This, That, These and Those: How to Point at Things in English

English has four pointing words: this, that, these and those. You use them to show which thing you mean. They answer the question "which one?" without a name: this man, that thing, these times, those ways.

The good news: the whole system is one small table. You only need to answer two questions.

Question one: near or far?

Is the thing near you, or far from you?

: use this or these. This thing is the thing in your hand.
: use that or those. That man is the man over there.

"Near" and "far" also work for time. This week means the week you are in now. That day means a day away from now, usually in the past. Those times means times that are over.

That has one more use. It points back at something you both know about. If someone tells you a thing, you can say: that is good. The thing is not in the room, but it is "there" in the talk.

Question two: one or many?

Is it one thing, or more than one?

: use this or that. This man. That way.
: use these or those. These men. Those ways.

The noun and the pointing word must match. Things is plural, so it takes these or those, never this or that. This is the mistake learners make most: this things is always wrong.

The table

Put the two questions together and you get all four words:

	One	Many

Read it out loud: this thing, these things, that thing, those things. Say it a few times. The pattern is small enough to learn as a sound, not a rule.

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:

I like this. (the thing here)
Who is that? (the person there)
These are for you. (the things here)
Those were good times. (the times back then)

The word does not change. Only the noun goes away.

How to practise

Do the three drills below. The first gives you the cue in brackets. The second tests one against many. The third puts the words into real sentences, where the words around the gap tell you near or far. When you can do all three fast, the choice is a reflex - and that is the goal.

Practise: test yourself

Pick the right one

0/8

Read the cue in brackets. Here or there? One or many? Then pick the right word.

thing (here, one)
man (there, one)
things (here, many)
men (there, many)
way (here, one)
time (there, one)
ways (there, many)
times (here, many)

Pick the right one

0/8

One or many? Look at the noun and pick the form that matches its number.

man
things
way
times
men
thing
ways
time

Pick the right one

0/8

Now full sentences. The words around the gap tell you near or far, one or many.

I want thing here, not that one.
Can you see man there?
You can have things here.
Look at men there.
Come here - you need to see thing.
We had good times. I think about times.
Take things here with you when you go.
I will do it right time.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between this and that?

Distance. This points at a thing near you: this thing in my hand. That points at a thing far from you: that man over there. That also points back at something you both know about, like a thing someone just said.

When do I use these and those?

When you point at more than one thing. These is the plural of this, for things near you: these things here. Those is the plural of that, for things far from you: those men over there. If the noun is plural, the pointing word must be plural too.

Can I use this and that for time?

Yes. Near in time works like near in space. This week and this time mean now or very soon. That day and those times mean a day or a time away from now, usually in the past.

Is it this things or these things?

It is these things. Things is plural, so the pointing word must be plural too. This and that go with one thing only: this thing, that thing. These and those go with many: these things, those things.