A0 Questions 13 min read Easy

What Is This? — Asking About Things

Master What is this? and What is that? to unlock your English world.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use 'What is this?' to identify objects near you and 'What is that?' for objects further away.

  • Use 'What' to start the question for things. Example: 'What is this?'
  • Use 'is' for single objects. Example: 'What is that?'
  • Use 'this' for things you can touch; 'that' for things further away.
  • Shorten 'What is' to 'What's' in casual speech. Example: 'What's this?'
What + is + ☝️ (this/that) + ?

Overview

What is this? and What is that? help you learn names. Use them for one thing. Learn new words with these questions.

Use What, is, and this or that. This is for things near you. You hold a thing. Ask, What is this?

Use that for things far away. Point and ask, What is that? These help you ask more questions later.

How This Grammar Works

These questions have three parts: What, is, and this/that. They work together. In English questions, the word is comes first.
1. The word: What
Use What to ask about a thing. It asks for the name. It takes the place of the name.
Think of What as literally asking: "Tell me the name of the thing that this (or that) is.".
  • Role: Replaces the unknown name or description of an item. It points to the category or specific name you are seeking.
  • Example: If you encounter a new animal and want its name, What signals your desire for that information: What is that animal?
2. The Verb to be: is
The word is says what something is. In these questions, always use is. There are two reasons for this.
  • Singular Agreement: English verbs must agree in number with their subjects. Both this and that are singular demonstrative pronouns, referring to one single item. Therefore, is – the third-person singular present tense form of to be – is the correct and only grammatically acceptable verb form to use with them in this context. You would never use are with this or that when referring to a single item.
  • Question Inversion: A hallmark of direct questions in English is subject-auxiliary inversion. This means the auxiliary verb (or the main verb to be when no other auxiliary is present) moves to a position before the subject. For instance, the statement This is a book becomes Is this a book? when forming a yes/no question. When an interrogative pronoun like What is added, is still precedes this or that to maintain the question structure.
  • Statement: That is a chair.
  • Yes/No Question: Is that a chair?
  • Information Question: What is that? (The is still comes before that).
3. The words: this and that
This and that point to things. They take the place of the name. The difference is how close the thing is.
  • this: Refers to a singular object that is near the speaker. "Near" typically means within arm's reach, easily touched, or perceived as immediately present. It conveys a sense of closeness and direct engagement.
  • that: Refers to a singular object that is far from the speaker. "Far" implies a greater distance, requiring you to point or physically move towards the object. It conveys remoteness or a detached observation.
| Word | Near or Far | Example |
| :-------------------- | :------------------- | :------------------------------------------------ |
| this | Near (close) | Holding a new gadget: What is this? |
| that | Far (distant) | Pointing to a distant bird: What is that? |
For the answer, use It. It means the thing you asked about. Say It is or It's.
Example: What is this? (holding a phone). Answer: It is a phone or It's a phone.

Formation Pattern

1
These questions always follow one pattern. Learn this pattern to ask about one thing.
2
Basic Question Structure:
3
| Word 1 | Word 2 | Word 3 | Mark |
4
| :-------------------- | :---------------------- | :-------------------- | :---------- |
5
| What | is | this | ? |
6
| What | is | that | ? |
7
Example 1 (Near): You hold a fruit. Ask: What is this?
8
Example 2 (Far): You see a cloud. Ask: What is that?
9
Contractions:
10
People often say What's. This is short for What is. It is very common when speaking.
11
What's this? (Short for What is this?)
12
What's that? (Short for What is that??)
13
Both ways are correct. What's is common in daily talk. It helps you sound natural.
14
Answering the Question:
15
Start your answer with It. Use It is or It's. Then say the name. Use a or an first.
16
| Thing | Word | Name (a/an + name) |
17
| :------ | :---------------------- | :----------------------------------------------------- |
18
| It | is | a key. |
19
| It | ’s | an umbrella. |
20
Example 1 (Full Answer):
21
Question: What is this? (holding a toy animal)
22
Answer: It is a toy.
23
Example 2 (Contracted Answer):
24
Question: What's that? (pointing to a sign)
25
Answer: It's a new restaurant.
26
Use It in the answer. Do not say this or that again. It sounds more natural.

