by Laura Jones
Updated on October 15, 2024
It vs. this: When to use which?
A really tricky problem for many English learners is knowing when to use it vs. this. The main difference is it is a pronoun and this is a determiner and a pronoun. Because of the difference in grammar of this vs it, they are used in distinct ways. In this article, we’ll look at lots of examples so you can learn how to use this vs it correctly.
It can replace a subject or object that has already been referred to in a sentence. In this usage, we only use it to refer to an inanimate object or an animal, not a person. It is a third-person singular pronoun.
It can be used as a dummy subject when talking about the weather, time and distances. You cannot use this in these sentences.
You can also use it as a dummy subject in several constructions.
It can also be used in cleft sentences. You make these types of sentences when you want to emphasize a certain piece of information.
You can use this to introduce a person to someone else or to introduce a thing.
Use this when you want to indicate something that is close to you.
One common error is knowing when to use it is vs this is. You can use it is as a dummy subject when you are identifying someone. In contrast, you use this is to introduce someone.
You can use both this and it to refer back to something that has already been mentioned, but there is a difference in usage. English learners really often make mistakes with this usage and overuse it. We use it to refer back to a single thing that has already been mentioned. We use this to refer back to whole sentences or previous parts of a text. Take a look at these examples to see the difference between using it and this in this way.
My computer is essential to me. It is the one thing I can’t do without at work. (It refers back to the computer only.)
Computers have become essential in the modern workplace. This means that all employers must provide them to their employees. (This refers back to the whole sentence.)
Our garden is pretty small. It is big enough for us, though.
Our garden gets a lot of sun year-round. This allows us to sit outside even in the winter.
Hopefully, with these examples, you’ll be able to use it and this correctly in sentences from now on. Remember that it is a subject and object pronoun that refers to animals and inanimate objects, and can be used as a dummy subject in several constructions, including with time and weather. We use this to introduce people and to demonstrate something nearby.
