Difference between This & These

This and These

This and these are pronouns commonly used in the English language. “This” is a singular pronoun utilized for a single object, while “these” is a plural pronoun used for multiple objects. Many English language learners may become confused when trying to differentiate between this and these in certain situations. This article will help clarify the distinction between this and these and explain how to properly use these pronouns.

Key Takeaways

• This and these are two of the four pronouns used to refer to objects near us or when they are not far away from us.
• This is a singular pronoun, while these is a plural pronoun.
• Proximity to objects often determines the usage of this and these.

This and these are two of the four pronouns used to refer to objects close by or when they are not far away from us. For example, “this boy” becomes “that boy” when the boy is standing far away from us and we are talking about him. Similarly, “these boxes” become “those boxes” when we are standing far away from them and refer to them when talking with someone else. But why do people confuse between this and these?

If we hold a pencil and refer to it, we say, “this pencil is mine.” However, when we have several pencils in our hand, we must use “these” instead of “this” to indicate that there are multiple pencils. It is important to remember that we use these pronouns for people and objects when they are near us. For example, if you are introducing your friend to someone else, you say, “this is my friend Helen.” But when you have two friends standing next to you, you have to say, “these are my friends Helen and Lily.” Also, you do not use “these” with names like, “these are Helen and Lily.” You have to say, “this is Helen and this is Lily.” When talking on the telephone, you use “this” to introduce yourself: “Hello, this is David, can I talk to Helen?”

Proximity to objects often decides the usage of this and these. When you are close to an object, you refer to it as “this ball” or “this wall.” If there are many chairs and you want to place one over the others, you say, “place this chair over these chairs.”

Examples:

• This book is the best among all these books.
• I will use this paint to apply on all these walls.
• This is my mother.
• These are my parents.
• I do not like the design of this shoe.
• These shoes are too big for me.

Difference Between This and These

• ‘This’ and ‘these’ are pronouns that stand for people and objects, especially when they are close to the speaker.
• ‘This’ is a singular pronoun, whereas ‘these’ is a plural pronoun.
• You have to use ‘this’ when talking about a single object that is close to you.
• You have to use ‘these’ for individuals or objects that are close to you.

Related posts:

• Difference Between This and It in English Grammar
• Difference Between They and Them in English Grammar
• Difference Between This and That in English Grammar
• Difference Between It and This
• Difference Between Gerund and Infinitive