For parents of young learners

This, that, these and those for kids

This, that, these and those help us point at things. Children use them all day, so they are perfect for speaking practice. Here is the near-and-far rule, 40 example sentences and a quick practice.

By the Eloqova team · Updated 1 November 2026

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The rule in one line: Near and one is this. Far and one is that. Near and many is these. Far and many is those.

The near and far rule

Word	How many	Near or far	Example
this	one	near	This is my pencil.
that	one	far	That is a bird.
these	many	near	These are my toys.
those	many	far	Those are stars.

10 sentences with "this"

This is my bag.
This is my house.
This apple is red.
This is my best friend.
This book is new.
This is a pen.
This cake is yummy.
This is my hand.
This water is cold.
This is my room.

10 sentences with "that"

That is a tall tree.
That is an aeroplane.
That is my school.
That dog is barking.
That is the moon.
That car is fast.
That is my uncle.
That is a big building.
That kite is high.
That is a cow.

10 sentences with "these"

These are my shoes.
These are my crayons.
These flowers are pretty.
These are my books.
These grapes are sweet.
These are my fingers.
These toys are mine.
These are new socks.
These biscuits are tasty.
These are my notebooks.

10 sentences with "those"

Those are mountains.
Those birds are flying.
Those are stars.
Those children are playing.
Those are big trucks.
Those clouds are dark.
Those are my friends.
Those mangoes look ripe.
Those are tall buildings.
Those cows are eating grass.

Practice: fill in this, that, these or those

Sentence	Answer
___ is my pencil. (near, one)	This
___ are my toys. (near, many)	These
___ is a plane in the sky. (far, one)	That
___ are birds on the tree. (far, many)	Those
___ cake is sweet. (near, one)	This
___ hills are green. (far, many)	Those
___ are my shoes. (near, many)	These
___ boy is my cousin. (far, one)	That

How to practise at home

Play "Point and say": hold one thing and point to another across the room, and make a sentence for each.
On a walk, ask your child to use that and those for things far away.
Put some toys near and some far, then take turns describing them.
Praise correct use more than you correct mistakes.

Questions parents ask

When do we use this and that?

Use this for one thing near you and that for one thing far from you.

When do we use these and those?

Use these for many things near you and those for many things far from you.

What class learns this, that, these and those?

Most schools teach them in UKG or Class 1, often with pictures. Speaking practice at home helps them stick.

More free guides

Want expert help? See our spoken english classes for kids: live 1:1 online classes for UKG to Grade 8.