Grammar / A1 Grammar lessons and exercises / The difference between ‘this’ and ‘it’
The difference between this and it
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🟢 When do we use this?
You can use this to talk about something near you. It is like pointing your finger at something in front of you.
- This cat is cute. (The cat is right there with you.)
- This is my house. (The house in front of you.)
- I think this jacket is perfect for you.
You can also use this to introduce a person to another one or to introduce yourself on a phone call.
- This is my brother John.
- Hello, this is Linda. (On the phone)
The plural form of this is these.
- These are my brothers, John and Edward.
🔵 When do we use it?
To talk about something again
We use it to talk about something that we mentioned, or that is known. It is a pronoun, like he or she, but we use he or she to talk about people, and we use it to talk about objects or animals.
- This cat is cute. It is sleeping.
- This is my house. I bought it last year.
Apart from objects or animals, we can also use it to refer to a situation or idea mentioned before.
There was a storm, and they cancelled the concert. It was a disaster.
(It refers to the storm and the cancelling of the concert)
Times, dates, weather, distance
It is used to talk about times, dates, weather, and distances.
- It’s very late.
- “What day is it?” “It’s Tuesday.”
- It was sunny yesterday.
- It’s not very far from here.
It’s + adjective + to-infinitive
- It’s nice to see you again.
- It’s easy to get lost in this part of the city.
It’s + adjective + that…
- It’s important that you learn this.
💡 Quick Tip
Use this to point or introduce. Use it to refer back, describe weather/time/distance, or talk about general situations.