When To Use It

These questions are very important. Use them to learn about many things. They help you talk to people.
  • Vocabulary Acquisition: This is arguably the most critical application for beginners. Whenever you encounter a new singular object, animal, or phenomenon and wish to learn its English name, these questions are your gateway to new words. By asking, you actively build your lexical knowledge base.
  • Scenario: In a hardware store, pointing to an unfamiliar tool. You ask: What is this? (You learn the word wrench or hammer).
  • Scenario: Watching a nature documentary, observing an unknown insect. You ask: What is that insect? (You learn its name or classification).
  • Clarification and Confirmation: Sometimes you may hear a new word, but its meaning or the specific object it refers to remains unclear. You can use these questions to confirm your understanding by pointing to the object you believe corresponds to the new word.
  • Scenario: Your teacher says, "Please hand me the stapler." You see two similar objects. You pick one up and ask: Is this the stapler? (Yes/No question first), or, if you're unsure which is meant, you might point to one and say: What is this? to confirm its name.
  • Identifying Unfamiliar Items in New Environments: When traveling or exploring new places, these questions become essential for navigating and understanding your surroundings. English-speaking cultures often value directness in communication, making these questions efficient.
  • Scenario: In a museum, looking at an artifact with no label. You ask a guide: What is that?
  • Scenario: In a friend's kitchen, seeing a kitchen tool you've never encountered. You ask: What's this for? (a slightly more advanced variation, but still rooted in identifying the item).
  • Asking about Pictures, Maps, or Representations: The phrases are not limited to physical objects. You can use them to inquire about items depicted in images, on screens, or on paper, treating the image as a singular item.
  • Scenario: Your friend shows you a picture on their phone. You point to something in the background and ask: What's that?
  • Scenario: Looking at a diagram in a textbook. You point to an unlabeled part and ask: What is this part?

Common Mistakes

New learners make some mistakes. Learn the rules to speak well.
  • Using are instead of is: This is a very frequent error. Learners sometimes confuse the singular nature of this and that with the plural these and those. Remember, this and that always refer to one thing, requiring the singular verb is.
  • Incorrect: What are this? (grammatically incorrect)
  • Correct: What is this?
  • Why it's wrong: Are is the plural form of to be. This is singular. Verbs must agree with their subjects. While you will learn What are these? later for plural items, for now, focus on is for this/that.
  • Incorrect Word Order (Omitting Inversion): Another common mistake is failing to apply subject-verb inversion, which is crucial for forming direct questions in English.
  • Incorrect: What this is? (sounds like a statement with question intonation)
  • Correct: What is this?
  • Why it's wrong: English question structure typically places the verb (is) before the subject (this or that) in information questions. What this is is grammatically correct only as part of an embedded clause within a larger sentence (e.g., Do you know what this is?), which is an advanced structure not covered here.
  • Confusing this and that (Proximity Error): Misjudging the distance of an object is a frequent source of error. Using this for a far object or that for a near object will sound unnatural.
  • Incorrect: You are holding a pen and ask: What is that?
  • Correct: You are holding a pen and ask: What is this?
  • Why it's wrong: The meaning is understood, but it contradicts the fundamental rule of proximity. Native speakers instinctively use this for items they are touching or are very close to, and that for items at a greater distance.
  • Omitting the Subject It in the Answer: In some languages, it's acceptable to respond with just the noun or noun phrase. In English, a subject is almost always required in a complete sentence, even in short answers.
  • Incorrect: Question: What is this? Answer: A book.
  • Correct: Question: What is this? Answer: It is a book. or It's a book.
  • Why it's wrong: A book is not a complete sentence in English. The pronoun It acts as the necessary subject, referring back to the unknown object.
  • Using he or she for Objects: Remember that he refers to a male person, she to a female person, and it refers to singular non-human things or abstract concepts.
  • Incorrect: Question: What is that? (pointing to a car) Answer: He is a car. or She is a car.
  • Correct: Question: What is that? Answer: It is a car.
  • Why it's wrong: Cars, and indeed most inanimate objects, do not have gender in English and are always referred to by it.

Real Conversations

In everyday English, What is this? and What is that? (especially in their contracted forms) are ubiquitous. They reflect genuine curiosity, a need for information, or sometimes even surprise. Observing their usage in various contexts helps to internalize their natural rhythm.

- Casual Interaction (Asking about a new item):

- Friend: "Hey, I got a new device. What's this?"

