Ch 1 · Lesson 23English · Chapter 1 · Lesson 23 · Grammar primer
This is Tom: this and that on their own
Who is that? I like this. The pointing words with no noun, this for introductions and on the phone, and why it is never the this.
The short version
This is Tom: this introduces people
Ana, Tom.
Why?Hide
English uses this to introduce someone who is with you, and to say who you are on the phone. The pointing words can also stand alone, with no noun after them: Who is that? I like this. Never put the in front of them: this does the job of the already.
With a noun or alone
The four words can stand in front of a noun (this way, those men), or stand alone when you both know what you mean. The word does not change. Only the noun goes away.
.(the thing here)?(the person there).(the things here).(the times back then)
You can also use one in place of a singular noun: , . This is useful in a shop. For one and
ones, see ellipsis and substitution.
Introductions and the phone
English uses this to introduce people, and to say who you are on the phone.
| When | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Sam | This is my friend Sam. |
| : Anna | Hello, this is Anna. |
| , | Is that Tom? |
| , American | Is this Tom? |
This or the?
This and that do the job of the, and they point too. The book is a book we both know about. This book is a book we both know about, and it is here, near me. Never use both together: the this book is wrong. For a, an and the, see articles in English.
Going further: The chart: this, that, these, those and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
Practice
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7-question session
One question at a time, mixed across the exercises in this lesson. Miss one and it comes back round before the end.
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Lesson 23 of 42 in this chapter