This book, that bag: この・その・あの

What it means

この, その and あの are the pointing words that sit before a noun. この本 is "this book". その傘 is "that umbrella, near you". あの人 is "that person over there". どの asks "which": どの本ですか, "Which book?"

The rule is short. これ stands alone. この needs a noun. So you say これは本です (This is a book) and この本は私のです (This book is mine). これ本 and この は are both wrong.

その often points back to something just mentioned. 昨日、本を買いました。その本は面白いです。 "I bought a book yesterday. The book is interesting." Notice that English usually says "the", not "that".

You will also hear あの on its own, as あのー. That is not "that". It is a pause word, like "um".

How to build it

Examples

• この本は私のです。 kono hon wa watashi no desu. This book is mine.
• その傘は誰のですか。 sono kasa wa dare no desu ka. Whose umbrella is that? (near you)
• あの人は先生です。 ano hito wa sensei desu. That person over there is a teacher.
• どの本ですか。 dono hon desu ka. Which book?
• このプリントを見てください。 kono purinto o mite kudasai. Please look at this handout.

How English says it

English uses the same word alone and before a noun: "This is mine" and "This book is mine". So the これ and この split does not exist in English. Students do not need to learn it.

What English does need is number. "This book" but "these books". "That bag" but "those bags". The pointing word must match the noun.

English also uses "the" more than "that" to point back. After "I bought a book", the next sentence is usually "The book is good", or just "It is good".

Why it can make English hard

• この has no plural. Many students write "this books" or "that shoes" because the noun has no plural in Japanese either.
• その often points back to something already said. Some students turn every その into "that", and their English sounds heavy.
• In Japanese, どの + noun can sit in the middle of the sentence. In English, "which + noun" must come first in a question.
• Students may say あのー as a pause word in English class. It is natural for them, but it is not English.

Mistakes you will hear

• This books are heavy. → These books are heavy. From この本は重いです. この does not change for plural. "This" does.
• I bought a book. That book is very interesting. → I bought a book. The book is very interesting. Not wrong, but heavy. From その本. English points back with "the" or "it".
• Which do you like color? → Which color do you like? From どの色が好きですか. "Which" and its noun stay together at the front.
• Ano... I think it is good. → Um... I think it is good. あのー is a Japanese pause word. Teach "um", "well" or "let me see".

In the classroom

• Make pairs of picture cards: one apple and three apples, one pen and five pens. Students point and say "this apple" or "these apples". Then do it from across the room with "that" and "those".
• Tell a short story in three sentences on the board. Students change "that" to "the" or "it" where it sounds more natural.
• I give my students a short list of English pause words on day one: "um", "well", "let me see". It is a small thing, and it makes them sound much more natural.

Practice

Try each one, then open it to check.

1. 1. Fill the gap: ＿かばんは私のです。 (This bag is mine.)

   Answer: この

   A noun comes after the gap, so use この, not これ.

2. 2. Choose: （これ／この）は私の傘です。 (This is my umbrella.)

   Answer: これ

   No noun follows, so the word stands alone.

3. 3. A student writes "Those book is interesting." Fix it.

   Answer: That book is interesting. (or: Those books are interesting.)

   The pointing word, the noun and the verb must all agree.

4. 4. Translate: あの先生は誰ですか。

   Answer: Who is that teacher (over there)?

   あの points at someone far from both of you. English uses "that".

Related grammar

• 21 This and that: これ・それ・あれ This; that; that over there これ・それ・あれ kore, sore, are
• 23 Here and there: ここ・そこ・あそこ Here; there; over there ここ・そこ・あそこ koko, soko, asoko
• 15 The particle の Possession; noun modification N の N N no N
• 6 Question words 何, 誰, どこ, いつ What, who, where, when 何・誰・どこ・いつ nani / nan, dare, doko, itsu

English grammar guides for your lesson

• DemonstrativesA1 Demonstratives identify specific people or objects based on their distance from the speaker and their quantity. They function as both determiners and pronouns to indicate physical or temporal proximity.
• Definite Article (basic)A1 The definite article 'the' is used to identify specific nouns that both the speaker and the listener already know. It can be used with singular, plural, and uncountable nouns.
• Open questions (Wh-)A1 Open questions use question words to ask for specific information rather than a simple yes or no answer. They typically begin with words like what, where, when, who, why, and how.