First of all, let’s make sure we understand the main purpose of this and that. We generally use them to specify whether an object we’re talking about is close by or farther away in time or space. This indicates that the object is near, while that infers that the object is far from reach.
Although the two words have similar functions, they add different details and information to your speech. It may seem a little confusing, but don’t worry, we’re here to teach you all about how to use this and that.

4 ways to use “this”

In general, we use the word this to indicate or point out an object, person, idea, time, etc. that is right beside you or close to you. However, in English we can use it in many other contexts as well. Let’s check out a few of them:

To refer to something near you:

Is this your bike?
This laptop is mine, yours is over there.
Can you sign this form here for me?

To talk about the intensity or degree of a quality:

I’ve never seen him this angry before.
He’s never been this late for school.
I was this close to missing my flight.

Introducing people or identifying yourself on the phone

Hanna, this is my friend, Luke.
Hello, this is Jessica. Can I speak to Mrs. Brown, please?
Hey mom, this is Chloe, my new girlfriend

4 ways to use “that”

We most often use the word that to refer to someone or something that is farther away from you. But there are some other ways you can use the word “that”, let’s check them out:

To refer to someone or something is far from you:

Who is that boy over there talking to my sister?
How much is that hat?
I live in that house at the end of the street.

To link two related parts of a sentence:

Where is the shirt that you borrowed from me?
Is it true that he’s going back to London?
I didn’t know that she was married.

To talk about the intensity of a quality:

My grandpa is too old to work that much.
We should walk there, it’s not that far.
The movie wasn’t that funny.

To refer to a person, place, thing or idea that has already been mentioned:

We are talking about that day we went to the beach.
Las Vegas? That’s where my sister lives.
Do you remember that nice man who came to dinner?

How to remember the difference

The most important thing to remember about the difference between these two words is that when someone/something is right near you, use “this”, whereas when someone/something is separated from you by some distance or time, use “that”.

Additional uses

Remember that “distance” can also be measured in time. We can use “that” to refer to the past (time that is farther away) and “this” to refer to the present (time which is near), especially when used with the verb ‘be’:

That was a great party last night.
This is an awesome party. Are you having fun?

Sometimes, the difference between “this” and “that” is more subtle. We can use “this” to refer to something (like an idea or a suggestion) that you are about to say. And we can use “that” to refer to something that you have just mentioned:

Let’s go to the park. What do you think about that?
What do you think about this: we could go to the park.

It is not that hard, right? Now we’re sure that there won’t be any more confusion. We hope you enjoyed this article!
See you soon!

The post This x That: Whats is the Difference appeared first on Fluency.io Inglês.

I hope you enjoyed these tips. If so, send it to a friend who also wants to learn English.

See you next time

The post This technique (Shadowing) can help you understand English better appeared first on Fluency.io Inglês.

But don’t worry, we are here to help you create daily habits to practice and improve your English speaking skills!

I hope you enjoyed these tips. If so, send it to a friend who also wants to learn English.
See you next time

The post How to improve your English and speak faster appeared first on Fluency.io Inglês.

This sentence is grammatically right, but this sounds like he is asking if he has permission to eat the hamburger.
Today, we’ll teach you how to ask for your meal correctly!

I hope you enjoyed this video. If so, save it for later and comment using one of the words you learned today.

See you next class!

The post To have or to eat? What’s the difference? appeared first on Fluency.io Inglês.

They are very used in written language, so check out the meaning of these acronyms.

Idk → I don’t know
LOL → Laughing out loud
Hbu → How ‘bout u (how about you)
Btw → By the way

I hope you enjoyed this class. If so, send it to a friend who also wants to learn English.
See you next class!

The post 5 useful phrasal verbs in English appeared first on Fluency.io Inglês.

This is a VERY important topic for English students: capital letters! Today, I’m gonna teach you how to use them and, in the end, I have a challenge for you. Are you in?

How was it: easy or not? Tell me, I’ll love to know!

The post When to use capital letters in English appeared first on Fluency.io Inglês.

→ I’m gonna buy juice, milk, bread, and apples.
It’s very important to use it when you’re writing formally, like an email at work or a letter to your university, or to make yourself clear in certain situations. For example:

→ I had pie, milk, cake and jelly for breakfast.
If you ate the cake with the jelly together, that’s great! You wrote it right. But if you ate them separately, you should use the Oxford comma:

→ I had pie, milk, cake, and jelly for breakfast.
Now, you made yourself completely clear!

Another example would be:

→ I love my sisters, Ariana Grande, and Adele.

This comma shows that you love different people. But, if you remove that last comma, everyone will understand that your sisters are Ariana Grande and Adele (which would be awesome but improbable).
I hope you liked this lesson. See you soon!

The post Oxford Comma appeared first on Fluency.io Inglês.

Take a look:

Am → use this word when talking about yourself, like:
I am your teacher.
I am hungry.

Is → this one we use with he, she and it
This chocolate is so good.
He is so handsome.
She is very smart.

Are → We use “are” with you, we and they.
You are the winner.
We are family!
They are my friends.

I hope you enjoyed this class. If so, send it to a friend who also wants to learn English.
See you next class!

The post Three ways to use the verb to be appeared first on Fluency.io Inglês.

Do you know the difference between desert and dessert? One is the delicious sweet thing we eat after meals, the other is a big amount of sand. But do you know which is which? Check teacher Adam’s tip and learn once and for all

Don’t forget to share this with a friend and follow our Instagram page at @fluencytvenglish.
See you next time!

The post Desert or Dessert? appeared first on Fluency.io Inglês.

How many → use it with things you can count, like apples, for example. “How many apples do you want?”
How much → use it with things that you cannot count, like “patience” or “time”. “How much time do you need?”

I hope you enjoyed this class. If so, send it to a friend who also wants to learn English.
See you next class!

The post How much vs How many appeared first on Fluency.io Inglês.