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Meaning of these in English

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these | Intermediate English

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This, these, that, and those

This and these are used to point to something near you. For a singular thing, use this . For a plural thing, use these .

That and those are used to point to something further away. For a singular thing, use that . For a plural thing, use those .

This, these, that, and those are also used to refer to ideas and events. If it is in the present, use this or these . If it was said or it happened in the past, use that or those .

I hope this is helpful.

COMPARE MEANINGS

Words nearby these, how to use these in a sentence.

Quite a part of the game, believe me! these sort of things are only toys for children.

Sir Knight, wouldst know thy lady's name? These pin-pricks tell from whence I came.

Higher still were a dark belt of stunted firs and the sandstone ledge, and above these -home.

They cuddn'-ta-helptit-with-all- these -socean steamers-going-over-there every-day.

If the governor was a Duke of Devonshire, all these -caprices might be pardonable; but my theory is, roast-beef before roses.

British Dictionary definitions for these

Other Idioms and Phrases with these

see one of these days.

Definition of these

plural of this

Dictionary Entries Near these

Cite this entry.

“These.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/these. Accessed 1 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of these, more from merriam-webster on these.

Nglish: Translation of these for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of these for Arabic Speakers

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This vs These: What's the Difference?

Hannah Yang

Speculative Fiction Author

This and these are demonstratives, which means they indicate a specific noun in a sentence. They’re both important words in the English language.

Many people mix up this and these because they both refer to nouns that are near in space and time.

So what exactly is the difference between this vs these ?

The short answer is that this is used with singular or uncountable nouns (e.g. this egg), while these refers to plural nouns (e.g. these cookies).

This article will explain the difference between this vs these and help you remember how to use these words correctly in your writing.

Quick Definition and Meaning of “This”

Quick definition and meaning of “these”, what’s the difference between this and these, conclusion on this vs these.

This refers to a singular noun that is near in time or space, such as a lamp or a desk .

If you say “I know this song,” for example, you’re most likely talking about the song that’s currently playing within earshot.

We also use this for uncountable nouns that we treat as singular, such as water , sugar , or happiness . For example, you might say “ This water tastes funny” to talk about the water you’re currently drinking.

This is often used with words describing time, such as morning , week , and year . When used with these words, this can be used to talk about time in the present or in the near past or near present. For example, you could use the phrase “ this afternoon” to refer to the afternoon of the present day.

It’s also important to remember that when the noun is omitted after this , it becomes a singular pronoun. If you say “I enjoyed eating this ,” the word this refers to whatever singular dish you just ate.

These also refers to nouns that are near in time or space, but it is used for plural countable nouns. The noun that follows these must always be plural.

If you say “I don’t know any of these people,” you’re referring to more than one person, all of whom are near in time or space.

Just like this , these can be used as a plural pronoun if you omit the noun afterwards. If you say “Wow, I like these ,” the word these most likely refers to whatever plural noun you’re referring to in the present moment.

The main difference between this and these is that this is used to refer to singular and uncountable nouns, while these is used to refer to plural countable nouns.

You would say “ this necklace” to refer to a single necklace, and “ these necklaces” to refer to multiple necklaces. It would be incorrect to say “ these necklace” or “ this necklaces.”

Let’s take a look at some more examples of how to use this and these in a sentence.

Examples of These in a Sentence

Here are some examples of these used to refer to a plural countable noun:

Here are some examples of these used as demonstrative pronouns, with the noun omitted:

One of the best ways to learn a word is to see examples from literature in the real world. Here are some examples of these from popular English books:

Examples of This in a Sentence

Here are some examples of this used to refer to a singular noun or uncountable noun:

Here are some examples of this used to talk about time:

Here are some examples of this used as demonstrative pronouns, with the noun omitted:

I like this .

Finally, here are some examples of this from popular English books:

“ This morning I had poison for breakfast.”—Lemony Snicket, Poison for Breakfast

There you have it—a complete guide to this vs these . Here’s a quick recap:

If you’re worried about mixing up this and these , you can always run your work through ProWritingAid, which will show you which one is correct. Our grammar checker will point out confused words and misspellings .

We hope this article helped you learn the difference between these two words!

Hannah is a speculative fiction writer who loves all things strange and surreal. She holds a BA from Yale University and lives in Colorado. When she’s not busy writing, you can find her painting watercolors, playing her ukulele, or hiking in the Rockies. Follow her work on hannahyang.com or on Twitter at @hannahxyang.

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This and these are used in different ways when you are referring to people, things, situations, events, or periods of time. They can both be determiners or pronouns. These is the plural form of this .

You can use this or these to refer to people, things, or events that have just been mentioned.

Don't use 'this' as a pronoun to refer to a person who has just been mentioned. Instead you use he or she .

In conversation, many people use this and these as determiners even when they are mentioning people or things for the first time.

You can use this or these to refer to people or things that are very near to you. For example, if you are holding a book, you refer to it as ' this book'.

'This' is not usually used as a pronoun to refer to a person. You only use it when you are identifying someone or asking them about their identity. For example, you use this when you are introducing someone. Note that when you are introducing more than one person, you use this , not 'these'.

You also use this to say who you are when you phone someone.

You can use this to refer to a situation that exists now or to an event that is happening now.

This is used in the following ways in time expressions:

You use it with morning , afternoon , or evening to refer to the morning, afternoon, or evening of the present day.

However, don't say 'this day'. You say today .

