When the objects are already clear, you can point to your choice without saying the noun again.

The idea

Use this one for one nearby item and that one for one farther away. Use these ones and those ones for several. These and those can also stand alone; the forms with ones are common in informal speech.

Examples

  • This one is my cup.
  • That one belongs to Sam.
  • These ones are fresh apples.
  • Those ones are too small for me.
  • Which tickets are ours? These ones near the window.
  • I prefer that one with the blue handle.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic English voice on your device. Quality and availability vary; it does not assess pronunciation.

Watch out

Do not pair this or that with ones, or these or those with one. Use these forms for countable items, not an uncountable substance.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the correct option. Which mug is yours? ___ by my hand. (this one / these ones)

    Show answer or example answer

    this one

    this one identifies a single mug close to the speaker.

  2. Choose the correct option. Which shoes do you want? ___ over there. (that one / those ones)

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    those ones

    those ones points to several shoes at a distance.

  3. Choose the correct option. Which sandwich is for Lee? ___ on the far plate. (that one / those ones)

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    that one

    that one identifies one sandwich on the farther plate.

Use it today

Choose some objects around you and identify one nearby and several farther away.