Pronouns: One/Ones, Another, The Other — English Grammar Exercises
Which one? Another one. The other ones. Master substitution pronouns and choose correctly every time.
Pronouns: One/Ones, Another, The Other — Quick Reference Guide
Substitution pronouns like one, ones, another, the other, and each other are essential for natural-sounding English, yet they consistently trip up intermediate learners. Data from the Cambridge Learner Corpus reveals that pronoun substitution errors appear in approximately 18% of B1-B2 writing samples. The most frequent mistake is confusing another with the other — a distinction that doesn't exist in many languages. According to ELT research, learners who master these pronouns score significantly higher on FCE and IELTS speaking sections because they avoid repetition and sound more fluent. The difference between other (adjective) and others (pronoun) causes further confusion, with over 30% of candidates making this error in Cambridge B2 First exams. These 60 exercises systematically drill every substitution pattern.
One and Ones: Replacing Nouns
Use one to replace a singular noun and ones to replace a plural noun:
"These shoes are nice. Which ones would you like?" (ones = shoes)
After adjectives, English requires one/ones — you cannot say "the blue" or "any cheaper" alone.
Another vs The Other
The key distinction depends on how many items you're talking about:
- Another (= an + other) — one more from many: "Can I have another cup of tea?"
- The other — the remaining one of two: "One is blue, the other is red."
- The others — the remaining ones of a group: "Three left early, the others stayed."
Other (Adjective) vs Others (Pronoun)
Some agreed, others disagreed. (pronoun, no noun after)
Common Mistakes
✗ Which jacket? I'll take the black ones. → ✓ I'll take the black one.
✗ Some people agreed, other disagreed. → ✓ Some people agreed, others disagreed.
✗ They looked at themselves and smiled. → ✓ They looked at each other and smiled. (if mutual)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'one' and 'ones' in English?
'One' replaces a singular countable noun: 'I don't like this shirt. Can I try the blue one?' (one = shirt). 'Ones' replaces a plural countable noun: 'These cookies are nice. Which ones would you like?' (ones = cookies). You cannot use 'one/ones' with uncountable nouns — say 'some' instead: 'I prefer Italian coffee to Brazilian' (not 'Brazilian one').
When do you use 'another' vs 'the other'?
Use 'another' when there are more than two options and you want one more or a different one: 'Can I have another cup of tea?' Use 'the other' when there are only two items and you mean the remaining one: 'I have two brothers. One lives in London, the other lives in Paris.' Think of it this way: another = an + other (one more from many), the other = the specific remaining one.
What is the difference between 'other' and 'others'?
'Other' is an adjective and must be followed by a noun: 'Do you have any other questions?' 'Others' is a pronoun and replaces 'other + noun': 'Some people agreed, others disagreed' (others = other people). A common mistake is using 'others' before a noun — never say 'others people'. Similarly, don't use 'other' alone when a pronoun is needed.
How do you use 'each other' correctly?
'Each other' expresses a mutual or reciprocal action between two or more people: 'They love each other' (= A loves B and B loves A). Don't confuse it with reflexive pronouns: 'They looked at each other' (mutual — A looked at B and B looked at A) vs 'They looked at themselves' (each person looked at their own reflection). 'One another' has the same meaning and is interchangeable in modern English.