Pronouns: One/Ones, Another, The Other — English Grammar Exercises — English Grammar Exercises
One or ones? Another or the other? Other or others? 45 questions across 3 practice blocks on substitution pronouns and the most confused words in English at B1–B2.
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one / ones
Use one (singular) and ones (plural) to avoid repeating a countable noun.
✅ I need a new phone — this one is broken.
✅ Which shoes do you want? — The blue ones.
one vs it
- one = a different example of the same type: I lost my pen, so I bought one. (a new pen)
- it = the specific thing already mentioned: I lost my pen, but I found it. (the same pen)
another
another = "one more" or "a different one" — singular only: Can I have another cup? / another one?
other / others / the other / the others
| Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| other + plural noun | additional, different | other people |
| others (pronoun) | other people/things, not specified | Some left; others stayed. |
| the other | the second of two | One is red, the other is blue. |
| the others | the remaining ones of a group | One stayed; the others left. |
another vs the other
- another = one more, an extra (from many)
- the other = the last remaining one (from two)
Common mistakes
| ❌ | ✅ |
|---|---|
| One cat is black, another is white. | One cat is black, the other is white. |
| Some like tea; the others like coffee. | Some like tea; others like coffee. |
| I'd like another apples. | I'd like other apples. |
| This pen is broken — give me it. | This pen is broken — give me another one. |
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I need a new phone — this ___ is broken.
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one
Use 'one' to replace a singular countable noun — 'this one' (phone).
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Which shoes do you want? — The blue ___.
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ones
Use 'ones' to replace a plural countable noun — 'the blue ones' (shoes).
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I don't like this jacket. Have you got a smaller ___?
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one
'A smaller one' replaces a singular noun (jacket).
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These cups are dirty. Please use those clean ___.
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ones
'Those clean ones' replaces a plural noun (cups).
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This coffee is cold. Can I have ___, please?
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another
'Another' means 'one more' — another (cup of) coffee.
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I have two cats. One is black and ___ is white.
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the other
With two items, the second one is 'the other'.
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Which dress do you prefer? — I'll take this ___.
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one
'This one' replaces a singular noun (dress).
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Would you like ___ piece of cake?
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another
'Another' + a singular noun means 'one more' — another piece.
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Three of the students passed the test, but ___ failed.
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the others
'The others' means the rest of the group — the remaining students.
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Don't take those old apples — take the fresh ___.
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ones
'The fresh ones' replaces a plural noun (apples).
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Some people like coffee; ___ people prefer tea.
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other
'Other' + a plural noun — 'other people'.
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My old bike was stolen, so I bought a new ___.
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one
'A new one' = a new bike of the same type — not the same bike, so not 'it'.
One/Ones, Another, The Other: A Complete Reference
The substitution pronouns one and ones and the determiners another, the other, other, and others belong to the same grammatical neighbourhood but divide along three distinct axes: definiteness, number, and whether the set is open or closed. Analysis of the Cambridge Learner Corpus places this group consistently among the top 10 sources of determiner errors at B1–B2 level. A 2019 study of intermediate learner writing found that over 40% of 'another' uses in plural contexts were incorrect — producing 'another ones' or 'another colours' — and that nearly 30% of 'the other' slots were filled by 'another', collapsing the open/closed set distinction. These 45 questions across 3 practice blocks address all five forms systematically, from single-form discrimination to mixed-context error detection.
One and Ones — Avoiding Noun Repetition
One replaces a singular countable noun; ones replaces a plural countable noun. Both require a modifier or determiner — they cannot stand alone after a verb.
These shoes are expensive. Are there any cheaper ones? (ones = shoes)
I need a pen. Have you got one? (one = a pen, indefinite)
Note: 'one/ones' cannot replace uncountable nouns. Say 'I need milk — have you got any?', not 'have you got one?'
Another — One More or a Different One
Another (= an + other, always one word) signals that the set is open: there are more available. It is always singular and always precedes a singular noun or stands alone.
I didn't like that film. Let's watch another one. (a different one)
He failed the test, so he'll take it another time. (one more occasion)
The Other / The Others — The Remaining One(s)
The other signals that the set is closed: you know exactly how many there are, and this is the last one. The others refers to the remaining members of a specific group.
I have two gloves but I can only find one. Where's the other? (the specific missing glove)
Three students passed. The others all failed. (the remaining specific students)
Other and Others — Adjective vs Pronoun
Other is an adjective — it must precede a noun: 'other questions', 'other people'. Others is a pronoun — it stands alone, without a following noun, and refers to a general group not fully specified.
Some people like spicy food; others prefer mild. (pronoun, general)
We need to consider the other options. (adjective — not 'the others options')
Each Other — Mutual Actions
Each other expresses reciprocal actions between two or more people — A acts on B and B acts on A. It is invariable: never 'each others' (no plural) and never 'one other'.
We haven't seen each other since the wedding.
The twins always finish each other's sentences. (possessive: apostrophe before -s)
Common Mistakes
✗ The coffee is cold. Can I have other cup? → ✓ another cup. (one more = another)
✗ Can you give me another ones? → ✓ other ones. (another is always singular)
✗ I have two cats. One is black, other is white. → ✓ the other is white. (remaining one of a pair)
✗ I have two gloves and can only find one. Where's another? → ✓ the other. (specific missing glove)
✗ We need to consider the others options. → ✓ the other options. (adjective before noun = other)
✗ Some like spicy food. The others prefer mild. → ✓ Others prefer mild. (general group = no 'the')
✗ I've tried two restaurants. I want to try the another. → ✓ the others. ('the another' is impossible)
✗ Tom and Sara congratulated themselves after winning. → ✓ each other. (mutual, not reflexive)
✗ We email one other every week. → ✓ each other. ('one other' is not a valid form)
✗ She has two jobs. One is well-paid, but another is not. → ✓ the other. (closed set of two)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'another' and 'the other'?
'Another' means one more of an open set, or a different one: 'Can I have another cup of tea?' — there are many cups available. 'The other' refers to the remaining one of a closed, known set — typically a pair: 'I have two sisters. One lives in London; the other lives in Paris.' The key test: if the total number is fixed and you are pointing to the remaining item, use 'the other'. If you are adding one more from an unlimited supply, use 'another'.
When do you use 'one' vs 'ones' as a pronoun?
'One' replaces a singular countable noun to avoid repetition: 'I don't like this shirt — can I try the blue one?' (= the blue shirt). 'Ones' replaces a plural countable noun: 'I don't like these shoes — have you got cheaper ones?' (= cheaper shoes). Neither 'one' nor 'ones' can replace an uncountable noun — you cannot say 'I need water, have you got one?'
What is the difference between 'others' and 'the others'?
'Others' (without 'the') refers to other people or things in general — the group is open and unspecified: 'Some people prefer tea; others prefer coffee.' 'The others' (with 'the') refers to the remaining members of a specific, identifiable group: 'Three students passed. The others all failed.' The rule mirrors the general principle of the definite article: 'the' is used when both speaker and listener know exactly which ones are meant.
Can 'another' be used before a plural noun?
In standard use, 'another' is always singular — it cannot precede a plural noun directly: say 'other colours', not 'another colours'. There are two apparent exceptions: 'another few minutes' and 'another couple of days', where 'another' functions as a determiner for the entire noun phrase rather than the noun alone. Outside these fixed phrases, use 'other' before plural nouns.
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