One and Ones — Substitution Pronouns — English Grammar Exercises
One or ones? Another or the other? Other or others? 60 exercises on substitution pronouns and the most confused words in English at B1–B2.
One and Ones: Replacing Nouns to Avoid Repetition
English uses one (singular) and ones (plural) as substitution pronouns to avoid repeating a countable noun. This system is learnt at A2 but continues to produce errors at B1–B2, particularly with plural forms and in contexts where the pronoun must follow a determiner. Analysis of intermediate learner corpora shows that the single most frequent error is using 'one' where 'ones' is required — typically when the antecedent noun is plural but the learner treats the entire noun phrase as a single unit: 'Do you have cheaper one?' instead of 'cheaper ones'.
When to Use 'One'
Use one to replace a singular countable noun. It typically follows a determiner (the, this, that, a) or an adjective.
This chair is broken. Let's use the one by the window. (one = chair)
I need a pen. Have you got one? (one = a pen, indefinite)
When to Use 'Ones'
Use ones to replace a plural countable noun. It most commonly follows an adjective or a determiner such as 'which', 'these', 'those'.
This hotel is expensive. Are there any cheaper ones? (ones = hotels)
Which cookies would you like? The chocolate ones, please.
What 'One/Ones' Cannot Replace
Neither 'one' nor 'ones' can replace uncountable nouns (water, information, luggage) or proper nouns. In those cases, repeat the noun or use a pronoun such as 'it' or 'some'.
Common Mistakes
✗ Which jacket do you want? I'll take the black ones. → ✓ the black one. (jacket is singular)
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.