far from you.
- Choose the word: near + one = this, far + one = that, near + many = these, far + many = those.
- Make the verb match: this and that take is. These and those take are.
Examples of “this, that, these, those”
- This is my pen.
One pen, near me: this. - That is a house.
One house, far away: that. - These are my books.
Many books, near me: these. - Those are dogs.
Many dogs, far away: those. - This apple is sweet.
One apple near me: this apple. - That bus goes to the city.
One bus far from me: that bus. - These shoes are new.
Many shoes near me: these shoes. The verb is are. - Those birds are loud.
Many birds far from me: those birds.
Common mistakes with “this, that, these, those”
This are my pens.→ These are my pens.
pens is many, so we need these and are.That are birds.→ Those are birds.
birds is many. Far away and many: those.These is a ruler.→ This is a ruler.
One ruler near me: this and is.This books are old.→ These books are old.
books is plural, so use these.Those is my dog.→ That is my dog.
One dog far away: that and is.
Exceptions: watch out
- That is → That's
That is can become That's: That's a kite.
This or that? These or those?
Near and far can mean distance in space, but also in time or feeling. This is for what is present or close, that is for what is farther or earlier.
| Word | Number | Distance | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| this | one | near | This is my pen. |
| that | one | far | That is a house. |
| these | many | near | These are my books. |
| those | many | far | Those are dogs. |
See also: I am, you are, it is
Check yourself
- Fill the gap: “___ are my shoes.” (near, many)
Show the answer
These Many things near you: these, with are.
- Fill the gap: “___ is a big tree.” (far, one)
Show the answer
That One thing far away: that, with is.
- Which is correct: “Those is a dog” or “That is a dog”?
Show the answer
That is a dog. dog is one thing, so use that and is.
How to practice “this, that, these, those”
The interactive version adds step-by-step help, spoken instructions and a quick check. One rule card, one sound lesson and the first lesson of every stone are free to try; the rest is part of Full Access. See Full Access.
- Practice lesson: this, that, these, those
Questions
Can I use “that” for things I can touch?
Yes. The word shows distance, not whether you can touch the thing. If it is a little far from you, you can say that.
What is the short form of “that is”?
That’s. You write it with an apostrophe: That’s my bag. We do not shorten this is or these are in the same way.
Can this, that, these and those be alone?
Yes. They can stand alone as pronouns (Look at that!) or come before a noun (that car). Both are correct.
More Grammar Foundations rules
- Naming words: nouns: A noun is a naming word. It names a person, an animal, a place or a thing.
- A or An?: Before one thing, say a or an. Choose by the first sound.
- One and many: plural -s: For more than one thing, add -s: one cat, two cats.
- Plurals: -es, -ies and special nouns: Most nouns add -s. Some add -es or -ies, and some change a lot.
- I am, you are, it is: Use am with I, are with you and is with it.
- he, she, it, we, they + is / are: A pronoun takes the place of a name. Use is with he, she and it. Use are with we, you and they.
Used in these writing topics
Part of the 📘 Grammar tool. Level G1: Grammar Foundations. Đọc bằng tiếng Việt.
Written for English learners by the English for Fun team. How we write our lessons · Last updated 2026-11-05.
Reviewed by Chinh Q. Hoang, PhD, founder, English for Fun · 2026-10-30
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