Those Meaning
Those Definition & Usage
Used to refer to specific people or things that are more distant in space or time, or that have been previously mentioned.
Examples
- "Those books are on the table."
- "I don't like those shoes you bought last week."
- "Look at those stars in the sky."
- "Those who study hard will succeed."
- "The ones who left early missed out on all the fun."
Used before a noun to specify things or people that are distant in time or space, often contrasting with 'these'.
Examples
- "Those apples look fresh."
- "Do you see those houses on the hill?"
- "I want to try those cakes over there."
- "Those ideas you mentioned earlier are really intriguing."
- "Those plans will have to be adjusted."
Cultural Context
The word 'those' originates from Old English 'þās', which is the plural form of the demonstrative 'þēos' (this). Over time, it has become an essential part of English grammar used to refer to plural, distant or previously mentioned things, contrasting with 'these'.
The Mystery of Those Forgotten Keys
Story
The Mystery of Those Forgotten Keys
In the small, quiet town of Maplewood, the mystery of the missing keys had everyone puzzled. Sarah had just returned home after a long week away, only to find that her front door was locked, and the keys were nowhere to be found. Her husband, Dan, was sitting on the couch, scrolling through his phone. He looked up when she entered, noticing her confused expression. "Have you seen those keys I left on the counter?" Sarah asked, holding up her phone and pointing to a photo she'd taken of the keys last week. Dan squinted at the photo. "Those? I think I saw them on the kitchen table last night, but... they’re not there now." Sarah sighed and walked to the kitchen. "They must’ve fallen behind the fridge or something." As she searched, their daughter, Emma, walked in, holding a large box. "Hey, look what I found in the attic," she said, placing the box on the counter. "I thought these old toys might be fun to look at." Sarah turned to her daughter. "Those toys! I used to love playing with them when I was your age." Dan chuckled. "Speaking of old things, remember those terrible shoes you bought a while ago? The ones you said you would wear every day? I think they’re still in the closet, collecting dust." Sarah smiled, shaking her head. "Oh, those! I forgot about them." After a few moments, Emma found a set of old keys in the box. "Are these the keys you were talking about?" she asked, holding them up. "Yes! Those are the ones!" Sarah said with relief. She took the keys, thanked Emma, and then smiled at Dan. "I guess those old toys weren’t the only thing worth finding today." As they laughed, Sarah thought about how easily they had all gotten sidetracked by the past, finding things they had almost forgotten about in the process of solving a problem.
