Unit 8.2
Another vs Other vs The other
Introduction
Determiners are modifiers of nouns. They can provide a wide range of information. {see Determiners, A2 level}
Another, other and the other look similar but they have differences in meaning.
Form
Another, other and the other are determiners used to give more information about a noun.
They have different positions:
- Another goes with singular countable nouns;
- Other goes with plural countable and uncountable nouns;
- The other goes with singular and plural, countable and uncountable nouns.
Example
- I would love another glass of rosé, please.
- Have you got any other curtains?
- He heard some other information on how to decorate his house.
- This mirror here is big. The other
mirrorone is small. - She’s got two sons. One
sonis 12. The othersonis only 2.
Use
We use these determiners when we talk about the same things or people in a sentence:
- Another when the meaning is one more (an additional item/thing/person…);
- Other when something/someone is different from something/someone mentioned before, and it also gives the meaning of extra, additional;
- The other when something/someone is the second of two things or people, or the opposite.
Summary
Another, other and the other are determiners used to give more information about a noun.
They have different positions:
- Another goes with singular countable nouns when the meaning is one more (an additional item/thing/person…);
- Other goes with plural countable and uncountable nouns when something/someone is different from something/someone mentioned before and it also gives the meaning of extra, additional;
- The other goes with singular and plural, countable and uncountable nouns when something/someone is the second of two things or people, or the opposite.
For example:
— “I bought another house last week.” = I bought one house more even though I have one house already.
— “I bought other houses last week.” = I bought many more houses.
— “There were 2 houses in that district. I didn’t like the red one, so I bought the other one.” = I didn’t choose the red one, I bought the remaining house.
Let’s revise this content within the {Form} section. Take a look at the {Example} section that shows its use within a context.