When to use this and when to use that. Pronouns, articles, prepositions in English

This and that in English

In English speech and in literary texts the words that and this are often found. There is, of course, a difference between them, but what it is remains a mystery to many.

Today we will look not only at the use of this and that, but also at the correct use of these and those pronouns. The difference between these pairs is quite significant, and once you understand it, you will never again confuse the words that, this, those and these.

This or that: usage rule

This and that are demonstrative pronouns.

This translates as this/this/this.
That's accordingly how that/that/that.

Both pronouns refer to the SAME object (or person), the difference between this and that is that the objects that we refer to with these pronouns are at different distances from the speaker.

This denotes what is nearby, nearby, nearby.
That- something that is located in the distance, remote from the speaker.

For example,
This cat is mine. This cat is mine.
That cat is yours. That cat is yours.

“Cat” is a singular word. Choice this or that depends exactly on WHERE exactly this cat is located. The one that lies near my feet is this cat. The one that is far from me is that cat.

When we talk about the distance of an object, we are talking not only about space (the physical location of the object - far or close to the speaker), but also about time.

For example:
That was awesome! I had a wonderful time!
It was great! I had a wonderful time!

The action took place in the past, the narrator now recalls a pleasant time spent and uses the pronoun that. Please note that we will most likely translate into Russian that as “this”, and not as “that” - due to the stylistic features of the Russian language. For us, the difference between “this” and “that” in this context is insignificant. But it is fundamental for the English language. Consume this in this case it will be an error.

Thus, when talking about distant events (actions in the past), we use the pronoun that.

This and that in live speech

This and that are often confused in dialogues, for example, in a telephone conversation.

If you are introducing yourself in a conversation, use this:
- Hello. This is Mary.

If you are asking a question, clarifying who is speaking to you, use that:
- Is that Julia?

Compare:

Is that George?
- No, this is Mike.

These and those: difference and use

In addition to this and that, you can often find another pair of demonstrative pronouns: these-those. The rule for their use is: if there are many items, not just one, we change this to these, and that to those.

These - these
Those - those

These cats are mine. These cats are mine.
Those cats are yours. Those cats are yours.

As you can see, both pronouns those, these indicate many objects (several cats). What is the difference between them? These and those, as well as the pair this–that, denote objects that are at different distances from the speaker.

These - objects are close (these)
Those - objects are far away (those)

Thus, when choosing a suitable pronoun, we always look at only two aspects:

1. Number of objects/persons (how many - one or many)
2. Their distance from the speaker (here or there)

The this–these pair is used if the object/objects are near the speaker. The pair that–those is used if the object or objects are far from the speaker.

We pronounce it correctly: these or this

You have probably encountered the fact that in live speech it is difficult to hear the difference between these and this. Therefore, they are often confused both in speech and in writing. Both pronouns are pronounced similarly, and in a conversation it is not always possible to catch what was said - these or this. How to pronounce these and this correctly:

This is pronounced briefly, with the s at the end sounding like “s”, dull. But these is pronounced with a long “i” sound (as in Russian “NII”), and at the end it sounds “z”, not “s”.

If you yourself pronounce these pronouns correctly, you will hear the difference between them in someone else’s speech.

How to correctly use this, that, these, those in a sentence

Demonstrative pronouns this/that/these/those can be used with or without a noun. Take a look:

Without a noun:
This is your last chance to see him.
This is your last chance to see him.

With a noun:
This meeting is your last chance to see him.
This meeting is your last chance to see him.

If demonstrative pronouns come at the beginning of a sentence and there is no defining noun after them, then, as a rule, the verb to be follows in singular or plural form:

This is/These are/That is/Those are

This is a cat. - This is a cat.
These are butterflies. - These are butterflies.
That is a train. - This is a train.
Those are cucumbers. - These are cucumbers.

Both this and that serve as the subject here and are translated as “this.”

Demonstrative pronouns without nouns can appear in different parts of a sentence:

Which trousers would you choose, these or those?
Which trousers would you choose, these or those?

