This/That, These/Those

During communication, there will be moments when we want to make reference to an object or objects in our environment. In these moments, you can make use of “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those” to convey your message.

The difference between “this” and “these” is that the former is singular and the latter is plural. However, there are also similarities between the two words because they describe things close to us. On the other hand, the difference between “that” and “those” is also that the former is singular and the latter is plural. The similarities between them are that they discuss things that are far away from us.

Here are some examples:

• This art is beautiful.
• That dog is barking.
• That park is beautiful.
• These roses are for you, Anne.
• These movies are interesting.
• Those couples are kind.

Negative sentences and questions can also be formulated using “this/that” and “these/those.”

• Is this book for you?
• Do you know that boy?
• These movies are not interesting.
• Those boys aren’t tough.\