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👉 The, A, This, and That

Learn the little words that go in front of a noun — a, an, the, this, that, these, and those — so your sentences point to exactly the thing you mean.

lessons

~15 min

to learn

🗣️ Language

subject

Adults

level

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What you’ll learn

Little Pointing WordsUnderstand that small words before a noun point to which thing is meant.English uses a small set of words — a, an, the, this, that, these, those — before a naming word to point to which thing and how near it is. Choosing the right one helps the listener understand exactly what you mean.
The Word AUse "a" to mean one of something, any one."A" goes before a naming word to mean just one, and it doesn't matter which. It is used before words that start with a consonant sound, like a ball or a dog.
The Word AnUse "an" before words that start with a vowel sound."An" means the same as "a" — just one — but we use it before a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u) so the words flow smoothly, as in an apple or an owl.
The Word TheUse "the" to point to a specific thing both speaker and listener know."The" points to the special one that both people already know about. Storytellers often introduce something new with "a" and then refer back to it with "the."
A or TheChoose between "a/an" (any one) and "the" (the special one).Use "a" or "an" for any one of something not yet known, and "the" for the one specific thing you and the listener both have in mind.
This and ThatUse "this" for one near thing and "that" for one far thing."This" points to a single thing that is near you; "that" points to a single thing that is farther away. The words act like pointing with your whole body.
These and ThoseUse "these" for many near things and "those" for many far things.When there is more than one thing, "this" becomes "these" (near, many) and "that" becomes "those" (far, many). Across is near-to-far; down is one-to-many.
Putting It All TogetherPick the correct pointing word in real sentences.Bringing it together, the right pointing word depends on which thing you mean, whether both people know it, how near it is, and whether there is one or many. These small words appear in nearly every sentence we say.

Questions this course answers

Which one is written the right way?

"Apple" starts with a vowel sound, so we use "an" to make it smooth: an apple.

Fill the blank: "I saw ___ cat in the garden."

"Cat" starts with the c sound, not a vowel sound, so we use "a": a cat.

Grandma says, "Please shut the door." What does "the" tell you?

"The" points to the special one you both already know — the door of the room you're in.

You are holding a book in your hands. What do you call it?

It is near you and there is one, so you say "this book."

You point far across the field at many sheep. What do you say?

The sheep are far away and there are many, so you use "those": those sheep.

Grounded in trusted sources

Merriam-Webster Learner's Dictionary — articles and determiners (learnersdictionary.com)
British Council LearnEnglish Kids — a, an, the (learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org)
Cambridge Dictionary Grammar — this, that, these, those (dictionary.cambridge.org)

Every Wunder lesson is built from real, reputable sources — never invented.

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