What is that?
What's that there?

If a demonstrative pronoun precedes a noun, its function is to point to a specific object:

This cat has drunk our milk. - This cat drank our milk.
In this case, the pronoun this specifies that it was this cat, and not some other, that drank all the milk.

Any of the four demonstrative pronouns can be accompanied by a noun:

This flower smells great. - This flower smells great.
That man is very angry. - That man is very evil.
These tickets cost too much. -These tickets are too expensive.
Those presents are from my friend. - Those gifts are from my friends.

Tricky question “What is this?”

When you ask the question “What is this?”, you may encounter difficulty. After all, uttered in Russian, the question “What is this?” It sounds the same no matter how many objects there are and no matter where they are located. Take a look:

Due to the fact that in Russian the question sounds the same in all four situations, many are confused about how to correctly ask in English: “What is this?”

Focus on the distance of the object and the number of objects. Have you determined? Now choose the appropriate pronoun and the appropriate form of the verb to be.

Demonstrative pronouns and one

Sometimes after demonstrative pronouns you can find the word one. And even ones. What is it?

It happens that in order to preserve the beauty of speech it is necessary to avoid repeating a noun. For example:

This T-shirt is too expensive. That T-shirt is cheaper.
This T-shirt is too expensive. That T-shirt is cheaper.

The repetition of the word “T-shirt” is not justified here. For what? In Russian speech we would rather say: “This T-shirt is too expensive. That one is cheaper.” Everyone understands that “that” = “that T-shirt.”

Something similar happens in English. Just like in Russian, we get rid of the double word T-shirt. But if in Russian we can leave the pronoun “ta” in splendid isolation, then in English we must choose a substitute for the noun. This function is performed by the word one. Take a look:

This T-shirt is too expensive. That one is cheaper.
This T-shirt is too expensive. It's cheaper.

Since we are talking about one subject, we used the singular demonstrative pronoun - that. After the pronouns that/this, the rule requires the use of the word one.

If we are talking about many objects and using the pronouns these and those, then we will use ones.

These glasses are awful! Pass me those ones, please.
These glasses are terrible. Pass those to me, please.

Common Mistake: no need to try to translate one and ones. Neither as “one”, nor as “alone”, nor in any other way. In this case, one/ones is a building block that allows you to correctly construct a sentence in terms of structure; neither one nor ones are translated into Russian in such sentences.

Now you know when to use the demonstrative pronouns this, that, these, those and you can correctly structure your speech. Read other Puzzle English articles and improve your English!

In the first section of the second lesson, the demonstrative pronoun was introduced This as an alternative to the word It:

It is a cat = This is a cat

Let's see how these words differ.

What's happenedit?

It- This personal pronoun , the most adequate Russian translation of which would be: It. From previous lessons we remember that in English nouns have neither masculine nor feminine gender. It cannot be said that a table (table) is He, and a car (car) is She. All these words will belong to one neutral gender - It (it).

This is where the whole sentence comes from:

It is a table - This is a table literally: It is a table
It is a car - This is a car literally: It is a machine

Of course, it doesn’t sound very good in Russian word for word, so it’s better to try to understand these sentences from the point of view of the English language and just forget that words have genders.

What's happenedthis?

This– this is also a pronoun, but this demonstrative pronoun : This . We use it when we point to some object - hence the name “demonstrative pronoun” (For example, we point our finger at the table and say: This is a table)
This is very suitable for constructing sentences like "This is..."

This is a book - This is a book
This is a pencil - This is a pencil

In all these cases the words This And It are equal. You can say this and that.

This is a car = It is a car (This is a car)
It"s a room = This is a room (This is a room)
What is it? = What is this? (What is this?)
Is it a bicycle? = Is this a bicycle?(Is this a bicycle?)
It"s not a flower = This is not a flower(This is not a flower)
It isn't a river = This isn't a river(This is not a river)

This and That

Besides the pronoun This(this), which indicates an object nearby, in English there is another pronoun to indicate a more distant object - That(That).

