Other, others, the other or another

Other, others, the other or another?

Teacher: Bruno Reis

Other

The Other

Another

Exercise 1

Exercise 2

Mistakes

Exercise 3

Exercise 4

Thanks!

Adapted from: dictionary.cambridge.org and www.englishexercises.org

01

Other

Other means ‘additional or extra’, or ‘alternative’, or ‘different types of’.

Other as a determiner

We can use other with singular uncountable nouns and with plural nouns:

The embassy website has general information about visas. Other travel information can be obtained by calling the freephone number. (additional or extra information)

Some music calms people; other music has the opposite effect. (different types of music)

What other books by Charles Dickens have you read, apart from ‘Oliver Twist’? (additional or extra books)

This one’s too big. Do you have it in other sizes? (alternative sizes)

If we use other before a singular countable noun, we must use another determiner before it:

I don’t like the red one. I prefer the other color. Not: I prefer other color. Jeremy is at university; our other son is still at school. He got 100% in the final examination. No other student has ever achieved that.There’s one other thing we need to discuss before we finish.

Warning:Other as a determiner does not have a plural form:Mandy and Charlotte stayed behind. The other girls went home.Not: The others girls …

Other as a pronounWe can use other as a pronoun. As a pronoun, other has a plural form, others:

We have to solve this problem, more than any other, today. I’ll attach two photos to this email and I’ll send others tomorrow.

02

The other

The other as a determiner

The other with a singular noun means the second of two things or people, or the opposite of a set of two: This computer here is new. The other computer is about five years old. A: D’you know the Indian restaurant in Palmer Street? B: Yes. A: Well, the gift shop is on the other side of the street, directly opposite. (the opposite side)The other with a plural noun means the remaining people or things in a group or set: Joel and Karen are here, but where are the other kids? (the remaining people in a group) Where are the other two dinner plates? I can only find four. (the remaining things in a set – here six plates)

The other as a pronoun

We can use the other as a pronoun, especially to refer back to something which has been mentioned already in the sentence: He had his hat in one hand and a bunch of flowers in the other. She has two kittens, one is black and the other is all white.

03

Another

When we use the indefinite article an before other, we write it as one word: another. Another means ‘one more’ or ‘an additional or extra’, or ‘an alternative or different’.

Another as a determinerWe use another with singular nouns: Would you like another cup of coffee? You’ve met Linda, but I have another sister who you haven’t met, called Margaret. I don’t like this place. Is there another café around here we could go to? (alternative or different)

Another as a pronoun

We can use another as a pronoun:

The applications are examined by one committee, then passed on to another.

EXERCISE 1

Complete the sentences with another, other, others, the other and the others

1. May I ask you __________ question?
2. He is my __________ classmate.
3. We are four friends, one is small, __________ is skinny and __________ are tall.
4. I do not want this shirt. Give me __________ one.
5. In the meeting there were five men, three were seated and __________ were standing.
6. Can you give me __________ ice cream, please? The previous one was delicious.
7. Some people think I should study, __________ people think I should work.
8. Some of my cousins love to live in the countryside, __________ prefer to live in the city.
9. She wants __________ book.
10. Do you want to go with me to the beach __________ day? The day is very cold.
11. John has three cars, one is gray, __________ is red, and __________ is black.
12. I have many friends, some live in my neighborhood, __________ go to my school.
13. I want __________ cake, the one I just ate was very delicious.
14. They have six colors, two are green, __________ is white and __________ are black.
15. Could you give me __________ cocktail? I would like to try them all. = another
16. Where are __________ ? We cannot go to the party without them = the others

EXERCISE 2

THE OTHER ME - JIM STURGESS

04

Other, others, the other or another: typical errors

-> When other is a determiner, it does not have a plural form: These boxes are for books. The other boxes are for clothes. Not: The others boxes … -> When other as a pronoun refers to more than one person or thing, it takes the plural form, others: Some scientists think we should reduce the number of flights to prevent global warming; others disagree. Not: … other disagree.

-> Other must have a determiner before it when it comes in front of a singular countable noun. If the noun is indefinite (e.g. a book, a woman, an idea), we use another: I’ve posted the first package. What shall I do with that other package? Not: What shall I do with other package? After a month in Bolivia, I was ready to move to another country. Not: … to move to other country.

-> We write another as one word: There is another car park a little further down the same street. Not: There is an other car park … Another is singular. We don’t use it with plural nouns: Other interesting places to visit include the old harbor and the castle. Not: Another interesting places to visit …

EXERCISE

Choose the correct option and complete the sentence

1. When will there be __________ time to see us?a) another b) other c) the other2. That's the __________ book I was looking fora) another b) other c) the other3. I do not like these movies, I prefer __________. a) another b) other c) the others4. __________ pictures would look better on that walla) another b) other c) the other5. Hey, do you have __________ books that lend you?a) another b) other c) the other6. This cake has a bad taste, can you give me __________?a) another b) other c) the other7. These shoes annoy me, I prefer __________. a) another b) other c) the other8. The piano is mine and __________ instruments are hersa) another b) other c) the other9. I need another pen, __________ one is overa) another b) other c) the other

10. Could you lend me movies? The __________ I saw last week were greata) other b) another c) the other11. I do not like these paintings, I want __________.a) another b) other c) the others12. I finished seeing these magazines, I want __________ pleasea) another b) other c) the other13. Do you have __________ photo of me on your cell phone?a) another b) other c) the other14. Do you want __________ colors for you? a) another b) other c) the others

EXERCISE 4

Find the hidden words based on the topic presented

Did You find them all?

THANK YOU!