Other vs. Others vs. The other vs. Another – English Grammar Exercises for B2
Read the transcript from a tech YouTuber’s latest smartphone review. Pay close attention to how the reviewer compares this new device to the competition, and choose the best option to complete the sentences.
1 “This phone easily lasts two days on a single charge. While ______ struggle to make it past dinner time, the Titan X excels.”
(a) others
(b) other
(c) another
(d) the other
2 “If your current phone battery dies quickly, you are probably forced to carry ______ power bank everywhere you go.”
(a) other
(b) the other
(c) another
(d) others
3 “Compared to ______ flagship devices released this year, the thermal management on this device is simply incredible.”
(a) another
(b) others
(c) other
(d) the other
4 “The manufacturer released exactly two models today. One is the standard version, and ______ is the ‘Pro’ model I hold in my hand.”
(a) another
(b) other
(c) others
(d) the other
5 “When testing the camera in low light, some competitor phones capture a lot of noise, whereas ______ just produce blurry, unusable images.”
(a) another
(b) the other
(c) other
(d) others
6 “I accidentally dropped it on solid concrete to test its durability. Honestly, I wouldn’t dare do that with ______ brand.”
(a) other
(b) another
(c) the other
(d) others
7 “This gaming phone has two charging ports. One is on the bottom for standard charging, and ______ is on the side so you can play while plugged in.”
(a) another
(b) other
(c) the other
(d) others
8 “Most ______ tech reviewers complained about the initial software bugs, but after the recent update, I haven’t experienced any.”
(a) others
(b) another
(c) the other
(d) other
9 “It takes only 15 minutes to charge the battery to 50%, and ______ 20 minutes to reach a full 100%.”
(a) another
(b) other
(c) others
(d) the other
10 “Apple and Samsung might dominate the premium market, but ______ are finally starting to catch up in terms of hardware innovation.”
(a) other
(b) another
(c) the other
(d) others
11 “The OLED screen is so bright, vibrant, and sharp that looking at it feels like looking through a window into ______ dimension.”
(a) other
(b) another
(c) the other
(d) others
12 “I tested five leading smartphones for this review. The Titan X scored the highest, completely destroying ______ in benchmark tests.”
(a) another
(b) other
(c) the others
(d) others
13 “I honestly haven’t found any ______ smartphone on the market that offers this much battery value for under $500”
(a) other
(b) another
(c) others
(d) the other
14 “Why pay $1,200 just for a recognizable logo when ______ offer significantly better battery specs for half the price?”
(a) another
(b) the other
(c) other
(d) others
15 “You basically have two choices this year: buy the Titan X and enjoy endless screen time, or buy ______ and live in constant anxiety about finding a wall outlet.”
(a) another
(b) other
(c) the other
(d) others
16 “Just when we thought smartphone design was getting boring and repetitive, the company surprised us with yet ______ brilliant folding concept.”
(a) other
(b) another
(c) the other
(d) others
17 “While some tech giants stubbornly remove the headphone jack, ______ bravely keep it for the true audiophiles.”
(a) another
(b) other
(c) the other
(d) others
18 “Apart from the slightly weak vibration motor, there are absolutely no ______ major flaws to report regarding this device.”
(a) another
(b) other
(c) the other
(d) others
19 “Out of the three camera lenses on the back, the main sensor is fantastic, but ______ are frankly quite average.”
(a) other
(b) another
(c) others
(d) the others
20 “This specific brand actually listens to consumer feedback, whereas ______ just force useless software bloatware upon us.”
(a) other
(b) another
(c) the other
(d) others
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (a) others
- Why it is correct (The Key): Others is a plural pronoun that stands entirely alone to replace “other smartphones.” It contrasts “this phone” with the general competition on the market, keeping the sentence punchy and avoiding repetitive nouns.
- Error Analysis: (b) other (Needs a noun after it, e.g., “other phones”). (c) another (Singular). (d) the other (Implies a specific, single remaining phone).
2 (c) another
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Power bank” is a singular countable noun. The reviewer is suggesting the need to buy “one more” or “an additional” item. Another + Singular Noun.
- Error Analysis: (a) other (Requires a plural noun). (b) the other (Implies there are only exactly two power banks in the world). (d) others (Pronoun).
3 (c) other
- Why it is correct (The Key): Other + Plural Noun (“flagship devices”). As an adjective, it modifies the plural noun directly to refer to general competitors.
- Error Analysis: (a) another (Used with singular nouns). (b) others (Pronoun; cannot be placed before the noun). (d) the other (Implies a specific remaining set of devices, but the comparison is general).
4 (d) the other
- Why it is correct (The Key): The sentence establishes “exactly two models.” The standard version is the first. The specific, single remaining version out of that pair is definitively “the other.”
- Error Analysis: (a) another (Implies a third model). (b) other (Needs a plural noun). (c) others (Plural pronoun).
5 (d) others
- Why it is correct (The Key): Others acts as a plural pronoun replacing “other competitor phones.” It contrasts perfectly with “some competitor phones.”
- Error Analysis: (a) another (Singular). (b) the other (Singular). (c) other (Requires a noun).