· >We use the pronoun This (This) when we point to an object located next to us (Here):>

T his is a flower he is nearby
T his is a room she is nearby

· >When the object is a little further from us (There), you need to use the pronoun That. The closest Russian equivalent is To. Although in Russian in a sentence we very often translate the word That with the pronoun This.>

That is a house - This is a house verbatim: That is, house
That is a bike - This is a motorcycle he is located at a somewhat distant distance from us
That is a tree - This is a tree here we also mean that tree, it is located not here, but there

So, if the item is HERE, then we use This, when the item is THERE, then we say That.

Compare:

This is a pen and that is a pencil- This is a pen, and that is a pencil.

Say it in English with the pronoun that:

This is a shirt
This is a flower
This is a glass
This is a newspaper

With the pronoun That we can shorten the verb is and say briefly and concisely: That's.

That is a phone = That"s a phone(This is a phone)
That is a clock = That"s a clock(This is a clock)
That is a shelf = That"s a shelf(This is a shelf)

Say it briefly:

This is the door
This is a computer
This is a mug
This is a mirror

Now we can use That in all kinds of sentences.

What is that? – That is a car.
Is that a car? - Yes, that's a car.
That is not a dog, that is a cat.
Is that a cow? – No, that "s not a cow, that"s a bike
That isn't a boy, that's a girl.
>

Hover your cursor to find out what all these sentences mean.

Note also that if the question contains the pronoun this , then it is not at all necessary to use it when answering. Everything will depend on how close the subject is to you and the interlocutor. So very often you can find such cases:

What is that? – This is a bicycle The bike is further away from the person asking, but closer to the person answering

Is this a cupboard? – Yes, that"s a cupboard
Is that a clock? – Yes, this is a clock

Try to speak in English, imagining that the following objects will be close to the person asking the questions, and far from the answer. And then vice versa:

What is this? - This is a guitar

How demonstrative pronouns are used in spoken English.
Demonstrative pronouns:
this, this, this these - this
that, that, then - that
those - those
this is it
such, such - such
the same (s), the same (same) - the same
That/that. This/these.

1. This (these)index fingers pronouns used:
to indicate an object located close to the speaker.
This old woman is Mr. White's secretary.
This elderly woman is Mr. White's secretary.
to describe situations relating to the future or present time.
We are sorry but Dr. White is out at this moment.
We're sorry, but Dr. White is not available at the moment.
I'm seeing Tom this Sunday.
I'm meeting Tom this Sunday.
in a situation where you introduce people to each other or introduce yourself over the phone.
Kate, this is Liz and these are my friends Bob and Ted.
Katya, this is Lisa, and these are my friends Bob and Ted.

2. Those/that are used:

To indicate an object or person located at a certain distance from the speaker.
Look at those new beautiful buses over there! they are his!
Look at those beautiful new buses over there! They are his!
to describe situations related to the past.
That month spent at the seaside was the best in my life!
That month spent on the sea coast was the best of my life.
when talking on the phone to clarify who you are talking to.
"Hello! This is Lilia Smith. Who is that, please?”
"Hello. My name is Lilia Smith. Who, tell me, am I talking to?

3. these/ this, those/that are used as pronouns and independently without a noun behind it.
Let's have a talk over this. Let's discuss this.
These peaches are riper than those in the basket.
These peaches are riper than the ones in the basket.

4. If the pronouns these /those are used in an interrogative sentence, then in the answers they are replaced by they.
Are these papers yours? Are these your papers?
Yes, they are. Yes.

It
It is also used as a demonstrative pronoun.
It is a candle. This is a candle.

5. When answering special and general questions containing this or that, the pronoun it is used
Is that a butterfly over there? Is that a butterfly over there?
Yes, it is. Yes.
What is this? What is this?
It is a beetle. It's a beetle.
It or There?

How to use It correctly:

1) in sentences with It +be + adjective + to infinitive, highlighting the adjective, or it + be + adjective (+ that)
It is useless to know how it works without manual.
It's useless to know how it works without instructions.
It was coincident (that) Zinaida met her future husband in Paris.
What a coincidence that Zinaida met her future husband in Paris.

