# This vs that, these vs those: near or far, singular or plural?

- Updated: 2026-11-07
- Level: A1

## Quick answer

Ask two questions: **near or far?** and **one or more?** Near and one: **this**. Near and more: **these**. Far and one: **that**. Far and more: **those**. *This book, these books, that car, those cars.*

## Formula

this, these + near: this book, these books
that, those + far: that car, those cars
One: this, that · More: these, those

## Examples

- **This** phone is new.
- **These** bananas are cheap.
- **That** man is my teacher.
- **Those** houses are very old.

## Easy to mix up

- **Near means near the speaker:** what you hold, wear or stand next to is *this* or *these*.
  What is with the listener or further away is *that* or *those*.
- **It works for time too:** *this week* (now), *at that time* (back then).
- **The noun and verb change with it:** *this book is*, *these books are*; *that car is*, *those
  cars are*.
- **They can stand alone:** *This is my room.* *What are those?*

## Common mistakes

| Wrong | Right |
| --- | --- |
| ~~this~~ books | **these** books |
| ~~these~~ book | **this** book |
| ~~Those is~~ my bags. | **Those are** my bags. |

## Practice

- [Practise this, that, these and those (with answers)](https://hienglishquiz.com/grammar/this-that-these-and-those-a1)

## Lesson

- [Demonstratives: This, That, These, Those](https://hienglishquiz.com/grammar-lessons/demonstratives)