How to Read Japanese Demonstratives in Reading: What Do “This,” “That,” and “That Over There” Refer To?

One surprisingly common reason learners lose points in Japanese reading questions is misunderstanding demonstratives.

You see words like これ (kore / this), それ (sore / that), and あれ (are / that over there), and you quickly connect them to the nearest noun. But then the sentence does not quite make sense. Or worse, the passage feels understandable, yet you choose the wrong answer.

This happens because in Japanese reading, demonstratives often do not point to just one nearby word. They may point to a whole idea, a previous sentence, an example, or even the writer’s evaluation.

In JLPT reading, being able to follow これ, それ, and あれ can help you see the writer’s argument, the reason behind it, and the structure of contrast or conclusion. Let’s organize how to read them in a practical way.

First, What Are これ, それ, and あれ?

The basic explanation is simple.

これ (kore / this) refers to something close to the speaker.

それ (sore / that) refers to something close to the listener, or something already mentioned.

あれ (are / that over there) refers to something distant from both the speaker and listener, or something both people already know.

For example:

これは私の本です。
This is my book.

それはあなたのですか。
Is that yours?

あれは昨日見た建物です。
That is the building we saw yesterday.

In conversation, these words often refer to visible things. But in reading passages, there is usually no object in front of you. Instead, これ (kore / this), それ (sore / that), and あれ (are / that over there) often refer to ideas in the text.

That is where reading becomes tricky.

Demonstratives Do Not Always Refer to the Nearest Noun

The first rule is this: do not assume that the noun right before the demonstrative is the answer.

In reading, これ (kore / this) may refer to:

• the whole previous sentence
• the main idea of the previous two sentences
• the writer’s judgment or evaluation
• a concrete example mentioned earlier

In other words, demonstratives often refer not to a word, but to content.

Once you understand this, your reading becomes much more stable.

これ Often Refers to the Idea Being Discussed Right Now

Let’s start with これ (kore / this).

In reading passages, これ often points to the idea currently being discussed. It works like a short label for the content that has just been explained.

Example:

日本では近年、働き方に対する考え方が変わってきている。給料だけでなく、自分の時間や成長の機会を重視する人も増えている。これは、企業の採用方法にも影響を与えている。
In recent years, people’s views on work in Japan have been changing. More people now value not only salary, but also personal time and opportunities for growth. This is also affecting how companies recruit employees.

Here, これは (kore wa / this) does not refer only to 人 (hito / people). It refers to the whole idea before it:

People’s views on work are changing.

More people value time and growth opportunities, not only salary.

So when you see これ (kore / this), do not look only for the closest noun. Ask yourself:

What idea has just been explained?

That is often the answer.

それ Often Refers to a Previous Idea with Slight Distance

Next, let’s look at それ (sore / that).

それ is similar to これ because it also points back to something already mentioned. But it often creates a little distance from the previous idea. It may refer to a method, opinion, claim, or someone else’s statement that has already appeared.

Example:

多くの学生は、試験前になると単語だけをまとめて覚えようとする。しかし、それだけでは読解問題で安定して点を取ることは難しい。
Many students try to memorize only vocabulary lists before an exam. However, that alone is not enough to score consistently well on reading questions.

Here, それだけ (sore dake / that alone) refers to:

試験前に単語だけをまとめて覚えようとすること
trying to memorize only vocabulary lists before the exam

The writer is saying that this study method is not enough.

So when you see それ (sore / that), think:

Is this pointing back to a method, idea, or claim already mentioned?

This will help you avoid choosing only the nearest noun.

あれ Is Less Common in Expository Texts, but Important in Dialogue

Compared with これ and それ, あれ (are / that over there) is less common in formal reading passages. It appears more often in dialogue, essays, memories, or personal stories.

あれ may point to something both the speaker and listener know, or to an event in the past.

Example:

去年の発表会を覚えていますか。あれは、私にとって大きな転機でした。
Do you remember last year’s presentation event? That was a major turning point for me.

Here, あれ (are / that) refers to 去年の発表会 (kyonen no happyōkai / last year’s presentation event).

But it may also include the entire experience of that event, not just the event name itself.

In JLPT reading, when あれ appears, check the shared context, the previous event, or the memory being discussed.

From これ, それ, あれ to この, その, あの

So far, we have looked at これ (kore / this), それ (sore / that), and あれ (are / that over there) as independent words.

But in reading, you will also see related forms such as:

この点 (kono ten / this point)

その理由 (sono riyū / that reason)

あの出来事 (ano dekigoto / that event)

These are connected to the same idea.

これ becomes この when it modifies a noun.

それ becomes その when it modifies a noun.

あれ becomes あの when it modifies a noun.

For example:

この点を見落としてはいけません。
You must not overlook this point.

その理由は二つあります。
There are two reasons for that.

あの出来事は今でも忘れられません。
I still cannot forget that event.

In reading, この, その, and あの are not completely separate from これ, それ, and あれ. They are part of the same demonstrative system.

