A0 · Point Zéro Chapitre 3

Where Things Are

5 Règles totales
60 exemples
5 min
Règles dans ce chapitre Pratique rapide

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.

Ce que tu vas apprendre

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.

Guide du chapitre

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.

Exemples clés (8)

1

Is **this** your coffee?

¿Es este tu café?

Ce & Ça: Montrer les choses
2

**That** building is very tall.

Ese edificio es muy alto.

Ce & Ça: Montrer les choses
3

What is this? It's a book.

Qu'est-ce que c'est ? C'est un livre.

Qu'est-ce que c'est ? — Demander des choses
4

What's that? It's a bird!

Qu'est-ce que c'est ? C'est un oiseau !

Qu'est-ce que c'est ? — Demander des choses
5

This is my pen.

C'est mon stylo.

My & Your — Possessifs Simples
6

Is that your bag?

Est-ce ton sac ?

My & Your — Possessifs Simples
7

My phone is `in` my bag.

Mon téléphone est dans mon sac.

Dans, Sur, À: Où Sont les Choses
8

The book is `on` the table.

Le livre est sur la table.

Dans, Sur, À: Où Sont les Choses

Conseils et astuces (4)

💡

Visualise la distance !

Quand tu hésites entre 'this' et 'that', imagine que tu as un bras très court. Si tu peux l'atteindre facilement, utilise 'this'. Si tu dois t'étirer ou marcher, 'that' est ton ami. C'est une astuce simple pour t'aider à choisir !
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Ce & Ça: Montrer les choses
💡

Entraîne-toi avec les contractions !

Les anglophones utilisent presque toujours "What's this? et What's that?
dans les conversations informelles. Entraîne-toi à les dire, ça te fera paraître super naturel !
What's this?"
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Qu'est-ce que c'est ? — Demander des choses
💡

Toujours avant le nom

Rappelle-toi que 'my' et 'your' se placent toujours juste avant le nom qu'ils décrivent. C'est comme 'my phone' ou 'your hat'. Jamais après, c'est important !
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: My & Your — Possessifs Simples
💡

Visualise l'espace

Imagine l'endroit : si tu es physiquement *à l'intérieur* de quelque chose (comme une pièce ou une boîte), utilise in. Si tu es posé *sur* une surface, utilise on. Si c'est juste un point général ou une adresse, utilise at.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dans, Sur, À: Où Sont les Choses

Vocabulaire clé (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

Erreurs courantes

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

Wrong: This is my book there.
Correct: 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?
Correct: 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.
Correct: 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: Expressing Actions & Needs

Pratique rapide (10)

Trouve et corrige l'erreur dans la phrase.

Find and fix the mistake:

What that is? It's a cat.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: What is that? It's a cat.
L'ordre des mots correct pour une question directe est 'What + is + pronom démonstratif'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Qu'est-ce que c'est ? — Demander des choses

Trouve et corrige l'erreur.

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 tu pointes de l'autre côté de la pièce, le chat n'est pas près de toi, donc there est correct.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Ici & Là: Localisation Simple

Choisis le mot correct.

The keys are ____ on the table.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: here
Si les clés sont sur la table à côté de toi, elles sont here.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Ici & Là: Localisation Simple

Quelle phrase est grammaticalement correcte ?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: That is my car over there.
'That' est utilisé pour les objets singuliers éloignés, et il s'accorde avec 'is'. La voiture est 'over there', indiquant la distance.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Ce & Ça: Montrer les choses

Trouve et corrige l'erreur

Find and fix the mistake:

Is this you're phone?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Is this your phone?
'You're' est une contraction de 'you are'. 'Your' est l'adjectif possessif nécessaire ici pour montrer la possession.

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

Quelle phrase demande correctement à propos d'un objet proche ?

Choisis la phrase correcte :

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: What is this?
La structure correcte pour demander à propos d'un objet singulier proche est 'What is this?'. 'What this?' manque le verbe, et 'What are this?' utilise incorrectement le verbe pluriel 'are'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Qu'est-ce que c'est ? — Demander des choses

Choisis la bonne forme

This is ___ coffee.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: my
'My' est l'adjectif possessif, montrant que le café m'appartient. 'I' est un pronom sujet.

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

Quelle phrase est correcte ?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Where are my keys?
'Keys' est un nom pluriel, donc nous avons besoin de 'are' au lieu de 'is'. 'My' est correctement utilisé comme adjectif possessif.

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

Quelle phrase est correcte ?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: My cat is on the bed.
Le chat repose sur la surface du lit. Bien que 'in bed' soit une collocation pour dormir, 'on the bed' décrit sa position physique.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dans, Sur, À: Où Sont les Choses

Trouve et corrige l'erreur dans la phrase.

Find and fix the mistake:

Look at this cats!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Look at this cat!
'This' est pour les noms singuliers. 'Cats' est pluriel, donc nous devons changer 'cats' en 'cat' pour que ce soit correct avec 'this'. (La forme plurielle correcte serait 'these cats', mais la question demande de corriger 'this cats'.)

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Ce & Ça: Montrer les choses

Score: /10

Questions fréquentes (6)

'This' pointe vers quelque chose de singulier qui est proche de toi, tandis que 'that' pointe vers quelque chose de singulier qui est plus éloigné. Pense à 'this' comme 'ici' et à 'that' comme 'là-bas'.
Absolument ! Tu peux dire
This is my friend Sarah
si elle est juste à côté de toi, ou
Who is that person over there?
si la personne est plus loin.
La façon la plus simple est simplement What is this? ou What is that?. C'est direct, clair et compris partout. Ne te complique pas la vie ! What is this?
Non, en général What is it? est utilisé quand tu as *déjà* mentionné la chose, ou que c'est évident par le contexte. S'il s'agit d'un objet complètement nouveau et inconnu, utilise What is this? ou What is that?. Ça a du sens, n'est-ce pas ? What is this?
'My' indique que quelque chose appartient à la personne qui parle (moi), tandis que 'your' indique que quelque chose appartient à la personne à qui l'on parle (toi). Ce sont tous deux des adjectifs possessifs.
Non, pas du tout ! Tu dis 'my book' (singulier) et 'my books' (pluriel), et c'est pareil pour 'your'. L'anglais simplifie les choses pour ces mots.
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Donnez des couleurs à votre monde !
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Expressing Actions & Needs
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