6 (b) another
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Brand” is a singular countable noun. “A different” or “any alternative” single brand requires another.
- Error Analysis: (a) other (Requires a plural noun). (c) the other (Implies there are exactly two brands total). (d) others (Pronoun).
7 (c) the other
- Why it is correct (The Key): The phone has “two charging ports.” One is on the bottom; the specific remaining port is “the other.”
- Error Analysis: (a) another (Implies a third port). (b) other (Needs a plural noun). (d) others (Plural).
8 (d) other
- Why it is correct (The Key): Other + Plural Noun (“tech reviewers”). Modifies the noun to refer to additional reviewers generally.
- Error Analysis: (a) others (Pronoun; cannot precede the noun). (b) another (Singular). (c) the other (Specific).
9 (a) another
- Why it is correct (The Key): Advanced B2 Rule: Another + Number + Plural Noun. “Another 20 minutes” acts as a single, additional quantity of time.
- Error Analysis: (b) other, (c) others, (d) the other cannot be used before a number to quantify an additional block of time in this way.
10 (d) others
- Why it is correct (The Key): Others is a plural pronoun standing in for “other smartphone brands” on the market, contrasting with the two named giants (Apple and Samsung).
- Error Analysis: (a) other (Needs a noun). (b) another (Singular). (c) the other (Singular).
11 (b) another
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Dimension” is a singular countable noun. The reviewer implies looking into “a different” dimension.
- Error Analysis: (a) other (Requires a plural noun). (c) the other (Implies there are exactly two dimensions total). (d) others (Pronoun).
12 (c) the others
- Why it is correct (The Key): The reviewer establishes a specific, closed group: “five leading smartphones.” If Titan X is one, the specific remaining four in that test group are “the others.”
- Error Analysis: (a) another (Singular). (b) other (Needs a noun). (d) others (General, unspecified phones, but this refers to the specific benchmarked group).
13 (a) other
- Why it is correct (The Key): Used after “any”. The structure is any other + singular/plural noun. (Note: “another” contains the article “an”, so you cannot say “any an other”).
- Error Analysis: (b) another (Grammatically invalid after “any”). (c) others (Pronoun). (d) the other (Specific).
14 (d) others
- Why it is correct (The Key): Others is used here as a standalone plural pronoun to represent “other phones” or “other brands” offering better specs.
- Error Analysis: (a) another (Singular). (b) the other (Singular). (c) other (Requires a noun).
15 (c) the other
- Why it is correct (The Key): The sentence explicitly outlines “two choices.” The first is buying the Titan X; the definite remaining choice is “the other.”
- Error Analysis: (a) another (Implies a third choice). (b) other (Needs a plural noun). (d) others (Plural pronoun).
16 (b) another
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Concept” is a singular countable noun. The company released “one more” concept.
- Error Analysis: (a) other (Requires a plural noun). (c) the other (Implies exactly two concepts ever existed). (d) others (Pronoun).
17 (d) others
- Why it is correct (The Key): Others is a plural pronoun replacing “other tech giants.” It contrasts with “some tech giants.”
- Error Analysis: (a) another (Singular). (b) other (Needs a noun). (c) the other (Singular).
18 (b) other
- Why it is correct (The Key): Other + Plural Noun (“major flaws”). Used to modify the noun and indicate there are no additional flaws.
- Error Analysis: (a) another (Used with singular nouns). (c) the other (Specific remaining flaws). (d) others (Pronoun; cannot precede the noun).
19 (d) the others
- Why it is correct (The Key): Simple math. There are “three lenses.” The main sensor is one. The remaining two lenses are a specific, mathematically definite group: “the others.”
- Error Analysis: (a) other (Needs a noun). (b) another (Singular). (c) others (General random things, not a specific closed group).
20 (d) others
- Why it is correct (The Key): Others acts as a plural pronoun meaning “other brands.” It stands alone to avoid repeating the word “brands” while throwing shade at the competition.
- Error Analysis: (a) other (Requires a noun). (b) another (Singular pronoun). (c) the other (Singular).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
When writing reviews or comparisons, these terms help you avoid clunky repetition and clearly define whether you are talking about specific rivals or the general market.
1 OTHERS (The Ultimate “Shade” Pronoun):
- Use Others as a plural pronoun to replace a noun completely. In reviews, it is heavily used to refer to “competitors in general” without naming them.
- Example: “This phone is fast. Others are slow.” (Others = other phones on the market).
2 OTHER + Noun (The Adjective):
- Use Other before a plural noun to modify it. You cannot use it as a standalone pronoun.
- Example: “I don’t like other brands.” (Never write “others brands”).
- Pro-Tip: After the word “any,” use “other” (e.g., any other phone). Do not use “any another.”
3 THE OTHER vs. THE OTHERS (The Definite Remainders):
- Add The when dealing with a closed, mathematically defined group.
- The other: For exactly TWO things. (e.g., It has two ports. One is USB-C, the other is HDMI.)
- The others: For a specific remaining group. (e.g., I tested 5 phones. One won; the others failed.)
4 ANOTHER (One More / An Alternative):
- Use Another + Singular Noun when mentioning a new, single alternative.
- Example: “Let’s look at another feature.”