- You: "It's a smart watch."

- In a store (Identifying products):

- You (to shop assistant, pointing to an unusual fruit): "Excuse me, what is this fruit?"

- Assistant: "It's a dragon fruit."

- Observing something unusual (Distant object):

- You: "Look up! What's that? Is it a drone?"

- Friend: "No, it's just a kite."

- Texting/Online Chat (Informal, often accompanied by a photo):

- Friend: (sends photo of a strange-looking plant) What's this? My neighbor gave it to me.

- You: Looks like a succulent. It's a type of cactus.

- At work (Referring to a document or screen):

- Colleague (pointing to a section of a report): "What is this paragraph about? I don't understand it."

- You: "It's the summary of last quarter's sales figures."

These examples demonstrate how the contracted forms (What's) are standard in most casual and even semi-formal settings. The full form (What is) is still correct and sometimes used for emphasis or in more formal contexts.

Quick FAQ

  • Can I use What is this? to ask about a person?
  • No. What asks for identification of things or concepts. For people, you should use Who is this? or Who is that?. Using What for a person can sound rude or dehumanizing. (You will learn Who later).
  • Can What is this? be used for ideas or abstract concepts?
  • Yes, absolutely. While commonly used for physical objects, it can also inquire about non-physical entities. For example: What is democracy?, What is happiness?, What is that feeling?. In these cases, you are asking for a definition or explanation of the concept.
  • How do I ask about plural objects?
  • For multiple items that are near you, you would ask What are these?. For multiple items that are far away, you would ask What are those?. Notice the change from is to are (plural verb) and from this/that to these/those (plural demonstrative pronouns). (This will be covered in a subsequent lesson).
  • Is What this is? ever grammatically correct?
  • As a standalone direct question, no. However, what this is can be correct when it forms a dependent clause within a larger sentence. For example: I don't know what this is. or Can you tell me what this is? In these cases, it's not a direct question itself, but part of a statement or a more complex question. This is an intermediate-level grammatical structure.
  • **Does What always mean

3. Basic Question Structure

Question Word Verb (is) Demonstrative Punctuation
What
is
this
?
What
is
that
?
What
is
it
?

Contractions (Spoken English)

Full Form Contraction Usage
What is this?
What's this?
Common/Casual
What is that?
What's that?
Common/Casual
What is it?
What's it?
Rare (usually 'What is it?')

Meanings

The fundamental way to ask for the name or identity of an object in English.

1

Physical Identification

Asking about a physical object you can see or touch.

“What is this on the table?”

“What is that in the sky?”

2

Abstract Inquiry

Asking about a concept, idea, or situation.

“What is this 'Bitcoin'?”

“What is that noise?”

3

Rhetorical Disbelief

Expressing shock or disapproval about something someone has done or presented.

“What is this?! Your room is a mess!”

“What is this behavior?”

Reference Table

Reference table for What Is This? — Asking About Things
Form Structure Example
Near Object
What + is + this?
What is this? (holding a phone)
Far Object
What + is + that?
What is that? (pointing at a star)
Contraction
What's + this/that?
What's that noise?
With Adjective
What is + this + [adj] + [noun]?
What is this blue thing?
Short Answer
It is a/an + [noun]
It is an apple.
Negative (Clarification)
What is this? It isn't a...
What is this? It isn't a pen, it's a pencil.

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Could you tell me what this object is?

Could you tell me what this object is? (General)

Neutral
What is this?

What is this? (General)

Informal
What's this?

What's this? (General)

Slang
What's this thingy?

What's this thingy? (General)

This vs. That

THIS
Close In your hand
THAT
Far Across the room

Choosing the Right Word

1

Can you touch it?

YES
Use 'this'
NO
Use 'that'
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Examples by Level

1

What is this?

2

What is that?

3

What's this?

4

What is this? It is a cat.

1

What is that red box?

2

What is this in English?

3

What is that sound?

4

What's that over there?

1

What is this 'special offer'?

2

What is that supposed to be?

3

What is this feeling in my heart?

4

What is this mess in the kitchen?

1

What is this if not a miracle?

2

What is that smell coming from the basement?

3

What is this sudden change of heart?

4

What is this document you've sent me?

1

What is this fascination with the past?

2

What is this 'new reality' we are facing?

3

What is that but a mere shadow of the truth?