Also, don't say 'this night'. You refer to the previous night as last night . You refer to the night of the present day as tonight .

This week , month , or year means the present week, month, or year.

You usually use this with weekend or with the name of a day, month, or season to refer to the next weekend or to the next day, month, or season with that name.

However, you can also use this with one of these words to refer to the previous weekend, or the previous day, month, or season with that name.

These days means 'at the present time'.

That and those are used in some similar ways to this and these .

There vs. Their vs. They’re: What’s the Difference?

Cite and sight . Flower and flour . Hole and whole . When spoken aloud, these pairs of words sound exactly alike, but they are in fact spelled differently and mean different things, making them homonyms .

Meaning “same sounds” in Latin, homonyms can be tricky to identify and puzzling, especially to new students or English language learners. There’s one group of homonyms in particular that stands out for being among the most misused and commonly misspelled words : there , their , and they’re .

If you have a personal list of grammar pet peeves, these words are probably on it, as they’re commonly considered one of the most annoying and frequent linguistic blunders.

Luckily, we’re here to provide a comprehensive resource on the differences between there , their , and they’re so you never mix them up again!

Give your writing extra polish Grammarly helps you communicate confidently Write with Grammarly

What does there mean?

The simplest definition of there is “in or at that place.” It is usually used as an adverb of place, meaning it expresses where an action is taking place. This is the main quality that sets there apart from the other words in its homonymic trio.

There is often used to denote a specific location:

We will meet there after work and head to the concert together.

The word there can be used to pinpoint locations in the more abstract sense as well.

As my oldest friend, you have been there for me through thick and thin.

Besides its use as an adverb, there can also be used as a pronoun to introduce a clause or sentence. This makes it slightly more complex than their and they’re , as it can be used as two different parts of speech.

There is a chance of rain this afternoon.

What does their mean?

The word their is the possessive form of the pronoun they. Often followed by a noun, their indicates ownership and describes something owned by one or more persons.

The simplest way to remember what’s unique about their is that it denotes possession or ownership. This means that it is most commonly used as a third-person pronoun, describing a noun that is owned by several people.

While Martha and Vinny were on vacation, we dog-sat their two poodles.

Although their is generally used in a plural form, it is also used as a gender-neutral personal pronoun in place of his or her .

Someone left their purse on the subway.

What does they’re mean?

Last but not least, they’re is a contraction that means “they are.” This makes it a little easier to distinguish from its fellow homonyms, as you can always check if it’s the right word by stretching out the contraction into its full form and asking whether it still makes sense.

If you can substitute they are without changing the meaning of the sentence, they’re will also work.

Did you hear they’re both retiring after this school year?

Just like the contractions of you are into you’re and we are into we’re , they’re is a mash-up of two words. It’s important to mention that contractions are frowned upon in academic or formal writing and are more typical in informal communications, like texts or personal notes.

They’re two of my favorite books.

Tricks to remember the difference

If you’re still struggling to remember the main differences between there , their , and they’re , here’s a trick to remember which is which. All you have to do is look at how each is spelled and what other words you can find within them. For example:

There , their , and they’re examples

Another great way to distinguish there , their , and they’re is to look over the following examples, which use all three words in a similar context while emphasizing their distinct meanings:

There isn’t enough time. Their group doesn’t have enough time. They’re running out of time.

There is a problem with the car. Their car has a problem. They’re having a problem with the car.

In both of these examples, you can clearly see the different usages and how one word reflects location, one denotes possession, and one is a contraction.

There , their , and they’re FAQs

What are the meanings of there , their , and they’re .

As homonyms, the words there, their , and they’re are all pronounced exactly the same but have different and distinct meanings. There means “at that place” and is used to talk about a specific location. Their indicates ownership and is the possessive form of they . Finally, they’re means they are and is a contraction similar to you’re for you are .

When should you use there , their , and they’re ?

If you are introducing a sentence or talking about a certain location, the correct word is there . If you are describing a noun that is owned by someone, the correct word is their , which is the third-person possessive form of they . Lastly, if you want to make the two words they and are into one contraction, they’re is a simpler, shorter version.

Example of there , their , and they’re

IMAGES

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COMMENTS

Meaning of these in English
This, that, these and those are demonstratives. We use this, that, these and those to point to people and things. This and that are singular.
These definition and meaning
referring to people or things previously mentioned You use these to talk about someone or something that you have already mentioned. These people need more
This, these, that, and those
This and these are used to point to something near you. For a singular thing, use this. For a plural thing, use these. Examples: I like this phone a lot.
These Definition & Meaning
The definition of These is plural of this. See additional meanings and similar words.
These Definition & Meaning
The meaning of THESE is plural of this.
These: Definition and Meaning
“These” is the plural noun form of the word “this.” It's a determiner or pronoun that we use to point to a specific group of people or things.
This vs These: What's the Difference?
This and these are demonstratives, which means they indicate a specific noun in a sentence. They're both important words in the English
These
This and these are used in different ways when you are referring to people, things, situations, events, or periods of time. They can both be determiners or
Difference between the pronouns This, That, These and Those
... pronouns This, That, These and Those – English Grammar lessonTake the quiz : http://www.learnex.in/using-the-pronouns-this-that-these-.
There vs. Their vs. They're: What's the Difference
Meaning “same sounds” in Latin, homonyms can be tricky to identify and puzzling, especially to new students or English language learners.