2) When we talk about the weather It has been foggy today.
Today it was foggy.
It has been snowing here since 2 o’clock.
It has been snowing since 2 o'clock.

3) When we ask for the exact time -What is the time?
What time is it?
-It is 23.30 sharp.
Exactly twenty three thirty.

4) When we describe places (terrains)
It is always calm and beautiful here at the lake.
Here by the lake it is always quiet and beautiful.

5) When we use phrases like it is becoming/ it is going to...
It is going to be boring at Rubik’s party.
Rubek's party promises to be boring.
It is becoming less and less interesting film to watch on TV. There are less and less interesting movies to watch on TV.

There

Used when there is a combination: there + be (is, are, will be, have/has/had been, was, were):

1) When we say that something exists somewhere (is, exists, is located)
There is wooden old church in my village.
In my village there is an old wooden church.

2) When we indicate the presence of something, someone
I ‘m sure there was some people at the restaurant.
I'm sure there were several people outside the restaurant.

3) When we indicate that something is happening or will happen in the future
There was a wedding here 3 hours ago.
There was a wedding here 3 hours ago.

If there is an enumeration in the sentence, then in the phrases there is / are be consistent in number with the first noun.
There was his aunt, two cousins ​​and Granny at my last birthday party. My birthday party last year was attended by his uncle, two cousins ​​and grandmother.

• What is the difference between pronouns this and it in English.
• Features of use this and it in an English sentence.
• Difference this and it with examples of use.

Anyone learning English using an audio course VoxBook, which is based on fiction without simplifying the text, should be interested in what cases are used this and it, and how they differ in sentences similar to the following:

This is a pen.
It is a pen.

This is a demonstrative pronoun and is translated: this, this, this.
It is a personal pronoun and is translated: he, she, it, his, her, him, her.
In some cases the pronoun it is indicative in nature, and is translated in the same way as this in a word: This.

Let's look at the difference between it and this in English:

In the VoxBook audio course, sentences with the words this and it are often found. The article examines only some of these examples. After studying the audio course, you will be able to translate, correctly pronounce and use this and it, as well as other phrases in any text or conversation.

Interlinear translation of the audio course will greatly speed up the memorization of new words. Competent and correct speech by native speakers who voiced the VoxBook audio course guarantees that you will receive perfect pronunciation.

Thanks to the VoxBook audio course, you will achieve wonderful, outstanding results in learning English, even those that seem impossible to you. All this is due to the fact that you were simply curious, installing the VoxBook audio course on your computer, and having installed the audio course, you were smart enough to understand what it promises you in the future.

Difference between this and it - examples of use.

1. This introduces the concept into conversation It continues the conversation about the previously introduced concept. It replaces the introduced concept and is used to avoid repeating the word.

   This is a road. This is the road. (Introduces the concept into the conversation)
   It is a good road. This is a good road. (continues)
   ....
   Look at this tree. Look at this tree. (Introduces the concept into the conversation)
   It is full of fruit. It is full of fruits. (continues)
   ....
   This is a nice house. This is a good house. (Introduces the concept into the conversation)
   It is neat add clean. He is neat and clean. (continues)
   

   "I will lay down some money for him, from my own purse [I'll shell out some money for him, from my own wallet]"; but her father told her [but her father told her] : "This will not do, for it must be something of his own [this “will not do” = will not do, for it must be something of his own] ."

   (English Fairy Tales - "Whittington And His Cat")

   (First time this, next time it.)

2. Unlike the word it, this can be used as a definition and can appear immediately before a noun.
   For example:
   

   is good. This book is good.
   But..., that is, it cannot be placed immediately before book. While this is possible, compare:

   Is a good thing. This book is good.
   is a good. This is a good book.
   

3. Pronoun it can be used in intensifying sentences as a formal subject, as an intensifying and is usually translated by the words exactly, this, just.
   