4

What is this obsession with productivity?

1

What is this 'self' that philosophers debate?

2

What is this if not the ultimate betrayal of trust?

3

What is that peculiar light on the horizon?

4

What is this 'will to power' in Nietzsche's work?

Easily Confused

What Is This? — Asking About Things vs This vs. That

Learners often use 'this' for everything.

What Is This? — Asking About Things vs What vs. Who

Using 'What' for people.

What Is This? — Asking About Things vs What is this? vs. What is it?

Using 'it' when first introducing an object.

Common Mistakes

✗

What this?

✓

What is this?

English questions need a verb.
✗

This is what?

✓

What is this?

The question word 'What' must come first.
✗

What is that? (pointing to a pen in hand)

✓

What is this?

Use 'this' for things you are holding.
✗

Who is this? (pointing to a rock)

✓

What is this?

Use 'What' for objects, not 'Who'.
✗

What is these?

✓

What are these?

Use 'are' for plural objects.
✗

What's this noise mean?

✓

What does this noise mean?

When adding a main verb like 'mean', you need 'does' support.
✗

What is this 'freedom' you are speaking?

✓

What is this 'freedom' you are speaking of?

Missing the preposition at the end of the relative clause.

Sentence Patterns

What is ___?

What is this ___?

What is that ___ over there?

What is this '___'?

Real World Usage

At a Street Market very common

What is this? Is it a mango?

In a Tech Store common

What is this button for?

At a Doctor's Office occasional

What is this pain in my arm?

Texting a Friend very common

What's this? 😂

Job Interview occasional

What is this specific role's main challenge?

Ordering Food very common

What is that dish on the next table?

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💡

Point and Ask

If you forget the word for an object, just point and say 'What is this?'. It's the best way to learn!
⚠️

Don't forget 'is'

Saying 'What this?' is a very common mistake. Always keep the 'is' in there.
🎯

Use 'What's'

To sound more like a native speaker, use the contraction 'What's' instead of 'What is'.
💬

Polite Gestures

In some cultures, pointing with one finger is rude. Use your whole hand to gesture toward the object.

Smart Tips

Always check the distance. If you can't reach it with your hand, use 'that'.

What is this? (pointing at a plane in the sky) → What is that? (pointing at a plane in the sky)

Contract 'What is' into 'What's'.

What is this? → What's this?

Don't repeat 'This is...'. Use 'It's...' for a smoother answer.

What is this? This is a pen. → What is this? It's a pen.

Use the phrase 'What is this in [Your Language]?' to get a translation.

What is this? → What is this in Spanish?

Pronunciation

What is THIS? (Pitch goes down on 'this')

Falling Intonation

Information questions (Wh- questions) usually end with a falling pitch.

/wɒts/

The 'S' in 'What's'

The 's' in 'What's' is pronounced like a /s/ sound, not a /z/.

Standard Inquiry

What is this? ↘

Simple curiosity

Memorize It

Mnemonic

THIS is in my fist, THAT is where I point my wrist.

Visual Association

Imagine a glowing circle around your feet. Anything inside the circle is 'this'. Anything outside the circle is 'that'.

Rhyme

Near is this, far is that. What is this? It's a cat!

Story

A traveler enters a magic shop. He touches a lamp and asks 'What is this?'. The shopkeeper points to a flying carpet in the corner and says 'What is that?'.

Word Web

Whatisthisthatitobjectthing

Challenge

Walk around your room. Point at 5 things and say 'What is this?' out loud, then answer yourself.

Cultural Notes

Pointing with the index finger is common when asking 'What is this?', but in some cultures, it is considered rude. In those cases, use an open hand.

You might hear 'What's this then?' added to the end of the question in a casual, slightly suspicious or curious way.

In very casual speech, 'What is that?' can sound like 'Whazzat?'.

From Old English 'hwæt' (what) and 'is' (is).

Conversation Starters

“

Point to a fruit in a market: 'What is this?'

“

Look at a strange gadget: 'What is that?'

“

In a museum: 'What is this painting about?'

“

Hearing a strange word: 'What is this word in my language?'

Journal Prompts

Look at the object to your left. Write: 'What is this? It is a...'
Describe a mysterious box you found. Ask three questions starting with 'What is...'
Write about a time you saw something strange. Use 'What was that?'
Explain the difference between 'this' and 'that' to a friend.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Complete the question.

