What is the Difference Between This and These?

The main difference between "this" and "these" is that "this" is used with singular or uncountable nouns, while "these" refers to plural nouns. Both words are demonstratives, meaning they indicate a specific noun in a sentence. They are often used to refer to things that are near in space and time. Here are some examples:

  • "This" is used with singular or uncountable nouns: "This egg is delicious" or "This music is soothing."
  • "These" is used with plural nouns: "These cookies are delicious" or "These musicians are talented".

In summary, use "this" when referring to a singular or uncountable noun that is near in space and time, and use "these" when referring to multiple instances of a noun or countable nouns that are near in space and time.

Comparative Table: This vs These

The difference between "this" and "these" lies in their number and the way they are used in a sentence. Here is a table summarizing the differences:

Pronoun Number Usage
This Singular Refers to a single item or idea.
These Plural Refers to multiple items or ideas.

Some examples of how to use "this" and "these" in sentences are:

  • This book is very interesting.
  • These books are very interesting.

As you can see from the examples, "this" is used to refer to a single book, while "these" is used to refer to multiple books.