this / that / these / those & plurals
Demonstratives and plural nouns.
We use demonstrative pronouns and adjectives to point at things. 'This' points to one thing close to you, and 'that' points to one thing far away. When there is more than one thing, we use 'these' for things that are close and 'those' for things that are far away. The rule is simple: 'this' and 'that' go with singular nouns, while 'these' and 'those' go with plural nouns. To make most nouns plural, you add -s (book → books, pen → pens). Nouns ending in -s, -sh, -ch, -x, or -z add -es (box → boxes, watch → watches). Some nouns have irregular plurals that you must learn by heart: man → men, child → children, foot → feet, mouse → mice. You must always match the demonstrative to the noun — if the noun is plural, do not use 'this' or 'that'. For example: 'This book is mine, but those books on the shelf are my sister's.'
Key terms
| Number | Near (here) | Far (over there) |
|---|---|---|
| Singular (1 thing) | this | that |
| Plural (2+ things) | these | those |
Near = close to you. Far = away from you. Match the demonstrative to the number of the noun.
| Noun ending | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| most nouns | add -s | pen → pens, cat → cats, book → books |
| -s, -sh, -ch, -x, -z | add -es | box → boxes, watch → watches |
| other vowel/consonant | add -s (standard) | school → schools, dog → dogs |
If the noun ends in -s, -sh, -ch, -x, or -z, always add -es, not just -s.
| Singular | Plural | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| man | men | Those men are my uncles. |
| child | children | These children are in my class. |
| foot | feet | My two feet are cold. |
| mouse | mice | Those mice are in the kitchen. |
Irregular plurals do NOT follow the -s / -es rule. Learn them by heart.
| Demonstrative | Verb 'to be' | Example |
|---|---|---|
| this | is | This book is mine. |
| that | is | That bag is Sara's. |
| these | are | These pens are new. |
| those | are | Those children are my cousins. |
This / that are singular → use 'is'. These / those are plural → use 'are'.
- 1Step 1: Is the noun singular or plural?: Look at the noun. 'Dog' = singular (one). 'Dogs' = plural (more than one).
- 2Step 2: Is it near or far?: Near (here, in my hand, on my desk) → this / these. Far (over there, across the room) → that / those.
- 3Step 3: Put it together: One dog, far away → That dog. Many dogs, far away → Those dogs. Many dogs, near → These dogs.
- 1Step 1: Check the ending: Does the noun end in -s, -sh, -ch, -x, or -z? If yes → add -es. If no → add -s.
- 2Step 2: Check for irregular plurals: Is the noun man, child, foot, or mouse? Use the special form: men, children, feet, mice.
- 3Step 3: Example: 'Watch' ends in -ch → add -es → watches. 'Man' is irregular → men. 'Pen' → add -s → pens.
Remember: 'this' and 'that' go with singular nouns; 'these' and 'those' go with plural nouns. Example: 'This box' (singular, near), 'Those boxes' (plural, far).
Common mistake: 'Those child is my brother.' — 'Those' is plural but 'child' is singular. Say 'That child is my brother' (singular, far) or 'Those children are my brothers' (plural, far).
Common mistake: adding -s to irregular nouns — 'mans', 'childs', 'foots', 'mouses'. These words do not exist. Always use the correct form: men, children, feet, mice.
Do not add -s to an already irregular plural. 'Children' is already plural — never write 'childrens'. 'Feet' is already plural — never write 'feets' or 'mices'.
Rules
- 1Use 'this' for one thing near you and 'that' for one thing far away.
- 2Use 'these' for two or more things near you and 'those' for two or more things far away.
- 3'This' and 'that' agree with singular nouns; 'these' and 'those' agree with plural nouns.
- 4Most nouns add -s to form the plural (pen → pens); nouns ending in -s/-sh/-ch/-x/-z add -es (box → boxes).
- 5Learn irregular plurals: man → men, child → children, foot → feet, mouse → mice.
Practice
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