12.

4 This that these those

This, that, these, those.

[00:00:02] In English we need to talk about things that are sometimes close to us and sometimes
far away. Oftentimes when we do that, we replace the noun with a pronoun, or we just put an
adjective before it. For the adjective, that's something like this that or these those. Let's start
with this and these.

[00:00:20] This is the singular form of these. We use both of them to talk about things that are
near us. We can use them with and without a noun. So either acting as more of an adjective or
as a pronoun.

[00:00:34] This is an amazing cup of coffee.

[00:00:36] Here I used this without the noun. When we do, this will be followed by a form of to
be. If I was talking about the plural, I could have saidm these are amazing cups of coffee. Finally.
This is used to draw attention to the cup of coffee, to emphasize how good it is. Or to make it
clear that we're talking about that cup of coffee and not a different one.

[00:01:00] This cup of coffee is amazing.

[00:01:02] Here, I don't put this by itself, and because of that, we reword the sentence and put
the verb and adjective in different positions. Remember that we always have the choice to do
this and the meaning stays the same. In the plural I can say these cups of coffee are amazing.

[00:01:19] These seats. Have a great view of the game.

[00:01:21] So we're at a game and we have great seats, so we can see things clearly. We must be
sitting down or just about to because we use these which tells us we're close. I must also be
with someone because I say these. Talking about my own seat, I would just say this. This seat
has a great view of the game.

[00:01:40] These are seats with a great view of the game.

[00:01:43] Here we have the same meaning but we have separated these from the noun seats.
So now it's acting as more of a pronoun and not an adjective. If we talk about the first seat, it
becomes this is a seat with a great view of the game.

[00:01:58] Introducing people with this and these.

[00:02:00] We can also introduce ourselves and other people using this and these. For ourselves
we use this when introducing ourselves on the phone, in an email or text message, but not in
person.

[00:02:13] Hi, this is John. I'm calling to talk to Lincoln.

[00:02:16] Hey, this is Devonte. I'm writing to see what you're up to. We met last night at the
party.

[00:02:20] But in person we can introduce other people, this is important. When we introduce
people using their names only we use this. Even if there's more than one. For example.

[00:02:31] This is Josh, Leticia and Mark.

[00:02:34] If I introduce people by putting friends or siblings or classmates or whatever, and

then their names, we use these. Like this.

[00:02:42] These are my classmates, Zaira and Steph.

[00:02:45] These are my friends, Mark and Jim.

[00:02:47] But if I just put their names, I say this Zaira and Steph.

[00:02:51] This is Mark and Jim.

[00:02:54] Using this when an unknown person calls you.

[00:02:56] If you get a call from someone, but you don't know who it is. Most often, we will ask,

[00:03:01] Who is this?

[00:03:02] Or to appear more polite, sorry. Who is this?

[00:03:06] Hey, how are you?

[00:03:07] I'm sorry. Who is this? I don't recognize the number.

[00:03:10] That and those.

[00:03:12] That and those are super similar to this and these except, they refer to things farther
away from us. So use this with a pen that you can touch, use that with a pen that you can't
reach or is out of view.

[00:03:26] We also use this and these to refer to more recent events and things that seem closer
to us in even more abstract ways.

[00:03:34] My seat isn't bad, but that seat has a great view of the game.

[00:03:38] So maybe this is the same person as before, and I see a different seat that is much
better than mine. I use that because it's not close to me. In fact, I'll probably use that with any
seat that isn't mine when I'm sitting down. This is my seat. Those are everyone else's seats.

[00:03:56] As with this and these we can always choose to use that and those before the noun
or separated by the verb to be. So I can also say.
[00:04:05] My seat isn't bad, but that seat is the one with the best view.

[00:04:09] Just use whichever is easier for you. There's a minor change in stress and emphasis,
but it really changes just depending on the tone of your voice.

[00:04:17] Those are seats with a great view of the game.

[00:04:20] Just changing our previous example slightly, now, it doesn't sound like our seats are
that great. We're really admiring some other people's seats somewhere else in the stadium. We
know where our seats are but those seats, not these ones where we are, are really amazing.

[00:04:36] Using that in conversation.

[00:04:39] On the phone we use this is to introduce ourselves. If you hear an unknown person in
the background while talking to someone on the phone, or if you have a friend talking on the
phone, but you don't know with who, you can ask.

[00:04:52] Is that so-and-so?

[00:04:53] If you think you know who it is, if you think you know who your friend or who that
person is talking to. If you don't know who your friend is talking to you can just ask.

[00:05:02] Who is it? Or Who are you talking to?

[00:05:04] That with recent events.

[00:05:06] We also use that when talking about things that have just happened.

[00:05:11] Wow, that was amazing. What an amazing performance.

[00:05:15] You're right. That was the best show. I've seen all year.

[00:05:18] Sorry. I forgot to message you last night.

[00:05:21] Oh, don't worry. That's all right.

[00:05:22] We use that's alright a lot. It just means don't worry about it, or no problem.

[00:05:27] Using that with things someone just said.

[00:05:30] We often use that in conversation to refer to what someone just said.

[00:05:34] Are you the one who ordered the soup?

[00:05:36] Yep, that's me.

[00:05:37] Lupe has a new boyfriend.

[00:05:39] Oh, yeah. I didn't know that.

[00:05:40] I won't be home next month. I'm visiting family.

[00:05:43] Oh, that's cool.