This, That, These and Those for Kids
Four demonstratives encode number and distance. This, That, These, and Those: A Practical Guide with a Demonstrative Pronouns Quiz for Kids teaches children to choose singular or plural, then judge near or far. A child can point to one nearby book and say, “This is my book,” or point to multiple distant books and say, “Those are our books.” Clear contrasts, examples, and practice make each choice automatic.
What Children Need to Understand First
Teach number first, distance second. This and that identify one person, animal, object, or idea; these and those identify more than one. Next, judge whether the subject sits within reach or farther away.
This, That, These, and Those: A Practical Guide with a Demonstrative Pronouns Quiz for Kids makes both decisions visible. Hold one pencil: “This is a pencil.” Point across the room: “That is a pencil.” Repeat with two pencils: “These are pencils” and “Those are pencils.” Real objects connect each word with number and position.
Distance has no fixed measurement; speakers define viewpoint. A toy across a small table may be “that toy”; a building across the street can be “that building.” Teach speaker viewpoint, not metres.
The Four Choices at a Glance
The chart in This, That, These, and Those: A Practical Guide with a Demonstrative Pronouns Quiz for Kids gives a quick check: “How many?” followed by “Within reach or farther away?”
Add hand signals: keep one hand near the body for this and these; extend an arm for that and those. A child’s other language may divide distance differently, so practise English forms as one four-part set.
How Demonstratives Work in Full Sentences
Examples in This, That, These, and Those: A Practical Guide with a Demonstrative Pronouns Quiz for Kids reveal two jobs. A demonstrative pronoun replaces a noun: “This is heavy” or “Those belong to us.” A demonstrative determiner precedes a noun: “this bag” or “those shoes.” Both obey the number-and-distance rule.
The verb must match the form. Pair is with this and that: “This is cold” and “That is a castle.” Pair are with these and those: “These are clean” and “Those are my grandparents.” Questions move the verb forward: “Is that your coat?” and “Are these your keys?”
Demonstratives can identify time, events, or ideas: “This week” connects the week to the present; “That was a kind choice” points back to an action. Older children may meet “These are the reasons for our decision.” Begin with objects, then introduce abstract uses.
Common Mistakes and Clear Corrections
Children may pair a singular demonstrative with a plural noun: “this books” or “that apples.” Identify noun number first. Plural meaning requires these or those. Repeat the correction: “these books” or “those apples.”
A child may choose the right demonstrative but the wrong verb. “These is new” becomes “These are new”; “That are a kite” becomes “That is a kite.” Practise four chunks: this is, that is, these are, and those are, then add a noun or adjective.
Children may insert an article between a demonstrative and its noun. English uses “this bicycle,” not “this a bicycle.” With a standalone demonstrative, the article follows the verb: “This is a bicycle.” Distinguish these from those by contrasting “these here” with “those there.”
Practice Activities and a Demonstrative Pronouns Quiz
This, That, These, and Those: A Practical Guide with a Demonstrative Pronouns Quiz for Kids progresses from word choice to sentences. Let your child point, answer, and check. In every clue, “within reach” means near the speaker; “far” means away.
Choose the Correct Demonstrative
1. _____ is my sandwich here. (one, within reach)
2. _____ are the boats across the lake. (more than one, far)
3. _____ are your socks beside you. (more than one, within reach)
4. _____ is the moon in the sky. (one, far)
5. _____ is a soft blanket in my hands. (one, within reach)
6. _____ are the red houses on the hill. (more than one, far)
Answers: 1. This; 2. Those; 3. These; 4. That; 5. This; 6. Those.
Ask your child to justify one answer through number and distance: “I chose those because there is more than one boat and the boats are far away.” Their explanation reveals rule use versus guessing.
Fix Each Sentence
1. This are my gloves.
2. Those is a tall tower.
3. These cat is sleeping.
4. That oranges look sweet.
5. This a new notebook.
Answers: 1. These are my gloves. 2. That is a tall tower. 3. This cat is sleeping. 4. Those oranges look sweet. 5. This is a new notebook.
The next quiz distinguishes noun-replacing and noun-preceding demonstratives. Check the word immediately after each demonstrative before choosing a label.
Pronoun or Determiner?
Write pronoun if the demonstrative stands alone. Write determiner if it comes before a noun.
1. Those are too small.
2. This puzzle has 100 pieces.
3. I painted these.
4. That song is familiar.
5. Are these your pencils?
Answers: 1. pronoun; 2. determiner; 3. pronoun; 4. determiner; 5. pronoun.
Ways to Practise in Daily Life
Sort safe household objects: place one spoon beside your child and two across the room. Change number or position after each sentence. Once answers become quick, reverse the task: say “Those are blue,” then ask your child to arrange matching objects.
Use picture books or family photos featuring fixed objects. Point to one foreground detail and ask, “What is this?” Indicate multiple background details and ask, “What are those?” Accept “Those are birds” before requesting a longer description. Check number and distance first.
Across LearnLink lessons, tutors place grammar inside spoken exchanges instead of isolated lists. Families can copy this method: use familiar objects, wait for a complete answer, and correct one feature at a time. Younger children can point and speak; older learners can write questions, answers, and descriptions.
- Point to three nearby toys and name each with this or these.
- Contrast one distant object with two, using that and those.
- Use a picture book to ask five questions about nearby and distant characters.
- Play a four-object sorting game, grouping singular and plural examples.
- Repeat correct sentences aloud; then let your child create three new examples.
For the rule wording, Wikipedia — English Grammar is a useful reference while the practice examples here stay adapted for children.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Easiest Way to Explain This, That, These, and Those?
Ask two questions: “One or more than one?” and “Within reach or farther away?” One nearby item takes this; one distant item takes that. Multiple nearby items take these; distant items take those. Objects plus pointing demonstrate the contrast.
Are This, That, These, and Those Always Pronouns?
No. They work as pronouns when replacing a noun: “Those are mine.” They work as determiners before a noun: “Those shoes are mine.” Certain grammar books call the second job “demonstrative adjectives.” Teach the choice rule before teaching labels.
Why Does My Child Confuse These and Those?
Both words are plural and share the th sound; position marks their difference. Put one group within reach and another across the room. Say “these here” while touching the first and “those there” while pointing to the second. Fade the gesture as accuracy improves.
How Should We Use the Quiz in This Guide?
Use This, That, These, and Those: A Practical Guide with a Demonstrative Pronouns Quiz for Kids in short rounds. Start with word choice, review errors through number and distance, then continue to sentence correction. Ask your child to explain two answers aloud. Each explanation identifies the rule needing practice.
When Should a Child Learn the Difference Between a Pronoun and a Determiner?
Beginners can use these forms before learning labels. Start with “This is…” and “These books are…”. Introduce pronoun and determiner when your child can compare sentences or schoolwork requires those terms. Correct use comes first; labels describe each word’s job.
Practise two decisions in this order:
- Start by identifying one item or several items.
- Decide whether the item or group sits within reach or farther away.
- Say a complete sentence; then check its demonstrative and verb.
If your child needs steady speaking practice, start small — choose a trial lesson.
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