A1 · Demonstratives — Lesson

What are demonstratives?

Demonstratives point to people, things, or places. They show distance (near or far) and number (singular or plural).

this

singular, near — this book (here, close to me)

that

singular, far — that book (there, away from me)

these

plural, near — these books (here)

those

plural, far — those books (there)

Near vs far

Distance from the speaker

Near (this/these)

This is my phone.

These are my keys.

Look at this photo!

Far (that/those)

That is your car.

Those are my friends.

Look at those birds!

Singular vs plural

Demonstratives MUST agree with the noun

Singular

this book / that book (one book)

Plural

these books / those books (more than one)

Uncountable

this water · that bread (always singular form)

Be careful! "this" and "these" sound similar but mean different numbers. Listen for the difference: this /ðɪs/ vs these /ðiːz/.

Two uses: adjective vs pronoun

Demonstratives can describe a noun OR replace it

As an adjective (+ noun)

This book is good.

These shoes are new.

As a pronoun (alone)

This is good.

These are new.

Phone, introductions, on the phone

Special uses you'll hear often

Introducing someone

This is my friend Tom. (next to you)

Pointing far

That man over there is my teacher.

On the phone

Hi, this is Maria. That's Paul? (Identifying yourself / asking who's on the other end)

Time

This week / this month (current period). That day / that year (in the past).

Common mistakes

This are my shoes.

→

These are my shoes.

Plural → these

Those book is mine.

→

That book is mine.

Singular → that

I like this peoples.

→

I like these people.

people = already plural → these

Hi, that's Maria speaking.

→

Hi, this is Maria.

Identify yourself on phone → this

Recap

Near singular

this

this book

Far singular

that

that book

Near plural

these

these books

Far plural

those

those books

Practice now →