The quick answer

Use this and these for something near you, and that and those for something far away. Use this/that for one thing, and these/those for more than one.

The rule

Two things decide the word: how far away it is, and how many there are. Put the two together and there is only one correct choice.

All four words can stand alone as the subject (This is my book) or come before a noun (This book is mine). The meaning does not change; only the sentence pattern does.

Distance is judged from the speaker's own position, not the listener's. If you are holding something, it is always this or these for you, even if it looks far away to someone across the room. Many languages mark distance differently, so learners often need extra practice pointing at real objects before the choice feels automatic.

Form

Examples

• This is my phone.
• That car, over there, is new.
• These shoes are comfortable.
• Those mountains are far away.
• Is this your bag?
• I don't like those colours.

Common mistakes

• ❌ This books are mine. → ✅ These books are mine. A plural noun needs these, not this.
• ❌ Those car is nice. → ✅ That car is nice. A singular noun needs that, not those.
• ❌ I like this shoes here. → ✅ I like these shoes here. Shoes is plural, so it needs these.
• ❌ Is that your book, in your hand? → ✅ Is this your book, in your hand? Something near you needs this, not that.