A1 · Beginner Chapter 4

Identifying People and Objects

3 Total Rules
33 examples
5 min
Rules in This Chapter Quick Practice

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of pointing things out and talking about people with precision and ease.

  • Identify the correct subject to use in your sentences.
  • Use object pronouns to describe who receives an action.
  • Distinguish between near and far objects using demonstratives.
Point, name, and connect with the world around you.

What You'll Learn

Get ready to chat about the world around you! We'll explore how to use words like 'this' and 'that' to point things out, and understand how to talk about 'him' or 'her' correctly when they receive the action. You'll be describing everything with confidence!

Learning Objectives

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

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Correctly use subject and object pronouns to describe social interactions.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to: Use 'this', 'that', 'these', and 'those' to identify physical items in your environment.

Chapter Guide

Overview

Ever wanted to tell someone about your new friend, or maybe point out a delicious-looking pastry in a cafe? This chapter is your trusty guide to doing just that! It's all about making your conversations clear and simple when you want to talk about people and things around you. We're diving into the basics of English identifying people and objects for beginners, giving you the tools to chat about who is doing an action (like 'I' or 'she') and who is receiving an action (like 'me' or 'him'). Plus, you'll master those handy pointing words like this and that to show exactly what you mean. Learning these simple patterns is super important for an A1 level because it helps you build foundational sentences and express yourself easily in everyday situations. Get ready to feel more confident as you learn English A1 grammar and describe your world with clarity!

How This Grammar Works

Let's break down how to talk about people and things in English!
First, we have Subject Pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, they. These words are like the "star" of your sentence – they are the ones *doing* the action. For example, instead of saying "John eats an apple," we can say "He eats an apple." Or, "We like pizza." They help you avoid repeating names and keep sentences smooth and natural.
Next, meet Object Pronouns: me, you, him, her, it, us, them. These pronouns are the ones *receiving* the action. They usually come after a verb (the action word) or a preposition (like "to," "for," "with"). Think about it: if someone gives something, someone else receives it. So, you might say, "She sees him" (he receives the "seeing") or "Can you give the book to me?" (I receive the "giving").
Finally, let's talk about our "pointing words": This, That, These, Those. These are super handy for showing *where* something is and *how many* there are.
  • Use This for one thing that is close to you. "Look at this phone."
  • Use That for one thing that is far from you. "Is that your car?"
  • Use These for many things that are close to you. "These are my friends."
  • Use Those for many things that are far from you. "Those flowers are beautiful."
You can use these words to point to objects, and then use pronouns to talk about them later! For instance, "Look at this book. It is good." See how they all connect to make your English clearer?

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Mixing Subject and Object Pronouns
✗ She likes I.
✓ She likes me.
Explanation: Remember, the person *doing* the action uses a subject pronoun (she), and the person *receiving* the action uses an object pronoun (me). You can't like "I," but you can like "me."
  1. 1Using "This/That" with Plural Nouns
✗ This are my friends.
✓ These are my friends.
Explanation: This and that are for *one* thing (singular). When you have *many* things (plural), use these (close) or those (far).
  1. 1Confusing Near and Far "Pointing Words"
✗ Look at this mountain way over there!
✓ Look at that mountain way over there!
Explanation: If something is far away (like "way over there"), use that (for one thing) or those (for many things). Save this and these for things close to you.

Real Conversations

Dialogue 1: At a Café

A

A

Excuse me, is this my coffee?
B

B

Oh, no. That coffee is for him. Your latte is on its way!

Dialogue 2: Introducing Friends

A

A

Hi Mark! These are my friends, Emily and Tom. They just arrived.
B

B

Nice to meet them! So, you all know each other from school?

Dialogue 3: Shopping

A

A

I like this shirt. Do you think it will fit me?
B

B

Hmm, it looks a bit small. What about that one, the blue one?
A

A

Oh, yes! That looks much better. My sister likes blue too; maybe I will buy it for her.

Quick FAQ

Q

How do I choose between this and that in English?

Use this for singular items *close* to you. Use that for singular items *far* from you. For example, "This is my phone (it's in my hand)," but "That is your car (it's across the street)."

Q

What's the main difference between subject and object pronouns?

Subject pronouns (I, he, she, we, they) *do* the action in a sentence. Object pronouns (me, him, her, us, them) *receive* the action or come after a preposition. For example: "She (subject) saw him (object)."

Q

When should I use him instead of he in English?

Use him when the person is the *receiver* of an action or when it comes after a preposition. For example, "I gave the book to him" or "She called him." Use he when the person is *doing* the action, like "He is here."

Q

Can I use "it" to talk about a person?

