その

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: Follow その with a noun, placing any required particle after the noun phrase.
  • In その帽子を見せてください。, を marks the hat as the object to be shown.
• Basic usage: It names and points to something near the listener or mentioned earlier.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Structure compared with それ
  • その帽子 retains the noun for hat, while それ directly stands for the indicated object. Their structures differ even when they refer to the same object.
• Previous mention and shared memory
  • その話 naturally picks up a story just mentioned. あの話 can suit a context in which both people recall a story they know.