Lesson 5. Things around us
Watch the video closely
This, That, These, and Those
We use these four words to point at things. To choose the right word, ask two questions:
How many? Is it one thing (singular) or more than one (plural)?
How far? Is it close to you or far away?
Here is how it works:
This (one thing, close to you)
The woman says "This is my husband." She uses "this" because she has one husband and he is standing right next to her.
This is a finger.
This is a ring.
That (one thing, far from you)
She says "That is my boyfriend." One person, but standing further away.
That is a hand.
That is a watch.
These (more than one, close to you)
She says "These are my boyfriends." More than one, and they are close.
These are my cats. (next to me)
Those (more than one, far from you)
She says "Those are also my boyfriends." A group, standing far away.
Those are her dogs. (When I say this, the dogs are not close to me.)
Note from Tin: As I said in the video, this is just a funny grammar example. Please do not actually have boyfriends when you have a husband at home.
There is and There are
We use "there is" and "there are" to talk about what exists in a place. You are not pointing directly at something. You are just saying it is there.
There is (one thing)
The woman tells her boyfriends: "Do you want to come over to my house? There is my husband there."
Looking at a picture of Adam and Eve: "There is a serpent."
There are (more than one thing)
The woman tells her husband: "Let's go to the park. There are my boyfriends there."
Looking at a picture of Adam and Eve: "There are two people."
In casual speech, "there is" is often shortened to "there's."
There's a problem.
There's a coffee shop near my house.
For negative sentences, use "there is no" / "there isn't" or "there are no" / "there aren't."
There is no milk. / There isn't any milk.
There are no chairs. / There aren't any chairs.
What is the difference between "this is" and "there is"?
"This is my dog." You are pointing directly at the dog. It is right next to you.
"There is a dog in my garden." You are saying the dog exists in that place. You are not necessarily pointing at it.
This, that, these, those = pointing. There is / there are = describing existence.
Practice
Vocabulary 1: Daily things
These are common objects you use or see every day.
Listening 1: Are you ready to go?
Listen to the conversation between Mark and Sarah. They are getting ready for work.
Notice how they use this, that, these, those, possessive adjectives, and possessive pronouns throughout the conversation to talk about their things.
Script:
Mark: Good morning, Sarah! Are you ready to go?
Sarah: Almost! I am just checking our things. Is this your mobile phone on the table?
Mark: No, that phone is yours. Mine is already in my pocket.
Sarah: Oh, you're right. And these keys? Are they mine or yours?
Mark: Those are yours. My keys are here in my hand.
Sarah: I also need my glasses. I can't see anything!
Mark: Look over there near the mirror. Are those your glasses?
Sarah: Yes, they are! Mark, is this your laptop on the sofa?
Mark: Oh yes. I need it for a meeting today. Thanks for reminding me.
Sarah: Sure. Oh, wait. Do you also need these headphones?
Mark: No, I will use my earphones.
Sarah: Okay. Do you have your ID card and wallet?
Mark: Yes, I have them. Do you have your tablet?
Sarah: Yes, it's in my bag. I think we are ready!
Mark: Don't forget that umbrella by the door. I think it's going to rain today.
Sarah: Right! Is that umbrella mine?
Mark: Yes. The blue one.
Sarah: Okay. Let's go!
Vocabulary 2: Common places
These are places you might find in a city or in the countryside.
Listening 2: Where I live
Listen to Minh talk about where he lives and where he comes from. Notice how he uses "there is" and "there are" to describe what exists in each place.
Script:
Hello! My name is Minh. I live in a big city, but I come from a small village in the countryside.
Life in the city is very busy. I live in a tall apartment building, and next to it, there is a modern office building where I work. In my neighborhood, there are many things to do. There is a large supermarket for my groceries and many small shops. If I want to relax, there is a beautiful park nearby. For travel, there are two train stations and a big bus station, and the airport is only thirty minutes away. When I am hungry, there is always a restaurant, a coffee shop, or a small diner open on my street.
However, my heart is in the countryside. My village is very quiet. Near my old house, there is a long river and a peaceful lake. Behind the village, there are green hills and one very high mountain. It is a very natural place. There is no big hospital or train station there. You have to drive to the next town for those things. But in the summer, it is perfect because there is a beautiful beach nearby where you can see the sea.
I like the city because there are many opportunities, but I love my village because there is so much peace.
Speaking activity: Talk about where you live
Answer these questions out loud. Use "there is" and "there are" in your answers. Write them down first if it helps.
Do you live in a city, a town, or a village?
→ I live in _______.
What is near your home? Is there a park, a supermarket, or a coffee shop?
→ Near my home, there is _______.
What are some things in your neighborhood?
→ In my neighborhood, there are _______.
Is there a hospital or a train station near where you live?
→ Yes, there is a _______ near my home. / No, there is no _______ near my home.
Where do you come from originally? Is it different from where you live now?
→ I come from _______. It is a _______ place.
What is there in the place you come from?
→ There is _______ and there are _______ there.
What is there in your hometown that you cannot find where you live now?
→ In my hometown, there is _______ but here there is no _______.
Is your hometown a busy or a quiet place?
→ My hometown is _______. There are _______ there.
Now use your answers to say 5 to 8 sentences about where you live or where you come from, like Minh did. Say it out loud without reading your notes if you can.
FAQ
1. When do I use "this" and when do I use "that"?
Use "this" for something close to you, something you can touch or almost touch. Use "that" for something further away. The key question is: how far is it from you right now?
2. What is the difference between "these" and "those"?
"These" and "those" are both plural. "These" is for more than one thing close to you. "Those" is for more than one thing far from you. They follow the same close/far rule as "this" and "that."
3. Can I use "this" and "that" for people?
Yes. "This is my husband" and "That is my boyfriend" are both correct. You use them the same way as for objects. Close = this, far = that.
4. What is the difference between "this is" and "there is"?
"This is" points directly at something in front of you or close to you. "There is" describes something that exists somewhere. "This is my dog" means the dog is right here and you are pointing at it. "There is a dog in my garden" means a dog exists in that place, but you are not necessarily pointing at it right now.
5. When do I use "there is" and when do I use "there are"?
Use "there is" for one thing. Use "there are" for more than one thing. The rule is the same as "is" and "are" in general: one thing takes "is," more than one takes "are."
6. Can I say "there's" instead of "there is"?
Yes. "There's" is a contraction of "there is" and is very common in casual speech. "There's a problem" and "There is a problem" mean exactly the same thing. In writing, especially formal writing, use the full form.
7. How do I make "there is" and "there are" negative?
You have two options. Use "there is no" or "there isn't any" for singular. Use "there are no" or "there aren't any" for plural. All four are correct. "There is no milk" and "There isn't any milk" mean the same thing.
8. Can I use "those" and "these" without a noun?
Yes, when the object is already clear from context. Instead of "These are my keys," you can say "These are mine" if both people already know you are talking about keys. This connects back to possessive pronouns from the previous lesson.
9. What is the difference between "mine" and "my"?
"My" is a possessive adjective. It comes before a noun: "my keys," "my phone." "Mine" is a possessive pronoun. It replaces the noun entirely: "Those keys are mine." You saw this in the Mark and Sarah conversation: "that phone is yours" and "mine is already in my pocket."