Generally, no. We use it for objects, animals, or general ideas. For people, always use he or she (subject) or him or her (object). Using "it" for a person can sound very impersonal or even rude.

Cultural Context

Native English speakers use these pronouns and pointing words constantly in everyday chat. In informal speech, you might hear people shorten things, but the core grammar of "who does what" and "what is where" stays the same. For example, pointing with your finger when you say "this" or "that" is very common and natural! Don't be afraid to use them often – they make your English clear and direct.

Key Examples (6)

1

`I` am studying for my exam tonight.

English Subject Pronouns (I, you, he...)
2

`You` look great in that new jacket!

English Subject Pronouns (I, you, he...)
3

Can you help `me` with this TikTok dance?

English Object Pronouns: me, you, him, her (Receiving the Action)
4

I'll call `you` on Zoom later tonight.

English Object Pronouns: me, you, him, her (Receiving the Action)
5

Is `this` your water bottle?

This, That, These, Those: Pointing Words
6

Look at `that` sunset!

This, That, These, Those: Pointing Words

Tips & Tricks (3)

💡

The 'I' Rule

Always capitalize 'I', even in the middle of a sentence. It shows you are important!
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: English Subject Pronouns (I, you, he...)
💡

The 'Finger' Test

If you can point your finger at the person while saying the word, it's probably an object pronoun.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: English Object Pronouns: me, you, him, her (Receiving the Action)
💡

The Touch Test

If you can touch it without moving, use 'this' or 'these'. If you have to walk or point far away, use 'that' or 'those'.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: This, That, These, Those: Pointing Words

Key Vocabulary (6)

me receiver of action him male receiver her female receiver this near singular those far plural they plural subject

Real-World Preview

shopping-cart

Shopping for gifts

Review Summary

  • Pronoun + Verb
  • Verb + Pronoun
  • Demonstrative + Verb + Noun

Common Mistakes

You should use 'I' because you are the one doing the action. 'Me' is only for receiving actions.

Wrong: Me like this book.
Correct: I like this book.

Since he is receiving the action of being seen, you must use the object form 'him'.

Wrong: I see he.
Correct: I see him.

Use 'This' for singular items. 'These' is only for plural items.

Wrong: These is my pen.
Correct: This is my pen.

Next Steps

You have done an excellent job mastering these basics. Keep practicing, and you will be speaking fluently in no time!

Label items in your house using sticky notes.

Continue to: Describing Your World and Actions

Quick Practice (10)

Fill in the blank with the correct pronoun.

___ am a student.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I
We use 'I' with 'am'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: English Subject Pronouns (I, you, he...)

Fill in the blank with 'this', 'that', 'these', or 'those'.

Look at ___ stars in the sky!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: those
Stars are plural and far away in the sky.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: This, That, These, Those: Pointing Words

Fill in the blank with the correct object pronoun for 'I'.

Can you hear ___?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: me
'Me' is the object form of 'I'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: English Object Pronouns: me, you, him, her (Receiving the Action)

Choose the correct word to complete the sentence.

___ is my favorite book in my hand.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: This
The book is singular and 'in my hand' (near).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: This, That, These, Those: Pointing Words

Identify the correct plural form.

I want to buy ___ shoes over there.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: those
Shoes are plural and 'over there' indicates distance.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: This, That, These, Those: Pointing Words

Choose the correct pronoun for a girl.

___ is my sister.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She
'She' is used for females.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: English Subject Pronouns (I, you, he...)

Find the mistake in the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

These is my brother, Tom.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: These
Brother is singular, so it should be 'This'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: This, That, These, Those: Pointing Words

Complete the phone introduction.

Hello, ___ is Sarah. Is ___ John?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: this / that
Use 'this' for yourself and 'that' for the other person on the phone.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: This, That, These, Those: Pointing Words

Fix the mistake.

Find and fix the mistake:

Is raining today.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: It is raining
Weather sentences need 'it'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: English Subject Pronouns (I, you, he...)

Select the correct demonstrative for the time reference.

___ was a great movie we saw last night.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: That
Use 'that' for events in the past.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: This, That, These, Those: Pointing Words

Score: /10

Common Questions (6)

Historically, a small 'i' was hard to read in old manuscripts, so it was made capital to stand out.
Yes! It is used when you don't know the person's gender or want to be inclusive.
Use me when you are receiving the action (after a verb) or after a preposition like to, with, or for.
Yes, in modern English It's me is the standard and most natural way to identify yourself.
Yes, but mainly for introductions like This is my friend or on the phone. In other cases, use he or she.
We use this for the present or future (this week) and that for the past (that year).
Previous Chapter
Naming Things and People
Next Chapter
Describing Your World and Actions
Back to Roadmap