“This”, “that”, “these” and “those” indicate what we are talking about. They are immediately in front of the referenced noun.
Nearby and 1 person / item
Situation: A tie is worn on me.
I love this tie. “I love this tie.”
Nearby and 2+ people / objects
Situation: I am standing in a store and holding sneakers that I don’t like.
I won’t buy these sneakers. “I won't buy these sneakers.”
Far and 1 person / item
Situation: I am pointing to a funny costume of a man passing by.
Just look at that amazing TMNT suit. - Just look at that (you can translate it as “this”) chic ninja turtle costume.
Far and 2+ people / item
Situation: I'm talking to a friend. A friend is holding a bag of nuts, I point this out.
I am starving. Can you please give me some of those nuts? “I'm terribly hungry.” You can share with me these (in Russian we would not say “those”, therefore we translate so) nuts.
2) Replacement word
With the help of “this”, “that”, “these” and “those” we replace a noun that is not specifically mentioned.
Nearby and 1 person / item
Situation: while eating ice cream.
This is very tasty. - This (ice cream) is very tasty.
Nearby and 2+ people / objects
Situation: You are holding heavy bags.
Can you hold these? I need to buy some coffee. - Can you hold them (literally: these)? I need to buy some coffee.
Far and 1 person / item
Situation: Watching the sunset.
That is beautiful. - This is (literally: that) beautiful.
Far and 2+ people / item
Situation: We ask someone to lower the boxes from the top shelf of the pantry.
Could you take those down? - Could you let them down (literally: those)?
This - That Demonstrative Pronouns and the Difference Between Them
Pronoun this used to indicate an object or person nearby, like “this” in Russian. Pronoun that indicates a subject, a person in the distance, like “that” or “this” in Russian. This in the plural is these, that in the plural is those:
| Singular | Plural | |
|---|---|---|
| Close | This | These |
| Long away | That | Those |
This and that refer to the determinants of a noun, words that clarify the meaning of nouns.
Useful English sites:
I hold the book in my hands, looking at the pictures.
I like this book. - I like this book.
I don’t like these pictures. - I do not like these Pictures.
In a bookstore, I point to books on a shelf:
I like that book. - I like that book.
I don’t like those books. - I do not like those books.
Pronoun that it is far from always appropriate to translate into Russian as “one, that”. More often “this, this.” For example, I'm talking about a book that the interlocutor mentioned in a conversation. There is no book nearby, it is only mentioned.
I like that book. - I like this book.
We introduce ourselves to others and introduce people
We can use “this”, “this”, “these” and “those” as demonstrative pronouns in order to introduce ourselves to another person or introduce people.
Nearby and 1 person / item
Situation: We introduce ourselves by phone.
Susan: “Hi Michael, this is Susan.” - Susan: “Hi Michael, this is Susan.”
Nearby and 2+ people / objects
Situation: Introducing my parents to someone. My parents are standing next to me.
"These are my parents." - "These are my parents."
Far and 1 person / item
Pointing to a person far away.
That looks like Mr Johnson. - It looks like Mr. Johnson.
Far and 2+ people / item
Pointing my dogs to someone. My dogs are far from me.
Those are my dogs - These are my dogs.
This is That as Noun Pronouns
The pronouns this and that can act not as determinants of a noun, but in roles characteristic of the noun itself. For example:
This is what we wanted. “This is what we wanted.”
That was a good show. - It was a good performance.
I don’t like this. - I do not like this.
Can you see that? - You this see?
Time is important
If the action is in the present or near future, we use “This” (single) or “These” (plural). This is due to the fact that the action is close to us in time.
If an action occurs in the past, we use "That" (single) or "Those" (plural).
Examples:
Situation: We are sitting in a great restaurant. We speak while eating (close to us in time)
- This is a lovely evening. - It's a beautiful evening (singular).
- This pasta is delicious.- This pasta is delicious (singular).
- These chairs are very comfortable. - These chairs are very comfortable (plural).
Situation: The next day (far in time), when we talk about food from the previous evening, we use “that” and “those”, because this event is relatively far from the present moment.
