これ・それ・あれ + は + Noun + です

[Demonstrative pronouns: this / that / that over there]

Usage: Stand-alone pronouns that replace nouns. Do NOT place a noun after them.

Distance system (こ・そ・あ):

• これ — near the speaker (this one)
• それ — near the listener (that one by you)
• あれ — far from both (that one over there)

Pattern: これ/それ/あれ + は + Noun + です

• これは本です (This is a book)
• それは何ですか (What is that?)
• あれは東京タワーです (That over there is Tokyo Tower)

これ vs この: これ stands alone; この must be followed by a noun.

• これは私のです (This is mine) — pronoun
• この本は私のです (This book is mine) — adjective + noun

Examples:

• これをください (I'll take this one, please)
• それはいくらですか (How much is that?)