Pronouns are an important part of English vocabulary. They save us from repeating a name multiple times. They are alternative to nouns, which can be used in the exchange of the noun. For this reason, correct applications of the pronoun make the sentence acceptable.
However, incorrect use of the pronouns can also create confusion. The words “This” and “These” may sound similar, but they have a different meaning to them. These two words are used to portray the quantity of the object.
With the proper use of these two words, it is possible to give a glance at the contents that are available in the sentence. It can be easily expressed whether it is a single, multiple, or uncountable numbers of objects.
This vs These
The main difference between This and These is that This is used with singular nouns or uncountable nouns for referring something that is near to a particular time or space. These is used with plural nouns for showcasing something that is there in the present time or space, or near past or near present.
“This” and “These” are considered demonstrative pronouns, which are used to point to any particular object. They replace the noun for ease of conversation.
Comparison Table Between This and These (in Tabular Form)
| Parameter of Comparison | This | These |
|---|---|---|
| Number of letters | Four | Five |
| Pronoun | singular pronoun | plural pronoun |
| Pronunciation | Makes “S” sound in the end. | Makes “Z” sound in the end. |
| Rules of use | The word “This” is used to describe a single object, which is located close by.
It can also be applied to those objects, which are not countable. | The word “These” is used to describe multiple objects, which are located close by.
It cannot be applied to those objects, which are not countable. |
| Example | “This book is making rethink my opinion.” | “These two books are making me rethink my opinion.” |
When to Use This?
The word “This” is a four-letter word and considered as a singular pronoun. According to English grammar rule, it is strictly exercised to depict a singular noun, which is countable. At the time of use, it required to determine that the number of the object doesn’t exceed more than one.
This countable noun can be any physical object like car, house, animal, book, toy, etc. Consider these following sentences to understand the application of the word “This”.
- “This car is brand new.”
- “This house is beautiful.”
- “This dog is very obedient.”
- “This book is making rethink my opinion.”
- “This toy is broken.”
Here the word “This” refers to a single object. At the time of application, the user must know the position of the object, which must be nearby to the user.
The word “This” can also be used for non-physical objects, which are non-countable. However, these objects must not have any plural form like, time, emotion, water, tea, rice, etc. Here are some examples of the word “this” with non-plural objects.
- “This tea is flavorful”
- “This type of hate is not good.”
- “This water is cold.”
- “This tea is quite refreshing.”
- “This rice is overcooked.”
As an introductory word “This” can be used in a sentence. As an example consider these following sentences.
- “This is my wife Jaclyn.”
- “This is my car.”
At the time of pronunciation, the word “This” makes “S” sound.
When to Use These?
The word “These” is a five-letter word and considered as a plural pronoun. In an English sentence, this word is exercised to depict plural nouns, which are multiple and countable. At the time of application, it is required to determine that the objects must be more than one and under the countable limit.
As a plural noun, the word “These” can be used where the objects are multiple like cars, houses, animals, books, toys, etc. Consider these following sentences to understand the application of the word “These”.
- “These two cars are brand new.”
- “These three houses are beautiful.”
- “These four dogs are very obedient.”
- “These two books are making me rethink my opinion.”
- “These three toys are broken.”
In these sentences, the word “These” refers to multiple objects. At the time of application, the objects must be close to the user. However, the word “These” cannot be used for uncountable objects like water, tea, rice, etc.
The word “These” can also be used to introduce anything. As an example consider these following sentences.
- “These are my college mates, Dave and Lind.”
- “These are the special crockery that we use on special occasions.”
At the time of pronunciation, the word “These” makes the “Z” sound.
Main Differences Between This and These
- The first difference between “This” and “These” is the number of letters. The word “This” contains four letters and the word “These” contains five letters.
- As a pronoun, the word “This” is a singular pronoun. But the word “These” is a plural pronoun.
- At the time of pronunciation, these two words make two different sounds. The word “This” makes an “S” sound in the end. Where the word “These” makes a “Z” sound in the end.
- The word “This” can be used to portray any single object. But the word “These” portrays multiple countable objects.
- In a few sentences, the word “This” can be used if the objects are multiple but uncountable like water, tea, rice, etc. However, the word “These” cannot be used for these types of uncountable multiple objects.
- As an example, in the sentence “This house is beautiful.” The user is referring to one house. Where in the sentence “These three houses are beautiful.” The user is referring to multiple houses.
Conclusion
The English language is very beautiful and vivid. However, it has strict grammar rules for sentence making. This rule decides the suitability of every word in the sentence. The benefit of using proper grammatical terms is the creation of a uniform base of language. It reduces confusion between the speaker/writer and listener/reader.
With proper use of these pronouns, the noun can be replaced and the quantity of the objects can be depicted. The word “This” and “These” can help the user pointing a defined object without taking its name multiple times. The demonstrative pronouns help the user, not only in pinpoint the object, but it also helps the user depict the quantity of the object.
References
- https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/parts-of-speech/pronouns/types-of-pronouns.html
- https://www.dictionary.com/browse/demonstrative-pronouns