   Answer to the question Who's there? when knocking on the door: It's me, Jon! Me. / It's me, John.
   Answer during roll call: It "s me (I) I am. / Here. / Present.
   

   Home came the giant [a giant came home] , and a great big tree in his hand [and a great big tree in his hand], and he took down the sack [and he “took down” = lowered the bag], and began to batter it [and started hitting him]. His wife cried [the wife screamed], " It's me, man[it's me, husband] "; but the dog barked [but the dog barked] and the cat mewed [and the cat meowed] , and he did not know his wife's voice [and he didn't recognize his wife's voice] .

   (English Fairy Tales - "Molly Whuppie")

4. Another significant difference is that the pronoun it used in impersonal sentences as a formal subject that is not translated. For example:
   

   It's five past twelve. The time is five minutes past twelve.
   It is two o'clock. Two hours.
   It's rains. It's raining.
   It is cold. Cold.
   It is warm. Warm.
   It's hot. Hot.
   It's winter. Winter.
   It is spring. Spring.
   It is getting dark. It's getting dark.
   It was interesting to read this article. It was interesting to read this article.
   

Take a look at an example of an impersonal sentence from the VoxBook audio course and its translation. The audio course uses word-by-word translation, so the word It is translated, but placed in quotation marks, which means “translation of the word as it is.” Such a translation must either be omitted, as in the example below, or replaced with a translation after the equal sign, as in the examples above.

One day the rose-tree flowered [one day “rose-tree”= the rose bloomed: one day - once; once upon a time;] . It was spring ["it" was spring] and there among the flowers was a white bird [and there was a white bird among the flowers]; and it sang, and sang [and she sang and sang], and sang like an angel out of heaven [and sang like an angel from heaven]. Away it flew [she flew away]...

(English Fairy Tales - "The Rose Tree")

Conclusions:

1.	This- introduces a new one, and it- a well-known fact in discussion.
2.	This- used if you need to point to a specific object in the field of view or highlight this object against the background of other objects
3.	Pronouns this- indicating a person, object, event or action close in place or close in time.
4.	This- used as a definition and stands before a noun.
5.	Pronoun it- usually refers to an inanimate thing, or is used in relation to a person, thing, idea, taken in the abstract.
6.	It- can be a substitute word for a previously mentioned noun and act as a subject or object.
7.	It- used in impersonal sentences as a formal subject, not translated into Russian.
8.	It- used in intensifying sentences as a subject.

Demonstrative pronouns have separate forms for the singular - this this, this, this,
that mom, that, then- and plural - these these, those me.

Demonstrative pronouns are used both as adjective pronouns and noun pronouns.

1. Demonstrative pronoun-adjective, being a determiner of a noun,
excludes the use of an article before the noun to which it refers.
When the noun to which the demonstrative pronoun refers is preceded by others
definitions, then the demonstrative pronoun, like any determiner, is placed before them:

Don't live in that house. - He lives in that house.

He lives in that white house. - He lives in that white house.

2. Pronouns this And these indicate objects in
close proximity to the interlocutor, while that And those point to
more distant objects:

This pencil is mine. - This pencil is mine. (We are talking about a pencil that the speaker holds in his hand or that is directly in front of his eyes.)

That pencil is yours. - That pencil is yours. (We are talking about a pencil that is not in close proximity to the speaker.)

This young man is my brother. - This young man is my brother. (We are talking about a person standing close to the speaker.)

Do you know that man? - Do you know this person? (We are talking about a person located at some distance from the interlocutor.)

These cigarettes are very good. - These cigarettes are very good. (We are talking about cigarettes that the speaker holds in his hand or that are in close proximity to him.)

I like those flowers. - I like those (these) flowers. (We are talking about flowers that are not in close proximity to the speaker.)

3. Pronoun this with the word country used in relation to the country in which
there is a speaker or author. Therefore, when the combination country this found in
English newspaper, it should be translated England, in an American newspaper - USA, V
message from a correspondent from Holland - Holland etc.:
The exports of coal from this country decreased last year (from an article in an English newspaper). Coal exports from England fell last year.

