A0 · Punto Cero Capítulo 3

Where Things Are

5 Reglas totales
60 ejemplos
5 min
Reglas en este capítulo Práctica rápida

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of locating and identifying objects in your daily life.

  • Identify objects near and far using demonstratives.
  • Ask simple questions to learn the names of items.
  • Describe the precise location of objects using prepositions.
Point, ask, and locate your world with confidence.

Lo que aprenderás

Welcome! This chapter will help you talk about everything around you. We'll learn to point out things using 'this' and 'that,' and show exactly where they are with 'in,' 'on,' and 'at.' Get ready to describe your world in simple English!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Use 'this' and 'that' to point out objects in your immediate surroundings.

Guía del capítulo

Overview

Learning to talk about the things around you is one of the most exciting first steps in English! This guide will help you begin to describe your everyday world, whether you're pointing out a cup, asking about a book, or telling someone where your keys are. Mastering these simple building blocks allows you to communicate basic needs and observations, making your first interactions in English much clearer and more confident.
It’s all about understanding where things are and how to refer to them directly. This fundamental knowledge is key for any absolute beginner aiming to learn English A0 grammar and will be useful in countless daily situations, from finding items to understanding directions. You’ll quickly be able to express yourself more effectively, turning simple observations into basic English sentences.
This chapter lays the foundation for all future descriptive language.

How This Grammar Works

Let's explore how we point to and describe objects in English. First, when you want to show someone an object, you use 'this' for one thing that is close to you, and 'these' for many things that are close to you. If the object is far away, you use 'that' for one thing and 'those' for many things.
For example, if a pen is in your hand, you say,
This is a pen.
If a book is across the room, you say,
That is a book.
When you want to ask about something, you often start with
What is this?
for one close object, or
What are these?
for many close objects. Similarly, you'd ask
What is that?
or
What are those?
for things far away. Notice how we use 'is' for one thing (singular) and 'are' for many things (plural).
We also use 'here' to talk about a location close to you, and 'there' for a location far from you. For instance,
My bag is here
or
The car is there.
To show ownership, we use 'my' for things belonging to you and 'your' for things belonging to the person you are talking to. These words must always be followed by a noun. For example,
My book is red
or
Your phone is new.
Finally, to specify where things are, we use prepositions:
* 'In': for something inside an enclosed space (e.g.,
in the box,
in the room
).
* 'On': for something resting on a surface (e.g.,
on the table,
on the wall
).
* 'At': for a specific point or general location (e.g.,
at the door,
at home,
at the park
). Understanding these basic rules will unlock your ability to describe the world around you in simple English.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Mixing up 'is' and 'are' with singular/plural:
* ✗ These is my keys.
* ✓ These are my keys. (Use 'are' for plural 'these'.)
* ✗ Those are my book.
* ✓ That is my book. (Use 'is' for singular 'that'.)
  1. 1Incorrect preposition for location:
* ✗ The apple is on the box. (If it's *inside* the box)
* ✓ The apple is in the box.
* ✗ My phone is in the table. (If it's *on top of* the table)
* ✓ My phone is on the table.
  1. 1Using 'my' or 'your' without a noun:
* ✗ That is my. (What is yours?)
* ✓ That is my book.
* ✗ Where is your? (Your what?)
* ✓ Where is your jacket?

Real Conversations

Conversation 1: Pointing and Asking

A

A

What is this? (A points to a pen on the table, close to A)
B

B

This is a pen.
A

A

And what is that? (A points to a bag across the room)
B

B

That is my bag.

Conversation 2: Location and Possession

A

A

Excuse me, where is my phone?
B

B

Is it on the chair?
A

A

No, it’s not on the chair. Oh, it’s in my pocket! Thank you.

Conversation 3: Close and Far

A

A

Look! This is a nice picture. (Holding the picture)
B

B

Yes, it is! And that is a big tree there. (Pointing out the window)

Quick FAQ

Q: When do I use 'this' versus 'that' in English?

Use 'this' for a single object close to you (like in your hand). Use 'that' for a single object that is farther away from you (like across the room).

Q: What's the main difference between 'in', 'on', and 'at' for beginners?

'In' means something is inside a space (like in a box). 'On' means something is on a surface (like on a table). 'At' means a specific point or general location (like at home or at the bus stop).

Q: Can I say My is good instead of
My life is good
?

No, 'my' always needs a noun right after it. You must say

My life is good
or
My car is fast.
It tells you *whose* noun it is.

Q: How do I ask about a location in English?

You can ask

Where is it?
for a single item, or
Where are they?
for multiple items. Then you can use 'here' or 'there' in your answer, or a preposition like 'in', 'on', or 'at'.

Cultural Context

These simple grammar patterns are the backbone of everyday conversation in English. Native speakers use 'this', 'that', 'in', 'on', and 'at' constantly and naturally. They are not formal or informal; they are simply how you describe the basic existence and location of objects.
Mastering them will make your English sound more natural and your meaning clearer to native speakers from the very beginning.

Ejemplos clave (4)

1

Is **this** your coffee?

¿Es este tu café?

Este y Ese: Señalando Cosas
2

**That** building is very tall.

Ese edificio es muy alto.

Este y Ese: Señalando Cosas
3

The book is here on my desk.

