Teach distance and number through four words. “This” and “these” point near the speaker; “that” and “those” point farther away. This, That, These and Those for Kids Learning English helps children name toys, clothes, food, school things, pictures, and people nearby. Children often notice distance and number before choosing the right English word, so short practice works.
What Families Need to Know
English combines two choices: distance and number. “This” means one nearby thing. “That” means one farther-away thing. “These” means two or more nearby things. “Those” means two or more farther-away things.
Children learn by pointing first. A child can lift a pencil and say, “This is my pencil.” Then the child can point across the room and say, “That is your bag.” Body, eyes, and hand support each sentence.
Bilingual and multilingual children may need extra time because a home language may divide distance differently. That is normal. This, That, These and Those for Kids Learning English should begin with real objects, then move toward pictures and short questions.
The Simple Rule
The family rule stays short: near or far, one or more. Ask before speaking: “Is it near me?” and “Is there one or more than one?” Those answers give the word.
The verb changes too. With “this” and “that,” children need “is”: “This is a book.” With “these” and “those,” they need “are”: “These are books.” This, That, These and Those for Kids Learning English becomes easier when children practise the pointing word and verb together.
How to Use This at Home
Start with three minutes. Put one object beside your child and one object farther away. Say, “This is a cup. That is a plate.” Then swap objects and let your child speak.
After one-object practice, add pairs or groups. Put two socks beside your child and two shoes by the door. Say, “These are socks. Those are shoes.” Use ordinary objects because children speak more freely about familiar things.
Use the pattern at the table, in the bedroom, on a walk, or while packing a school bag: “What is this?” “It is a pencil.” “What are those?” “They are stars.” This, That, These and Those for Kids Learning English fits short exchanges, not long explanations.
Examples by Age
For younger learners, use touchable objects and short sentences: “This is my bear.” “That is a ball.” “These are crayons.” “Those are books.” At this stage, accuracy grows through hearing and copying before rule explanation.
For school-age kids, add questions and choices. Ask, “Is this your pencil or that pencil?” “Are these your cards or those cards?” Children can start to explain why they chose a word: “These are near me.”
For older children and teens, use photos, maps, online screens, and short descriptions. A teen can say, “This chart shows the first result, and those bars show last month’s results.” The grammar stays direct, while thinking grows more precise.
Common Mistakes and Gentle Corrections
A frequent mistake uses “this” for everything. A child may say, “This are my shoes” or “This is my shoes.” Correct the full phrase: “These are my shoes.” Then ask your child to repeat it once.
Another mistake mixes “that” and “those.” Children hear the first sound and guess. Use contrast pairs: “That is one chair. Those are three chairs.” Make number visible so grammar has an anchor.
Do not stop every sentence during play. Choose one or two moments, model the correct sentence, and continue. This, That, These and Those for Kids Learning English should build confidence and accuracy.
Practical Activities
Movement practice works. Place four items around the room: one within reach, one far, two nearby, and two far. Ask your child to point and say a sentence for each one. Then let your child place objects and test you.
Photo practice suits children who like screens. Open a family-safe picture, drawing, or book page. Ask, “What is this?” for one foreground object and “What are those?” for a group farther back. Keep it calm and brief.
Practice 1: Choose the Right Word
Fill the gaps with this, that, these, or those: 1. ___ is my pencil in my hand. 2. ___ are my socks on my feet. 3. ___ is the moon in the sky. 4. ___ are birds in the tree. 5. ___ is my chair next to me.
Practice 2: Change One to Many
Say the many form: This is a book. These are books. That is a flower. Those are flowers. This is a toy. These are toys. That is a house. Those are houses.
Practice 3: Ask and Answer
Use real objects. Parent: “What is this?” Child: “This is a spoon.” Parent: “What are those?” Child: “Those are plates.” Then change roles so your child asks the questions.
When to Move from Objects to Speech
First, let your child point. Next, ask for a short sentence. After that, add a question. This order links what children see with what they say.
When your child can use the words with toys and school things, move toward less concrete uses: “This is a good idea.” “That was a funny story.” “These are my reasons.” “Those were the old rules.” Older children need this step because English uses the same words for ideas and objects.
If your child freezes, return to real things for a day or two. Easy examples strengthen the base for later speech.
How LearnLink Tutors Teach This Grammar
In one-to-one lessons, the tutor can see whether the child makes a distance mistake, number mistake, or verb mistake. Those are different teaching problems. A child who says “these is” may understand nearby distance and multiple objects, but still need help with “are.”
LearnLink tutors use pictures, classroom objects, games, and short spoken routines so grammar becomes useful. This, That, These and Those for Kids Learning English is practised inside small, real sentences until the child can use it without a long pause.
For first-time online learners, this structure feels friendly. The tutor can hold up an object near the camera, point to something on the screen, or use pictures with visible groups. The child sees the grammar before explaining it.
- Practice four pointing sentences with your child during a five-minute snack.
- Use two nearby toys and two far toys to compare distance.
- Read one picture book and label five objects on each page.
- Try a quick sorting game with singular and plural classroom items.
- Ask your tutor for one weekly correction focus after each lesson.
When a word has several meanings or pronunciations, Cambridge Dictionary is a useful check before turning it into child-friendly examples.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Easiest Way to Explain This, That, These, and Those to a Child?
Use two ideas: near or far, one or many. Hold one item beside you and say, “This is a pen.” Point to one item farther away and say, “That is a bag.” Then show two or more nearby items: “These are pencils.” Point to two or more far items: “Those are books.” Keep the first lesson physical and visible.
At What Age Should Children Learn This Grammar?
Children can start hearing and copying these words from age 4, especially with toys, food, and classroom objects. School-age kids can explain the rule in simple words after enough examples. Older children and teens can use the same grammar for photos, ideas, charts, and past events. Pace depends on exposure and confidence.
Why Does My Child Say “This Are” or “These Is”?
Your child is mixing the pointing word with the verb. This happens because the child thinks about distance, number, and verb at the same time. Practise fixed pairs: “this is,” “that is,” “these are,” and “those are.” Say the full correct sentence back, then let your child repeat it once.
Should We Correct Every Mistake?
No. During free speaking, correct only mistakes that block meaning or match the day’s grammar focus. If the focus is This, That, These and Those for Kids Learning English, choose one correction: “These are your shoes.” Too many corrections can make a child stop speaking.
Can Multilingual Children Confuse These Words More Often?
Yes, sometimes. A child who speaks two or three languages may have a different distance system in another language, or no exact match for all four English words. This is not a problem. Use objects, gestures, and repeated sentence patterns. Focused practice helps the child separate the English pattern from the home-language pattern.
- Start with real objects before worksheets.
- Practise “this is,” “that is,” “these are,” and “those are” as fixed pairs.
- Try one short activity each day until your child can choose by distance and number.
A short one-to-one lesson can show what level and pace fit your child — book a free English lesson.
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