What ___ this?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: is
We use 'is' for singular objects like 'this'.
Choose the correct demonstrative for an object far away. Multiple Choice

What is ___?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: that
'That' is used for objects that are far away.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

This is what?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: What is this?
In English questions, the question word 'What' comes first.
Put the words in order. Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words in the correct order:

All words placed

Click words above to build the sentence

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: What is that?
The order is What + is + Subject.
Match the word to its distance. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: This = Near, That = Far
'This' is close, 'That' is far.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: What is this? B: ___ is a pen.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: It
We use 'It' to refer to a single object in the answer.
Is this rule correct? True False Rule

We use 'What' to ask about people.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
We use 'Who' for people and 'What' for things.
Build a question for an object in your hand. Sentence Building

___ / ___ / ___ / ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: What is this?
Use 'this' for objects you are holding.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Complete the question.

What ___ this?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: is
We use 'is' for singular objects like 'this'.
Choose the correct demonstrative for an object far away. Multiple Choice

What is ___?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: that
'That' is used for objects that are far away.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

This is what?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: What is this?
In English questions, the question word 'What' comes first.
Put the words in order. Sentence Reorder

that / is / What / ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: What is that?
The order is What + is + Subject.
Match the word to its distance. Match Pairs

This / That

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: This = Near, That = Far
'This' is close, 'That' is far.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: What is this? B: ___ is a pen.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: It
We use 'It' to refer to a single object in the answer.
Is this rule correct? True False Rule

We use 'What' to ask about people.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
We use 'Who' for people and 'What' for things.
Build a question for an object in your hand. Sentence Building

___ / ___ / ___ / ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: What is this?
Use 'this' for objects you are holding.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

12 exercises
Complete the question about the item far away. Fill in the Blank

What ___ that?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: is
Correct the question about the object on the table. Error Correction

What this is on the table?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: What is this on the table?
Select the proper way to ask about a strange sound. Multiple Choice

Which question is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: What is that noise?
Type the correct English sentence. Translation

Translate into English: '¿Qué es esto que tienes en la mano?'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["What is this in your hand?","What's this in your hand?"]
Put the words in order to form a question. Sentence Reorder

Arrange these words into a sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: What is that a tree?
Match each demonstrative with the correct verb form for 'What...?' questions. Match Pairs

Match the demonstratives with the correct verb form:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: matched
Choose the correct contraction. Fill in the Blank

___ that strange light?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: What's
Identify and correct the mistake. Error Correction

Tell me what is this, please.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tell me what this is, please.
Which sentence correctly identifies an object after it's been asked about? Multiple Choice

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: It's a pen.
Type the correct English sentence. Translation

Translate into English: '¿Qué es esto?' (referring to something close)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["What is this?","What's this?"]
Reorder the words to ask about a picture. Sentence Reorder

Arrange these words into a sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: What is that picture?
Match the question with the most likely answer. Match Pairs

Match the questions with their answers:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: matched

Score: /12

FAQ (8)

Yes! In fact, native speakers say `What's this?` more often than `What is this?` in casual conversation.

Use `this` for things you can touch or are very close. Use `that` for things further away.

The most common answer is `It is a...` followed by the name of the object. For example: `It is a chair.`

Only when introducing someone (e.g., 'This is my friend'). If you are asking who someone is, use `Who is this?` instead of `What is this?`.

You must use the plural form: `What are these?` or `What are those?`.

They are very similar. `What is this?` is better when you are pointing at something new. `What is it?` is better when you are already talking about the object.

Adding `there` or `over there` just emphasizes that the object is far away. It is very common in casual English.

In some cultures, yes. In English-speaking countries, pointing at objects is usually fine, but pointing at people can be rude.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish high

¿Qué es esto?

Spanish has gendered demonstratives (esto/esta/este).

French low

Qu'est-ce que c'est ?

French uses a fixed idiomatic phrase for simple identification.

German high

Was ist das?

German often uses 'das' for both 'this' and 'that' in casual speech.

Japanese low

Kore wa nan desu ka?

The word order is completely reversed compared to English.

Arabic moderate

Ma hadha?

Chinese moderate

Zhe shi shenme?

Chinese does not move the question word to the front.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
This & That: Pointing Things Out
Next
My & Your — Simple Possessives

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