Grammar · Articles & Determiners
This, That, These & Those
Four small words for near and far. Learn this, that, these and those with the film The Emperor’s New Groove.
Grammar › Articles & Determiners › This, That, These & Those
The rule in one sentenceUse this / these for things near you, and that / those for things far away.
About the film
The Emperor’s New Groove is a film from 2000. This is Kuzco. He is a young emperor. That is Yzma. She is an old woman, and she wants to be emperor. These are Pacha and his family. They live on a hill.
What do these words do?
You use them to point at people and things. They answer two questions. Is it near or far? Is it one, or more than one?
Pacha is on his hill. His house is near. The mountains are far. Look:
Four words. Two for near, two for far:
People say one short form. Learn it:
This is my hill. (near) That is my house. (far)
The word changes. The idea does not: point, then say what the thing is.
You can use these words alone. You can also put them before a thing.
Visual guide
👉 Swipe through Teacher Teddy’s 6-slide illustrated guide to this rule
How to make it
Near this / these
This is my hill.
These aren’t my children.
This isn’t / These aren’tIs this your hill?
Is this / Are these + …?Far that / those
That is my house.
That isn’t Yzma.
That isn’t / Those aren’tAre those the mountains?
Is that / Are those + …?When to use each one
This / these — near you
That / those — far from you
Words that help: near or far?
Some small words tell you which one to use.
Near → this / these
Far → that / those
Common mistakes
❌ This are my children.
✅ These are my children.
“Children” is more than one. More than one → these.
❌ Those is my house.
✅ That is my house.
One house. One → that.
❌ The mountains are far away. These are the mountains.
✅ Those are the mountains.
The mountains are far. Far → those.
❌ Kronk stands next to Yzma. That is Yzma.
✅ This is Yzma.
Yzma is next to Kronk. Near → this.
One more thing
This part is a little harder. You can come back to it later.
“That” for an idea. You can point at an idea, not only a thing. Someone says something. You answer with that.
✅ “Kuzco is a llama now.” “That is a big problem!”
Practice: choose the right word
Eight questions. Choose one word. You get the answer, and why.
1. Pacha is on his hill. “___ is my hill.”
The hill is near Pacha → This.
2. Pacha looks at the mountains far away. “___ are the mountains.”
Far, and more than one → Those.
3. Pacha has two children. “___ are my children.”
Children — more than one → These.
4. Kuzco points at a hill far away. “___ is the hill for my summer house.”
The hill is far → That.
5. Kronk stands next to Yzma. “___ is Yzma.”
Yzma is near, and she is one person → This.
6. Yzma has a cup in her hand. “___ cup is for Kuzco.”
The cup is in her hand. Near, one → This.
7. Kuzco sees two people far away. “___ are Pacha and his wife.”
Far, and more than one → Those.
8. Pacha holds his son’s hat. “___ hat is yours.”
One hat, in his hand → This.
Your turn
Choose one word that is true for you. Then listen to your sentence.
Every word here is correct. Pick the one that is true for you. Say it out loud too!
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