This or It? 👉

Both this and it are pronouns, but we use them in different situations. This introduces something new. It refers back to something already known. Getting this right will make your English sound much more natural! 🎯

1. Quick Reference Table 📋

Word	Use it for	Example
this	Pointing to something near you (new information)	This is my phone. (showing it to you)
this	Introducing a person	This is my friend, Maria.
it	Referring back to something already mentioned	I bought a new phone. It is very fast.
it	Weather, time, distance, date	It is raining. / It is 3 o'clock.

2. This: Pointing to Something Near You 👈

Use this when you are showing or pointing to something close to you for the first time:

• This is my new car. (showing it to someone) ✅
• Look at this photo! It is incredible. ✅
• I love this song. What is it called? ✅
• This coffee is delicious. Where did you buy it? ✅

3. This: Introducing People 🤝

Use this is to introduce someone to another person, or to say who you are on the phone:

• This is my colleague, David. ✅
• Hello, this is Anna speaking. (on the phone) ✅
• This is my sister, Sofia. She lives in Berlin. ✅

4. It: Referring Back to Something Already Mentioned 🔁

Once you have mentioned something, use it to refer back to it. Do not use this again:

• I bought a book yesterday. It is really good. ✅ (it = the book)
• I have a dog. It is called Max. ✅ (it = the dog)
• She sent me a message. It was very funny. ✅ (it = the message)

5. The Classic Pattern: This Introduces, It Continues 🔄

First mention: use this	Second mention: use it
This is my new jacket.	I bought it last week.
This cat is very cute.	It is sleeping on my bed right now.
Look at this restaurant.	It has amazing reviews.

6. Common Mistakes ⚠️

✅ Correct	❌ Wrong
I have a cat. It is very playful.	I have a cat. This is very playful. (already mentioned, use it)
This is my friend, Tom.	It is my friend, Tom. (introducing a person, use this)
It is raining today.	This is raining today. (weather always uses it)

Ready to practice? Let's go! 🚀