- That was a lovely evening. - It was a beautiful evening (singular).
- That pasta was delicious. - That pasta was delicious (singular).
- Those chairs were very comfortable. - Those chairs were very comfortable (plural).
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1. The pronoun Such
The pronoun such means "such," "of this type, kind." If such appears before the noun in the singular, the article “a an” is put between them:
It was such an interesting movie. - It was such an interesting film.
Beer? At such a time? - Beer? At such an hour?
Such a pronoun is often used in surprised exclamations - joyful or not:
Such a wonderful place! - What a wonderful place!
Such a mess! - What a mess!
If such comes before a plural noun, the article is not needed:
I don’t know such people. - I do not know such people.
Why would she ask me such questions? “Why would she ask me such questions?”
2. The pronoun Same
The pronoun same means “same”, “same”. Since the same emphasizes a specific noun, it always has the definite article the.
I have the same jacket. - I have the same jacket.
They had the same idea. “They had the same idea.”
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What are demonstrative pronouns?
Let's start by recalling what a pronoun is.
Pronoun - a word that indicates objects (I, you, he, she, this, that) and signs (mine, yours, her), without naming them. That is, this is the word with which we replace the words in the sentence in order to avoid repetition.
My sister is very smart. She (= my sister) loves to read.
As you can see, in order to avoid repetition, we replaced “my sister” with “she”.
What are demonstrative pronouns?
The demonstrative pronouns we use to point to an object / person or objects / people. Hence the name - indicative.
Let's see how demonstrative pronouns simplify our lives.
For example, you hold a book in your hands and tell your friend: "I read a very interesting book."
Your friend does not say: "Give me an interesting book that you read and hold in your hands."
He simplifies to: "Give me this book. "
Thus, we replace the whole description (an interesting book that you read and hold in your hands) with a demonstrative pronoun (this book).
Today we look at the most commonly used demonstrative pronouns in English:
- this is
- these - these
- that is
- those - those
Let's take a closer look at the use of each of them.
Using the demonstrative pronouns this and these in English
Demonstrative Pronoun - This 
Transfer: this, this, this.
Using: We use this when we say about one subject or person who:
- are next to us
- we hold in our hands
- just been mentioned.
We can also talk about the place in which we are or the event that just happened.
This dictionary is mine.
This dictionary is mine.
This car is good.
This car is good.
Is this seat open?
This place is free?
I like this town.
I like this city.
When we talk about several objects or people, this changes to these.
Demonstrative Pronoun - These 
Using: We use these when we say about several subjects or peoplethat are next to us. That is, we use exactly in the same cases as this, only a few items.
Remember these rules.
Remember these rules.
These books are new.
These books are new.
These apples are taste.
These apples are delicious.
I like these chairs.
I like these chairs.
So, this and these used when we say about something / someone next to usjust mentioned. The only difference between them is that:
- this is used with one item / person (this man, this book)
- these is used with several subjects / people (these men, these books)
Use of the demonstrative pronouns that and those in English
Demonstrative Pronoun - That 
Transfer: that, that, that
Using: We use that when we talk about one subject or a person who is not close to us, but at a distance.
For example, you say: “I liked that restaurant” (you yourself are at home, not in the restaurant).
Close that door.
Close that door.
I want that dress.
I want that dress.
I liked that movie.
I liked that movie.
She bought that bag.
She bought that bag.
If we are talking about several things / objects, then we replace that with those.
Demonstrative Pronoun - Those 
Using: We use those when we talk about several subjects / peoplethat are in the distance.
Those houses are big.
Those houses are big.
Look at those clouds.
Look at those clouds.
I know those girls.
I know those girls.
Give me those gloves.
Give me those gloves.
So, that and those used when we say about something / someone not near us. The only difference between them is that:
- that is used with one subject / person (that man, that book)
- those are used with several subjects / people (those men, those books)
General table of demonstrative pronouns
Let's look at the difference between these demonstrative pronouns again.
And now to the general table of use of these pronouns.
| amount people / objects | Examples |
| something located Next to us | |
| that | something located far from us |
| some |
