This, that, these and those
Point to things near and far with this, that, these and those.
In this lesson you will
- Use this/these for things near you
- Use that/those for things far from you
- Use them in questions and when shopping
Learn
This (singular) and these (plural) = near you: this book (in my hand), these shoes (I’m wearing them).
That (singular) and those (plural) = not near you: that building (over there), those people (across the street).
They can go before a noun (this phone) or alone (This is my phone. · What’s that?).
Useful phrases: This is my friend, Ali (introducing) · Who’s that? · How much are these? (shopping) · That’s great! (reacting to news).
Match the verb: This is* … / These are …* · That is* … / Those are …*
| Near | Far | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | this | that |
| Plural | these | those |
Examples
- This coffee is hot.
- These are my keys.
- Who’s that man?
- Look at those mountains!
- How much are these apples?
Vocabulary
near
a short distance away
“The station is near here.”
far
a long distance away
over there
in that place (not here)
“My car is over there.”
key
you open a door with it
mountain
a very high hill
building
a house, office or other structure
In real life
At a market stall.
Audio isn’t available in this browser — read the transcript instead.
Customer: Excuse me, how much are these tomatoes?
Seller: They’re two euros a kilo.
Customer: And those peppers over there?
Seller: Those are three euros.
Customer: OK, a kilo of these tomatoes, please.
Practice
(In your hand) ___ is my phone.
Speaking
Pretend you’re shopping. Ask about prices using this/these and that/those, near and far.
Model answer
How much is this bag? And how much are those sunglasses over there?
Writing
Write a short dialogue in a clothes shop with at least four sentences using this, that, these or those.
Lesson quiz
___ are my parents. (in a photo you’re holding)
Review
Key points
- this/these = near; that/those = far.
- this/that + singular; these/those + plural.
- This is … / These are … / That is … / Those are …
What you learned
- ✓ I can point to things near and far.
- ✓ I can ask about prices of things.
- ✓ I can introduce people with this.
Grammar reference: This, that, these, those