That vs This

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

That

High-frequency chunk A1 determiner

This

High-frequency chunk A1

	That	This
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ðæt/","/ðəʊz/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ðæt/","/ðəʊz/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ðɪs/","/ðiːz/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ðɪs/","/ðiːz/"]/
Meaning	used to refer to a specific thing or person	Used to refer to something nearby or just mentioned.
Example	Look at that man over there.	This is my favorite book.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	High-frequency chunk	High-frequency chunk
CEFR level	A1	A1
Part of speech	determiner
Collocations	that is, that way, that means, not that, that much	this time, this week, this way
Antonyms	this	that
Common mistakes	Confusing 'that' with 'which' in restrictive vs non-restrictive clauses., Using 'that' when the antecedent is a person (use 'who')., Overusing 'that' in sentences, which can make them awkward.	Using 'this' for objects that are not close., Confusing 'this' with 'these' (plural)., Using 'this' as a standalone response without context.
Usage notes	Used to refer to something already mentioned or known. In spoken English, it's often used informally. Be careful not to use it in overly formal writing where specificity is needed.	Used in both spoken and written English. When referring to something far away, use 'that' instead of 'this'.

Frequently asked questions: That vs This

What's the difference between That and This?

That: used to refer to a specific thing or person This: Used to refer to something nearby or just mentioned.

Are That and This the same CEFR level?

That: A1, This: A1 on the CEFR scale.

Can you show an example of each?

That: Look at that man over there. This: This is my favorite book.

Can I use That and This interchangeably?

Not always. That and This are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.