These and those are plural pronouns: they refer to or replace plural nouns.
American English considers collective nouns, or nouns that refer to a large group of things that cannot be counted individually (such as milk or data), as singular nouns. Use this or that rather that these or those for collective nouns. For example: “This milk has spilled all over the floor!” British English differs from American English in using collective nouns. British English refers to some collective nouns such as crowd or data as plural, so it is appropriate to use these or those in British English. For example: “These data don’t match the graphs you gave me. "
Singular: This book (a single book) on the shelf next to me belongs to Rajeev. Plural: These books (several books) on the shelf next to me belong to Rajeev. [Note that the verb belong has also been made to agree in number. ] Singular: Look at this bracelet (a single bracelet) on my wrist! Plural: Look at these bracelets (many bracelets) on my wrist! Singular: Who put this cupcake (a single cupcake) in the refrigerator? Plural: Who put these cupcakes (some cupcakes) in the refrigerator?
Singular: That mountain (a mountain) looks really small from here. Plural: Those mountains (several mountains) look really small from here. [Note that the verb look has also been made to agree in number. ] Singular: Could you hand me that box (a box) on the other side of the room? Plural: Could you hand me those boxes (a few boxes) on the other side of the room? Singular: Why hasn’t that scientist (a scientist) at NASA found extraterrestrial life? Plural: Why haven’t those scientists (many scientists) at NASA found extraterrestrial life? [Note that the verb have has also been made to agree in number. ]
I’m holding three chocolate bars. Do you want all of these? (These replaces chocolate bars. ) Would you like to borrow some books? Here, take these. (These replaces books. ) These are so beautiful! Thank you for the flowers. (These replaces flowers. )
These books on the shelf belong to Rajeev. [The books are near the speaker. ] Look at all these bracelets on my wrist! [The bracelets are on the speaker’s wrist, so they’re nearby. ] Who put these cupcakes in the refrigerator? [Presumably, the speaker is close to the cupcakes. ]
These shows I’ve been watching are absolutely extraordinary. [The shows have been watched in the recent past. ] Have you seen these letters to the editor in today’s news? [The letters have been published in today’s newspaper. ] Why don’t you take these books with you when you go? [The books will be taken by the other person in the near future. ]
For example: “These are my classmates, Sean and Adrienne. " However, in English we do not use these to refer directly to people: “These are Sean and Adrienne” is incorrect. Instead, you would say “This is Sean and this is Adrienne. " If introducing yourself, as when answering the phone, use this: “Hello, this is Chang. "
That man over there is holding three chocolate bars. Do you want all of those? (Those replaces chocolate bars. ) Would you like to borrow some books ? Take those over there on the shelf. (Those replaces books. ) Those were so beautiful! Thank you for the flowers you gave me yesterday. (Those replaces flowers. )
Those mountains look really small from here. [The mountains are far away from the speaker. ] Could you hand me those boxes on the other side of the room? [The boxes are on the other side of the room. ] Why haven’t those scientists at NASA found extraterrestrial life? [The speaker may be emphasizing that they don’t feel connected to the NASA scientists. ]
Those shows I watched last week were absolutely extraordinary. [The shows were watched some time ago. ] Did you see those letters to the editor in yesterday’s news? [The letters were published in the past. ] Why do all those politicians fight so much? [The speaker may be emphasizing a feeling of personal distance from the politicians. ]