El libro está aquí en mi escritorio.

Aquí y Allá: Ubicación Simple
4

My friend lives there, near the park.

Mi amigo vive allí, cerca del parque.

Aquí y Allá: Ubicación Simple

Consejos y trucos (4)

💡

¡Visualiza la distancia!

Para elegir entre uno u otro, imagina que tienes brazos cortos. Si lo alcanzas fácil, usa this. Si tienes que caminar, usa that. Por ejemplo:
I want this apple.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Este y Ese: Señalando Cosas
💡

¡Usa las contracciones!

En la vida real, casi siempre decimos "What's this? o What's that?" para sonar más naturales.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ¿Qué es esto? — Preguntar sobre cosas
💡

Siempre antes del sustantivo

Recuerda que estas palabras son como guardaespaldas que siempre van delante del objeto, como en: my phone o your hat.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: My & Your — Posesivos Simples
💡

Visualiza el espacio

Si algo está físicamente rodeado por paredes o dentro de un objeto, usa 'in'.
He is in the room.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: En, Sobre, A: Dónde Están las Cosas

Vocabulario clave (5)

book a written work pen an instrument for writing table a piece of furniture bag a container for carrying things phone a device for calling

Real-World Preview

search

Finding Your Keys

Review Summary

  • This/That + is + [noun]
  • What + is + this/that?
  • My/Your + [noun]
  • [Noun] + is + in/on/at + [place]
  • It is + here/there

Errores comunes

You cannot use 'this' for something far away ('there'). Use 'that' for distance.

Wrong: This is my book there.
Correcto: That is my book there.

We use 'on' for surfaces and 'in' for containers. A table is a surface.

Wrong: Where is the pen in the table?
Correcto: Where is the pen on the table?

Use 'my' before a noun, not 'mine'. 'Mine' is used alone.

Wrong: What is that? That is mine book.
Correcto: What is that? That is my book.

Next Steps

You've done an amazing job! Keep looking around and naming your world in English. See you in the next chapter!

Label your furniture with sticky notes using 'This is my...' phrases.

Continue to: Expresa lo que sientes y haces: ¡Tus primeras frases reales!

Práctica rápida (10)

Encuentra y corrige el error en la oración.

Find and fix the mistake:

What that is? It's a cat.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: What is that? It's a cat.
El orden correcto para una pregunta directa es 'What + is + pronombre'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ¿Qué es esto? — Preguntar sobre cosas

¿Qué oración pregunta correctamente por un objeto cercano?

Elige la oración correcta:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: What is this?
La estructura correcta para algo cercano y singular es 'What is this?'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ¿Qué es esto? — Preguntar sobre cosas

Elige la forma correcta para completar la pregunta.

What ___ this?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: is
Para objetos singulares con 'this' o 'that', siempre usamos el verbo 'is'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ¿Qué es esto? — Preguntar sobre cosas

Elige la palabra correcta.

The keys are ____ on the table.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: here
Si las llaves están en la mesa junto a ti, están here.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Aquí y Allá: Ubicación Simple

Elige la palabra correcta para completar la frase.

I want ___ apple on the table next to me.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: this
La manzana está 'en la mesa junto a mí', lo que indica que está cerca, así que 'this' es lo correcto.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Este y Ese: Señalando Cosas

Encuentra y corrige el error.

Find and fix the mistake:

The cat is over here, by the door (pointing across the room).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The cat is over there, by the door.
Si estás señalando al otro lado de la habitación, el gato no está cerca de ti, así que there es lo correcto.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Aquí y Allá: Ubicación Simple

Encuentra y corrige el error

Find and fix the mistake:

Is this you're phone?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Is this your phone?
'You're' significa 'tú eres'. Aquí necesitamos 'your' para preguntar de quién es el teléfono.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: My & Your — Posesivos Simples

Elige la forma correcta

This is ___ coffee.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: my
'My' es el adjetivo posesivo que indica que el café me pertenece. 'I' es solo para el sujeto de la acción.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: My & Your — Posesivos Simples

¿Qué oración es correcta?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Where are my keys?
Como 'keys' es plural, necesitamos usar 'are' en vez de 'is'. 'My' está perfecto para indicar posesión.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: My & Your — Posesivos Simples

¿Qué oración es correcta?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: My phone is here, in my hand.
Si el teléfono está en tu mano, está muy cerca de ti, por lo tanto usamos here.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Aquí y Allá: Ubicación Simple

Score: /10

Preguntas frecuentes (6)

This señala algo que tienes cerca, mientras que that señala algo que está lejos. Piensa en this como 'aquí' y that como 'allá'. Por ejemplo:
This is my pen.
¡Claro que sí! Puedes decir
This is my friend Sarah
si está a tu lado, o
Who is that person over there?
si está lejos.
Lo más directo es decir What is this? o What is that?. Se entiende en todo el mundo, ¡no te compliques!
Normalmente usamos What is it? cuando ya mencionamos el objeto. Si es algo totalmente nuevo, mejor usa What is this?.
Es sencillo: 'my' es para lo que me pertenece a mí y 'your' para lo que te pertenece a ti.
This is my dog.
¡Para nada! El inglés es fácil aquí: dices my book y my books sin cambiar nada.
These are my shoes.
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Describing People & Things
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