The exports of coal from this country decreased last year (from an article in an English newspaper). - Coal exports from England decreased last year.

The imports of coal into this country decreased last year (from a report by a correspondent from Holland, published in an English newspaper). - Coal imports to Holland decreased last year.

If we are not talking about the country of residence of the speaker or author, then it is used that country
both with the meaning of that country and this country:

I was in Bulgaria last year. I liked that country very much. - I was in Bulgaria last year. I really liked this country.

4. This in time expressions refers to the moment of conversation or to the current period
time, a that- to a moment or period of time in the past or future:

I am busy at this moment. - I'm busy at the moment.

It is only the beginning of May. - It's only the beginning of May.

You can’t bathe at this time of the year. - You can't swim at this time of year.

My brother will go to the Caucasus this summer. - My brother will go to the Caucasus this summer (this summer).

I spent the summer of 1986 in the south. We had a lot of rain that summer. - I spent the summer of 1986 in the south. This (that) summer was very rainy.

At that moment the door opened and a man entered the room. - At that (that) moment the door opened and a man entered the room.

I am going to call on him at five o’clock. I hope he will come home by that time. - I'm going to see him at five o'clock. I hope he comes home by this time.

In Russian the demonstrative pronoun this (this) often used not only for
indications of nearby objects and to indicate the moment of conversation or the current period
time, but also to indicate more distant objects, objects that are not present,
and to indicate past and future moments or periods of time. Therefore the pronoun this (these)
in English in some cases it corresponds this (these), and in others that (those):

I'll go south this summer. - I shall go to the south this summer.

I usually work in this room. - I usually work in this room.

Do you see the white house at the end of the street? My brother lives in this house. - Do you see the white house at the end of the street? My brother lives in that house.

Yesterday he showed me his new dictionary. He bought this dictionary in Leningrad. - He showed me his new dictionary yesterday. He bought that dictionary in Leningrad.

At that moment I heard a noise in the corridor. - At that moment I heard a noise in the corridor.

Come at 5 o'clock. I'll be home at that time. - Come at five o'clock. I shall be at home at that time.

After pronouns this And that pronoun is often used one to avoid
repetition of the previously mentioned noun:

Will you give me another book? I don't like this one. - Give me another book. I don't like this one.

This book is mine, and that one is yours. - This book is mine, and that one is yours.

1. Demonstrative pronouns-nouns are used in the same way as corresponding
adjective pronouns, namely: this And these are used when talking about objects close to the speaker, a that And those- when it comes to more distant objects:

This is my dictionary and that is yours. - This is my dictionary, otherwise it’s yours.

These are my magazines and those are yours. - These are my magazines, otherwise they are yours.

Have you read this? -Have you read this?

I shall take these. - I'll take these.

2. This often used in relation to subsequent direct speech, and that in relation to
to the previous direct speech:

This is what she said: “I don’t think he is right.” “That’s what she said: “I don’t think he’s right.”

“I don’t think he is right.” - That's what she said.

That used to replace a preceding singular noun, a
those to replace a plural noun when they should
repeat with the definite article. That And those in such cases they are usually translated into
Russian language with the nouns they replace:

The price of tin is higher than that of copper (that = the price). - The price of tin is higher than the price of copper.

At our factory there are a few machines similar to those described in this magazine (those = the machines). - There are several machines in our factory similar to the machines described in this magazine (similar to those described in this magazine).

In the meaning of a demonstrative pronoun, the pronoun is also used it, corresponding
Russian pronoun This:

Who is there? -It is Helen. -Who's there? - This is Elena.

What is this? - It is a dictionary. - What is this? -This is a dictionary.

Demonstrative pronouns also include the pronoun such such, such,
which is used as an adjective pronoun,
and noun pronouns:

These are such interesting books! - These are such interesting books!

Such was the agreement between the two parties. - That was the agreement between both parties.

When such defines a countable noun in the singular, then the noun
used with the indefinite article, which is placed after such:

It is such an interesting book! - This is such an interesting book!