English course

Lesson 13 of 240

New here? This is lesson 13 of a free 240-lesson English course.

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What is this in English

Ana is at the Blue Plate again. She points at Murray and asks the name of a thing. Dee helps her ask about people too.

You'll learn What's this and What's that for things near you or farther away.

You'll also ask Who's this, Who's that, When is it, and When's that.

This and that change with how close the thing is. Who is for people. When is for a day or a time.

By the end of this lesson

Ask what, who, and when about things in front of you.

  • What's this?you ask the name of a thing near you
  • What's that?you ask the name of a thing farther away
  • Who's that?you ask who that person is
  • Who's this?you ask who this person is
  • When is it?you ask the day or time of something
  • When's that?you ask when that thing happens

Scene — she points

Ana is back at the Blue Plate. She stands at the counter with her tote bag. Dee holds the coffee pot.

Murray sits on two stools at the end, with eggs and a black coffee he has not finished. The jukebox by the door stays quiet.

Ana stands at the counter with her tote bag while Dee holds the coffee pot and Murray sits at the end with eggs and unfinished coffee.

Learn — what, who, and when

Six short lines help you ask what, who, and when.

This is near you. That is farther away. Who is for people.

  1. Ana looks down at the coffee mug beside her hand while Dee and the coffee pot are nearby.

    What's this?

    you ask the name of a thing near you

    When to use it: Say this when a thing is near you.

    Learn it as one piece for a thing near you.

    Say it: The stress is on this.

  2. The quiet jukebox stands by the door while Ana and Dee remain near the counter in the background.

    What's that?

    you ask the name of a thing farther away

    When to use it: Say this when a thing is farther away.

    Learn it as one piece for a thing farther away.

  3. Ana points toward Murray seated at the far end of the counter.

    Who's that?

    you ask who that person is

    When to use it: Ask this about a person farther away.

    Learn it as one piece for a person farther away.

  4. Murray gives a polite greeting as Ana and Dee look toward him from the counter.

    Who's this?

    you ask who this person is

    When to use it: Ask this about a person near you.

    Learn it as one piece for a person near you.

  5. Ana looks up toward the plain wall clock as Dee stands nearby holding the coffee pot.

    When is it?

    you ask the day or time of something

    When to use it: Ask this for the day or time of something.

    Learn it as one piece for a day or a time.

    Say it: When and is can link.

  6. Ana points toward the clean chalkboard while Dee gestures toward a pie on the counter.

    When's that?

    you ask when that thing happens

    When to use it: Ask this for when that thing happens.

    Learn it as one piece for when that happens.

Story — a regular

Watch Ana ask about Murray, then about a cup near her hand.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

  1. Ana points at Murray at the end of the counter.
  2. AnaWhat's that?you ask the name of a thing farther away
  3. DeeThat's a regular, hon.She says Murray comes here a lot.
  4. AnaWho's that?you ask who that person is
  5. Murray tips his horns a little.
  6. DeeThat's Murray.She tells Ana the person's name.
  7. MurrayWell, hello.a polite hello
  8. DeeWho's this? This is Ana.She tells Murray who is next to her.
  9. MurrayNice to meet you.you are happy to meet this person
  10. Ana points at a cup next to her hand.
  11. AnaWhat's this?you ask the name of a thing near you
  12. DeeCoffee, hon. Pie's later.She names the drink and says pie comes later.
  13. AnaWhen is it?you ask the day or time of something
  14. MurrayWhen's that?you ask when that thing happens
  15. DeeSaturday, sweetie.She says the pie is on Saturday.

Practice — this or that

Ten quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    English

    What's this?Drop the Simple English here
    Who's that?Drop the Simple English here
    Who's this?Drop the Simple English here
    When is it?Drop the Simple English here

    Simple English

    Drag a Simple English line onto its English, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    You hold a cup in your hand. You want its name.

  4. What does it mean?

    What's that?

  5. Fill the gap

    you ask when that thing happens

    ____ that?

  6. Build the line

    you ask the day or time of something

    ?

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Pick the reply

    Dee says:

    That's a regular, hon.

    She says that person comes here a lot.

    And you reply with:

  8. Swap the word

    A new person stands next to you. Ask Dee who they are.

    Who's ____?

  9. True or false?

    This line asks the name of a thing near you.

  10. What do you say?

    Murray just said hello. You are happy to meet him.

Say it — ask it back

Now you're Ana at the counter. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap play first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. DeeHi, hon.a friendly hello
  2. Ana (you)Ask the name of the cup near you.

    What's this?

    you ask the name of a thing near you

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

EnglishSimple English
What's this?you ask the name of a thing near you
What's that?you ask the name of a thing farther away
Who's that?you ask who that person is
Who's this?you ask who this person is
When is it?you ask the day or time of something
When's that?you ask when that thing happens
Next: lesson 14Numbers one to ten

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