The difference between "this" and "it"

[Charlie Bernstein]

There is a group on Facebook for native speakers to share their knowledge. They said either question is fine.

They're right.

There is a warning from me.

Who are you warning?

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.

There's not a big difference. What is this? and What is that? often mean the same thing. This is usually nearby, but that can be near or far. Example:

Emma comes to work with a big, fat diamond ring on her hand. Gloria grabs Emma's hand, looks closely at the ring, and says, "What is that?"

She could have said, "this." But she chose not to.

It's seems to be easy but it's not.

No, it's not. It's English!

There is no strict rule about this and that.

Just keep listening to native speakers and you'll get the hang of it.

 

[tedmc]

Just remember that it is okay to use that for things that are both near and far (unless you are holding it) but it is not okay to use this for things far away, obviously. Otherwise the you can't really draw the line of difference.

 

[Tarheel]

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

That's because of (at least in part) the questions people ask.

Rachel, sometimes there is a vast difference between native speakers and ESL learners. You said that it seems to be easy, but it's not. Maybe explaining it would be hard. It's the kind of thing most people don't think twice about, so explaining it doesn't come natural to them. (Of course, most people aren't English teachers.)

Relax. You don't need to learn everything all at once.

 

[Rachel Adams]

There is no strict rule about this and that.

Just keep listening to native speakers and you'll get the hang of it.

Oh, she could have said "this" but chose not to. That's intresting. Thank you. I was going to ask a question about a similar situation before you wrote your answer. You didn't use "it". No more questions about "this", "that", "it" difference when pointing at something and teaching kids. But if in a similar situation I tell my husband who has just came home from the supermarket and is holding something in his hand or put it on the table near him. I can ask him "What is this?" ( In his hand), "What is that? (In his hand) or a little far from both of us. But not "What is it?" Right?

 

[Rachel Adams]

No.

Unlike my previous sentence, using "it" isn't wrong. Is it?

 

[tedmc]

If your husband is holding something up for you to see and you don't know what it is, then'What is it?' is possible.

That is for you to say it, but not for your husband who is holding it.

 

[Rachel Adams]

If your husband is holding something up for you to see and you don't know what it is, then' What is it?' is possible.

In Charlie Bernstein's example. Post #28 "What is it?" Instead of "this" and "that" isn't impossible either, is it? Last question, if you please.
As always I have learnt more on this forum than I usually do by reading my textbooks that don't really give detailed explanations.

 

[Rachel Adams]

If you are referring to the diamond ring example, 'it' is not impossible, but it is highly unlikely.

As I said earlier, you do have a tendency to hunt out apparent exceptions to most of the things experienced members here tell you. Try to stick with the common/normal/natural examples.

Got it! I didn't know that native speakers use that to refer to things that are near us as tedmc said.
Thanks a million, everyone!

 

[Rover_KE]

Done and dusted, I think.

Thread closed.

 

[GoesStation]

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

I've just found such a context. If you're identifying yourself to someone who can't see you — on the phone, for example — you can say either "This is Hugh Berengar" or "It's Hugh Berengar".

If anyone wants to temporarily reopen the thread to discuss this, please PM me.

 

[Rachel Adams]

I've just found such a context. If you're identifying yourself to someone who can't see you — on the phone, for example — you can say either "This is Hugh Berengar" or "It's Hugh Berengar".

If anyone wants to temporarily reopen the thread to discuss this, please PM me.

I have another question.
It was wrong to use "it" when pointing at something as in "What is it?" "It is a dog." But in two different situations when one person sees a ring on the finger of another person and when I see that my husband brought something from the supermarket it's near us on the table or it's in his hands, As Piscean said in these two situations using "it" is not impossible as in "What is it?" Asking that person in situation#1 and #2. Is it because I am not pointing at the ring and the thing which was brought from the supermarket? What is the exact difference between these situations?

 

[GoesStation]

As Piscean said in these two situations using "it" is not impossible as in "What is it?" Asking that person in situation#1 and #2. Is it because I am not pointing at the ring and the thing which was brought from the supermarket? What is the exact difference between these situations?

Piscean said "it" wasn't impossible in the scenario he constructed. Don't worry about "not impossible" cases: we use those words when we've thought of a very rare situation where the usage could work. As a learner, these cases are not worth worrying about.

 

[Rachel Adams]

Piscean said "it" wasn't impossible in the scenario he constructed. Don't worry about "not impossible" cases: we use those words when we've thought of a very rare situation where the usage could work. As a learner, these cases are not worth worrying about.

OK. I won't worry. By using "it" in those two situations, I mean the ring and supermarket examples, is the speaker pointing to the ring and the thing mentioned? That left me wondering.. Since "It" isn't a demonstrative pronoun. Posts 28 and 31.

 

[GoesStation]

OK. I won't worry. By using "it" in those two situations, I mean the ring and supermarket examples, is the speaker pointing to the ring and the thing mentioned? That left me wondering.. Since "It" isn't a demonstrative pronoun. Posts 28 and 31.

It's really not something worth spending the forum's time on. Thread (re-)closed.