The difference between "this" and "it"

[Rachel Adams]

Hello.

Is there any difference in meaning between "This is a cat" and "It is a cat", "How much is this?" and "How much is it?" I mean between "it" "this".

 

[SoothingDave]

"This" indicates that the item is in close proximity to you. "This is my cat. Do you want to pet him?" vs. "I have a pet at home. It's a cat."

 

[Rachel Adams]

"This" indicates that the item is in close proximity to you. "This is my cat. Do you want to pet him?" vs. "I have a pet at home. It's a cat."

Can they both be used in other sentences? For example, in my sentence "How much is this?" and "How much is it?"

 

[GoesStation]

Can they both be used in other sentences? For example, in my sentence "How much is this?" and "How much is it?"

I can't think of a context where they'd both be natural. That's not to say such contexts don't exist.

 

[emsr2d2]

I can't come up with an exact context in which they'd all work but here's a place where you could use them all. Imagine you're in a shop and you want to buy a loaf of bread.

1. You pick up a loaf of bread and take it to the till. You ask the cashier "How much is this?"
2. You point to a loaf of bread and ask the cashier "How much is that?"
3. You enter the shop and ask the cashier if they have a loaf bread. She says "Yes". You say "How much is it?"

 

[Rachel Adams]

I can't come up with an exact context in which they'd all work but here's a place where you could use them all. Imagine you're in a shop and you want to buy a loaf of bread.

1. You pick up a loaf of bread and take it to the till. You ask the cashier "How much is this?"
2. You point to a loaf of bread and ask the cashier "How much is that?"
3. You enter the shop and ask the cashier if they have a loaf bread. She says "Yes". You say "How much is it?"

And in your sentences there is no difference between "it" and "this". Right? In children books there are lots of such exercises.
If I am pointing at a dog and say "What is it?" or "What is this?" (The dog is near I am not using "that") or answer the question by saying "It is a dog" and "This is a dog". It won't be wrong. Am I right!

 

[emsr2d2]

And in your sentences there is no difference between "it" and "this". Right?

Wrong. It's true that they both refer to bread. However, "this" refers to the loaf of bread in my hand that I have taken to the till. "it" refers to the unspecific loaf of bread that the cashier has told me they have in stock but which I have yet to see or touch.

If there were no difference between them, we would have no need to use one in one situation and one in the other.

 

[Rachel Adams]

Wrong. It's true that they both refer to bread. However, "this" refers to the loaf of bread in my hand that I have taken to the till. "it" refers to the unspecific loaf of bread that the cashier has told me they have in stock but which I have yet to see or touch.

If there were no difference between them, we would have no need to use one in one situation and one in the other.

I often see "it" in places where it should be "this" as in this video https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=tNK0ToOgntw#menu

 

[GoesStation]

I may not have expressed myself clearly. There are few if any contexts where "this" and "it" could be used interchangeably. The words have different meanings and uses.

 

[Rachel Adams]

Then stop watching videos designed for infants.

The question is why do the use "it" instead of "this" and is there any difference in meaning? If there are contexts where they are used interchangeably is this one of them?

 

[emsr2d2]

We don't expect three-year-olds to understand the nuance of difference between "it" and "this". That video isn't designed to teach grammar; it's to teach vocabulary (nouns). Also, if you imagine that before each picture, someone says "What is this?", the answer would be "It's a ...". We don't repeat the "this" in the response.

 

[Alexey86]

This is what Swan says (Practical English Usage, 4th edition):

145 this/that and it: things that have just been mentioned

1 referring back
This, that and it can all be used to refer back to things or situations that have just been talked or written about. It does not give any special emphasis.
So she decided to paint her house pink. It upset the neighbours a bit.
This and that are more emphatic; they 'shine a light', so to speak, on the things or situations, suggesting 'an interesting new fact has been mentioned'.
So she decided to paint her house pink. This/That really upset the neighbours, as you can imagine.
This is preferred when there is more to say about the new subject of discussion.
So she decided to paint her house pink. This upset the neighbours so much that they took her to court, believe it or not. The case came up last week...
Then in 1917 he met Andrew Lewis. This was a turning point in his career: two men entered into a partnership which lasted until 1946, and...
(More natural than...That was a turning point...)

