Basic English Grammar - THIS, THAT, THESE, THOSE

Hi! My Name is Rebecca and Today´s lesson we´re going to talk about four commonly confuse words in English.

and they´re: This, That, These and Those. All right!

Many students aren't sure exactly how to use them and I hope after this lesson you have

much better understanding exactly how use these words Okay

Now I drew something on the board, I believe that help you to understand. The reason that these words are a little bit confusing is because when you use them

You have to take two factors into account. The fist is ...you have to decide that the thing you're talking about, it´s singular or plural. All right! and other thing

make you sure into account, the thing you're talking about is near or far. So you can decide bases on these two factors, okay.

So let us look at

Is it something near you and It´s only one then you'll say "This Cake". For example. Right! you see the man

The Cake is near him. So he's talking about "This Cake"

I like this cake

in the second example these are still near him but they're several all them so he says: " I like these cakes"

Correct!

Because are more than one

You say these. we say this so because it´s here or near him. All right!

The second is example is something is far away. Now far is relative

Okay! far doesn't have to mean on the other side of the planet

far just to mean whatever you considerer to be far

so near may be here and far may be there

All right! if another way to tell

If you have point do it

then usually considerer far alright

if you point it´s really close then we can say here

So let´s us look at. This one You can see the cake is far away from him.

So he says: "I like that Cake"

Here the Cakes are far away from him. So he says, "I like those cakes". Alright

So again this and these are for things close to you

That and those for things are far away from you. Alright

and this and that for singular items and these and those plural items

okay that's first point

Second point. When we talk about items. they come in a pairs we always have to use the plural form

alright

So you can not say that jeans. You can only say those jeans, those or these. okay. these or those depende of

close to you but it has to be plural version. Many people make a mistake and they say

" I like that jeans" You can say that pair of jeans that's okay

That's singular but you don't use the word pair . then for all of these examples that It´s a point I give you

You need to use the plural form

those jeans, those sunglasses, these shoes,these pyjamas,

I like those earrings

You look nice in those pants

Right! make sure you´re using the plural whenever you use items that come in pairs ..... alright!

other ways make sure you say a pair of jeans

I like that a pair of jeans

I like that a paar of sunglasses

okay

another point, sometimes when students right, they are not sure when they have to use this or that

how you decide. Well one way, we use this/these for things sure are happening now

So for example, if you're in a restaurant you might say to your friend

I like this food. You're saying THIS food because you're eating now

The situation is happening to you right now okay

that you say you leave the restaurant

and you're walking away from the restaurant

and you comment to your friend

I really like that food

Now the situation is over. When things are finished,

You usually say THAT or THOSE okay. So let give another example

Let's see you're in a concert

you might say: "I really like this concert". Alright! this concert is great!

where you're actually there

or when it´s just starting

when is over. You could say "That concert was great!"

Now is finished. Now is over. than you say THAT

Same with these or those

okay

You can say this musics are great or Those musics were great

alright

and the last way , in which we use THIS, THAT, THESE OR THOSE, is when we´re making introductions

it could be on the phone ... When you call somebody you say

Hi this is Rebecca speaking right?

Well I say that not you

You'll say your name or you could introduce someone

right... I like you to meet John

Well you can say something

Like this is my brother John, this is my sister Mary

that's the way we make introductions using this

Now if your relative or friend is far away you can say

That's my friend ...John

That my girlfriend Mary

like that

both kind of introductions

these four points that keeping in mind recording

THIS, THAT, THESE AND THOSE

and I hope you've enjoyed this lesson very much and if you like to using in practice

which I think is well specially because are confusing. Please go our website:

www.engvid.com

you see a quiz. Also many others topics in English. Okay.

Thanks for watching! Good Luck with your English