EnglishGrade 2ages 7–8
👉 this / that
"This" and "that" both point at something, so at this age a child sometimes uses "this" for something far away simply because it's the word they reach for first.
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Download on the App StoreWhat your child learns
- this = the near thing, in the hand or beside us.
- that = the farther thing, across the room.
- This book — the book in the hand.
- That book — the book by the door.
The mistake most kids make here
Using this for something across the room.
Try one question
A book in the hand. Which word?
Book in the hand
- that
- this
- the far
Answer
this — Yes. You cannot be nearer than that.
How Maya teaches it
Your child tells Maya what they did in class. She teaches this topic at her desk, asks questions with tappable answers, and when the answer is wrong she explains why that answer was tempting instead of saying “try again”. She remembers what did not land and comes back to it.
Your child has it when they can: Say this book in the hand and that book farther away.
How to help at home
"This" is for the near thing — in your hand, or right beside you. "That" is for the farther thing — across the room, or by the door.
Practice with two objects at different distances: hold one and say "this book," then point across the room and say "that book." The physical distance is the whole rule.
If your child says "this" for something far away, ask "is it close enough to touch, or far away?" and let the distance decide which word is right.
A good sign of mastery: they say "this" for something near them and "that" for something farther away, without needing to stop and check the distance out loud.
Questions parents ask
- Why does my child say this for something far away?
- "This" is often the first pointing word a child learns, so it can get used as an all-purpose pointer before the near-far distinction with "that" settles in.
- What's a simple way to practice?
- Use two real objects at different distances and have your child name each one with "this" or "that," based only on how close it is.
- Does the same rule work for this/these and that/those?
- Yes — "these" and "those" follow the same near/far pattern as "this" and "that," just for more than one thing.
- How does Maya teach this differently from a worksheet?
- Maya asks the child to judge distance directly — close enough to touch, or far away — so the choice between "this" and "that" is tied to a real judgment, not memorized.
No card needed. The first lesson is free.
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Sources: English Curriculum 2020 for elementary school – Israeli Ministry of Education