Fill in the blanks with this or that.
1Look at ............... tree over there. How tall!
Wrong!
Use "that" because the tree is farther away, as shown by "over there".
2Is ............... your pen? I found it lying on the floor.
Wrong!
Use "this" because the speaker is holding or showing the pen nearby.
3Can you help me solve ............... problem?
Wrong!
Use "this" because the problem is the one near the speaker now.
4Can you help me put this chair in ............... corner there?
Wrong!
Use "that" because the corner is farther away, as shown by "there".
5............... woman over there looks like Mrs. Sullivan.
Wrong!
Use "That" because the person is farther away, as shown by "over there".
6Get ............... cat off my shoulder.
Wrong!
Use "this" because the cat is very close to the speaker, on the speaker's shoulder.
7Get ............... cat off the piano.
Wrong!
Use "that" because the cat is away from the speaker, on the piano.
8Is ............... your bike over there?
Wrong!
Use "that" because the bike is farther away, as shown by "over there".
9Is ............... your cap lying here on the table?
Wrong!
Use "this" because the cap is near the speaker, as shown by "here".
10............... was a nice story you told us yesterday.
Wrong!
Use "That" because the story belongs to a past situation, as shown by "yesterday".
11I am not sure, but I think ............... is John's house here on the left.
Wrong!
Use "this" because the house is near the speaker, as shown by "here".
12Is ............... your sister coming down the road?
Wrong!
Use "that" because the sister is farther away, as shown by "down the road".
Answers
- Look at that tree over there. How tall!
- Is this your pen? I found it lying on the floor.
- Can you help me solve this problem?
- Can you help me put this chair in that corner there?
- That woman over there looks like Mrs. Sullivan.
- Get this cat off my shoulder.
- Get that cat off the piano.
- Is that your bike over there?
- Is this your cap lying here on the table?
- That was a nice story you told us yesterday.
- I am not sure, but I think this is John’s house here on the left.
- Is that your sister coming down the road?
Notes
- We use
- that and
- those to talk about people and things which are more distant from the speaker in space or time.
