Difference Between This and These with Examples

What is the difference between this and these? Many times, people mix them up in sentences and conversations. However, as you read on we will be guiding you on how to differentiate them and use them appropriately.

Difference Between This and These

There are different kinds of pronouns which include personal pronouns, interrogative pronouns, indefinite pronouns, possessive pronouns, reciprocal pronouns, relative pronouns, reflexive pronouns, intensive pronouns, and demonstrative pronouns.

Demonstrative pronouns are pronouns used to point to something specific within a sentence. These pronouns can indicate items in space or time, and they can be either singular or plural.

Demonstrative pronouns are usually used to describe animals, places, or things, however, they can be used to describe people when the person is identified.

Typical examples of demonstrative pronouns include these, those, this, that, and such.

‘This’ is used to describe a singular countable noun and ‘these’ is a pronoun used for plural countable nouns.

Countable nouns are simply nouns that can be counted so they have a plural form to represent when the item is more than one. A non-countable noun, on the other hand, has no plural form.

Examples of “This” and “These” Pronoun

1. What does this house remind you of?

2. Is this what you mean?

3. I’ll post these letters on my way home.

4. This was my mother’s car.

5. This is where the movie ended.

6. These were the boys who broke the window.

7. These scissors cut well.

8. These flowers are beautiful, aren’t they?

9. I wonder if she’ll recognize me after all these years.

10. Aren’t these dogs hungry?

Notable Distinctions Between ‘This’ and ‘These’

1. The pronoun ‘this’ is used with singular and uncountable nouns

Example: Try to repeat this routine every morning and evening.

2. The pronoun ‘these’ is used with plural countable nouns

Example: You can drive any one of these cars.

3. The Pronoun ‘this’ is with words describing time and dates

Example:

i. I’ll be coming over to your church this evening.

ii. Johnny sounds pretty sad this afternoon.

iii. Bina will be in Ghana this week.

4. Both “this” and “these” are used to point are things that are physically close to the speaker

Example:

i. Why are you on this shirt?

ii. These aren’t the colors I requested for.

5. Both “this” and “these” are used when referring to things or ideas

Example:

i. Put the periwinkle and red meat on the gas cooker. Heat this over a low flame until it boils properly.

ii. These weren’t our first encounters with the Romans.

6. The pronoun “this” is used when referring to people when we want to identify ourselves or others or to ask about the identity of other speakers

Example:

i. Kingsley, this is my mother, Mrs. Mary.

ii. This is my best friend, Joseph.

7. The pronoun ‘these’ is used while pointing to the object of contention

Example: Do these belong to Joseph Brandon?

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CSN Team