What is the Difference Between This and These?

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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.