2 more than one thing
When more that one thing has been mentioned, it generally refers to the main subject of discussion; this and that generally refer to the new
subject that has been introduced (often the last thing mentioned). Compare:
- We keep the ice-cream machine in the spare room. It is mainly used by the children, incidentally. (The machine is used by the children.)
We keep the ice-cream machine in the spare room. This/that is mainly used by the children, incidentally. (The spare room is used by the children.)
- I was carrying the statue to my office when I dropped it on the kitchen table. It was badly damaged. (The statue was damaged.)
I was carrying the statue to my office when I dropped it on the kitchen table. This was badly damaged. (The table was damaged.)

3 focus
It is used only to refer to things which are 'in focus' - which have already been talked about.
This is preferred when we 'bring things into focus' before anything has been said about them. Compare:
I enjoyed 'Vampires' Picnic'. It/This is a film for all the family...
VAMPIRES' PICNIC: This is a film for all the family...(NOT [STRIKE]VAMPIRES' PICNIC: It is a film for all the family[/STRIKE]...)

4 referring forward
Only this can refer forward to something that has not yet been mentioned.
Now what do you think about this? I thought I'd get a job in Spain for six months, and then...(NOT [STRIKE]Now what do you think about that/it[/STRIKE]...)

173.7
It not only refers to particular things. It can also refer to a whole fact, event or situation:

Our passports were stolen. It completely ruined our trip.
I did all I could, but it wasn't enough.

 

[Rachel Adams]

"it" refers to the unspecific loaf of bread that the cashier has told me they have in stock but which I have yet to see or touch.

Ir.

That's what prompted me to ask my question. It's obvious that "this" is something specific while "it" is not. That's why I didn't understand why they were using "it" when referring to specific animals they were pointing at. A native speaker wouldn't repeat "this" or "that" in their reply and in this context that's why they don't use "that" or "this" but "it" instead. "It is a dog." OK. I understand now. It is a standard response and in this context, it does not matter if the object is near you or not. Right?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

That's what prompted me to ask my question. It's obvious that "this" is something specific while "it" is not.

It is certainly specific. It's a pronoun for a specific thing.

- The house is tall. It is red. It is a tall, red house.

- That's a dog. It's a happy dog. This is also a dog. It's happy, too.

That's why I didn't understand why they were using "it" when referring to specific animals they were pointing at. A native speaker wouldn't repeat "this" or "that" in their reply and in this context that's why they don't use "that" or "this" but "it" instead. "It is a dog." OK. I understand now. It is a standard response and in this context, it does not matter if the object is near you or not. Right?

Right.

It sounds like you get it now.

 

[Rachel Adams]

It sounds like you get it now.

Thus you use "it" when something was mentioned for the second time. For example, "I have a new dress. It's red."
In answers you don't repeat "this" and "that". What is this/that?"
The answer, "It is a book." In this case "it" is not a demonstrative pronoun, however it shows that we are pointing at a specific object near or far from us.
If I start my question with "What is it?" The answer is "It is a dog." The "it" can be repeated. But the question isn't common, is it? I mean the question "What is it?" Instead of "What is this/that?" When pointing at something.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

. . . If I start my question with "What is it?" The answer is "It is a dog." The "it" can be repeated. But the question isn't common, is it? . . .

That's right. When someone says, "What is it?" it often means: What's wrong? What's the matter? What's the trouble? What's bothering you? What's the problem?

Me: Ow!
You: What is it?
Me: I stubbed my toe!

And we also use it when we're not talking about tangible things:

You: I have a question.
Me: What is it?
You: What's the difference between this and that?

 

[Rachel Adams]

We are almost certainly not pointing at it. If we were pointing at something, we'd probably be asking "What's that?"

Then why do some native speakers say it is a common question (What is it?") and it is used instead of "What is this?" and "What is that?" and either can be used in a context like mine. I am pointing at a book and say "What is it?" (In the picture) Or "What is that?" (It's far) and "What is this?" (In the picture). Native speakers seem to have different options on this.:shock:

 

[GoesStation]

The native speakers on this board probably think more deeply about English than most.

 

[Rachel Adams]

Which native speakers are you talking about, and what exactly do they say?

There is a group on Facebook for native speakers to share their knowledge. They said either question is fine. There is a warning from me. I am not saying what I was told here is wrong in the same way I am not criticising answers of the people I am talking about. I am just trying to understand this confusing difference. It's seems to be easy but it's not.

 

[emsr2d2]

Most native speakers, if they were pointing at a picture in a book, would say "What is this?" or "What is that?" There is no single correct question for that situation. If you lengthen the utterance, the question can change. I could point at a picture and say to someone "Can you see that animal under the tree? What is it?"