Why is "them books" wrong?

Them receives action (I gave them books) but doesn't point. The pointing job belongs to those: those books. It's a speech habit in plenty of communities, so we treat it as a writing convention to practice, and the worksheet items make the correction feel routine.

What comes after demonstratives?

They fold into the bigger determiner family alongside articles, which we practice separately as a, an, and the. A student who can choose among this/that/these/those and a/an is handling the two determiner decisions elementary writing actually requires.

3rd grade this, that, these, and those

3rd grade this, that, these, and those worksheets

Third graders use the four pointing words automatically and clean up the common slip of "them" as a pointer ("them books"). The two-question habit, how many and how far, resolves every item without memorization.

Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core L.1.1.h.

Each print is a different sheet with its own answer key. You don't need to sign up.

The kind of sentences you'll get

Circle the letter of the pointing word that fits the sentence.

snowflakes on my sleeve have six perfect points. These · Those
Answer: These
sheepdogs across the meadow herd without barking. These · That · Those
hay bales across the pasture look like giant marshmallows. That · Those

Every print pulls a new set of sentences at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different mix.

What's on a 3rd grade sheet

3rd grade sheets draw from 60 sentences, 10 to a page. All 60 are on 2nd grade sheets too, along with 60 more. 2nd grade sheets print 8 to a page.

A few of the sentences:

That mural across the street took the artists all summer.
That scarecrow at the far edge of the garden wears my old hat.
Those food trucks down the block sell mango ice.

Choose the word. Circle the letter of the pointing word that fits the sentence. 10 questions per page.

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.

How to teach this

Nearly automatic at this age, so aim at the last error standing: them as a demonstrative. "Them books" is common in speech; the writing convention is those. Handle it matter-of-factly as a difference between how people talk and what tests expect, not as a moral failing.

Watch for: Two questions decide every case: how many, and how far. Answer both before choosing. Them is never a pointing word: it's those books, not them books.

Common questions about 3rd grade this, that, these, and those

Why is "them books" wrong?: Them receives action (I gave them books) but doesn't point. The pointing job belongs to those: those books. It's a speech habit in plenty of communities, so we treat it as a writing convention to practice, and the worksheet items make the correction feel routine.
What comes after demonstratives?: They fold into the bigger determiner family alongside articles, which we practice separately as a, an, and the. A student who can choose among this/that/these/those and a/an is handling the two determiner decisions elementary writing actually requires.

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Aligned to Common Core L.1.1.h. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 241, updated August 2026.

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