こうした and そうした Are Also Useful Reading Signals

Once you understand これ and それ, you can also understand expressions like:

こうした変化 (kōshita henka / this kind of change)

そうした考え (sōshita kangae / that kind of thinking)

このような状況 (kono yō na jōkyō / this kind of situation)

そのような理由 (sono yō na riyū / that kind of reason)

These expressions are not exactly the same as これ, それ, and あれ, but they work in a similar way. They summarize previous content and turn it into a phrase.

Example:

日本では近年、働き方に対する考え方が変わってきている。給料だけでなく、自分の時間や成長の機会を重視する人も増えている。こうした変化は、企業の採用方法にも影響を与えている。
In recent years, people’s views on work in Japan have been changing. More people now value not only salary, but also personal time and opportunities for growth. These kinds of changes are also affecting how companies recruit employees.

Here, こうした変化 (kōshita henka / these kinds of changes) refers to the whole previous explanation.

It means:

the change in people’s views on work

the increase in people who value time and growth opportunities

So こうした is not a sudden new topic. It is a related demonstrative expression that summarizes what came before.

Look at the Word After the Demonstrative

When you are not sure what a demonstrative refers to, look at what comes after it.

For example:

これは重要な点だ。
This is an important point.

それが問題なのだ。
That is the problem.

あれは大きな変化だった。
That was a major change.

この点を見落としてはいけない。
You must not overlook this point.

その理由は二つある。
There are two reasons for that.

The word after the demonstrative often tells you what kind of content to look for.

If the sentence says これは重要な点だ (kore wa jūyō na ten da / this is an important point), go back and ask:

What previous idea is being treated as important?

If the sentence says それが問題なのだ (sore ga mondai na no da / that is the problem), ask:

What previous situation is being evaluated as a problem?

This method is much more reliable than simply choosing the nearest noun.

In Exams, Search for a Paraphrase, Not Just a Noun

In reading questions, demonstratives often work like paraphrases.

For example:

都市に人が集中している。
People are concentrating in cities.

地方では働く場が減っている。
In rural areas, job opportunities are decreasing.

若者が地元を離れる。
Young people are leaving their hometowns.

このような状況が続けば、地域社会の維持は難しくなる。
If this kind of situation continues, maintaining local communities will become difficult.

Here, このような状況 (kono yō na jōkyō / this kind of situation) refers to all three previous points.

The writer does not repeat the same content word for word. Instead, the writer summarizes it in a new form. Demonstratives are one of the most common tools for doing this.

So when you see これ, それ, あれ, この, その, or こうした, ask:

Where is the same idea expressed in a different form?

That question will guide you to the correct answer.

Common Mistakes Learners Make

Many learners lose points because of these habits.

1. Looking only at the nearest noun

The nearest noun may be part of the answer, but it is not always the whole answer.

2. Reading only one sentence before the demonstrative

Sometimes the demonstrative refers to two or three previous sentences.

3. Deciding only by distance

It is true that これ feels closer, それ feels a little more distant, and あれ feels farther away.

But in reading, context is more important than physical distance.

Do not decide mechanically. Always check whether the meaning fits the surrounding sentences.

Demonstratives Are Also Structure Signals

Another way to think about demonstratives is this:

They are not just difficult grammar points. They are signs that the writer is organizing the passage.

After explaining something, the writer may say:

これ (kore / this)

それ (sore / that)

この点 (kono ten / this point)

その理由 (sono riyū / that reason)

こうした考え (kōshita kangae / this kind of thinking)

その結果 (sono kekka / as a result)

When you can follow these expressions, you can see the structure of the passage more clearly.

Fast readers are not only reading Japanese quickly. They are good at finding these organizing signals.

A 3-Step Method for Reading Demonstratives

Here is a practical method you can use during an exam.

Step 1

When you find a demonstrative, look back not only one sentence, but about two sentences if necessary.

Step 2

Check the word after the demonstrative. Is it a point, reason, problem, change, result, or situation?

Step 3

Choose the most natural meaning as a whole idea, not just as one word.

This simple method can turn vague reading into evidence-based reading.

For a broader view of similar inference and judgment expressions, see the guide to confusing JLPT inference expressions. JLPT Inference and Judgment Expressions

For a broader view of Japanese negative expressions, see the guide to confusing JLPT negative expressions. Confusing JLPT Negative Expressions

Summary

これ (kore / this), それ (sore / that), and あれ (are / that over there) feel difficult because learners often try to find only one word.

But in reading, these expressions often refer to a whole idea.

The same is true for related expressions such as この (kono / this...), その (sono / that...), あの (ano / that...), こうした (kōshita / this kind of...), and そうした (sōshita / that kind of...).

If you want to improve your reading accuracy, do not read demonstratives in isolation. Follow the connection between sentences. Look for the idea being summarized.

RJT is designed to help learners build this kind of reading skill together with grammar, vocabulary, and listening practice. You can answer questions, check explanations, use a pop-up dictionary, listen to audio, track answer time, and review your learning history in one smooth study flow.

If you often get confused by これ, それ, and あれ, try practicing with real reading questions while paying attention to how sentences connect. Your score changes not only when you know more words, but when you read with a better strategy.

Start practicing Japanese reading more effectively with RJT:

https://rapid-jt.com/