Other vs. Others vs. The other vs. Another – English Grammar Exercises for B2
Read the employee’s formal email to their manager requesting a deadline extension due to an overwhelming workload. Choose the best option to complete the sentences.
1 “Dear Sarah, I am writing to respectfully request ______ three days to complete the Q3 Market Analysis Report.”
(a) other
(b) the other
(c) another
(d) others
2 “As you know, my schedule has been heavily impacted by several ______ urgent deadlines that came up earlier this week.”
(a) another
(b) other
(c) the other
(d) others
3 “I have already finished the domestic sales analysis, but compiling the data for ______ region will take a bit more time. There are only two regions in this report.”
(a) another
(b) other
(c) others
(d) the other
4 “Just yesterday, the regional director assigned me ______ critical presentation to prepare for the board meeting.”
(a) another
(b) other
(c) the other
(d) others
5 “I have handed over some of my minor administrative duties to my assistant so I don’t delay the marketing team and ______ departments.”
(a) another
(b) other
(c) the others
(d) the other
6 “If you could grant me ______ 48 hours, I can guarantee that the final data visualization will be flawless.”
(a) other
(b) the other
(c) another
(d) others
7 “I noticed that some team members are experiencing a quiet week, while ______ are completely overwhelmed with client requests.”
(a) the other
(b) another
(c) other
(d) others
8 “Right now, I have two choices. One option is to submit an incomplete, rushed draft today. ______ option is to take the weekend to perfect it.”
(a) Another
(b) Other
(c) The other
(d) Others
9 “I spoke to the HR director just ______ day, and she also acknowledged how unusually high our current departmental workload is.”
(a) another
(b) the other
(c) other
(d) others
10 “I have completed the first half of the competitor evaluation, and I am currently working through ______ half.”
(a) other
(b) another
(c) the other
(d) others
11 “I completely understand that everyone is busy, and I certainly do not want to unfairly push my responsibilities onto ______.”
(a) other
(b) another
(c) the other
(d) others
12 “Aside from this specific report, there are no ______ outstanding tasks on my priority list right now.”
(a) another
(b) other
(c) the other
(d) others
13 “Processing the feedback from the clients took an entire week, and now I must spend ______ two weeks implementing their requested changes.”
(a) other
(b) the other
(c) another
(d) others
14 “I asked my colleagues in the sales branch if they could help gather the data, but they are focused on ______ projects.”
(a) another
(b) the other
(c) other
(d) others
15 “Two managers have already submitted their financial figures to me. I am currently just waiting for ______ to send theirs so I have the complete set.”
(a) the others
(b) another
(c) other
(d) others
16 “I know we have a strict policy regarding deadlines, but surely there is some flexibility for ______ 50 pages of complex data.”
(a) other
(b) another
(c) the other
(d) others
17 “This morning, the IT system crashed again, which cost me ______ three hours of valuable working time.”
(a) other
(b) another
(c) the other
(d) others
18 “If my delay causes issues, please let me know if there is ______ way I can make up for the lost time.”
(a) other
(b) another
(c) the other
(d) others
19 “I am perfectly willing to work late every evening this week if it means I do not have to disappoint you or ______ in the management team.”
(a) other
(b) another
(c) the other
(d) others
20 “Thank you for your continuous support. I hope you will give me ______ chance to prove the high quality of my research.”
(a) other
(b) the other
(c) another
(d) others
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (c) another
- Why it is correct (The Key): This is a crucial B2 grammar rule: Another + Number + Plural Noun. Even though “days” is plural, the phrase “three days” is treated as a single, unified block of time. You are asking for “one more block” of three days.
- Error Analysis: (a) other (Incorrect before a number indicating an additional amount). (b) the other (Implies a specific remaining three days). (d) others (Pronoun; cannot precede a noun).
2 (b) other
- Why it is correct (The Key): Other + Plural Noun (“urgent deadlines”). It refers to additional, unspecified deadlines.
- Error Analysis: (a) another (Used with singular countable nouns, e.g., “another deadline”). (c) the other (Would mean a specific remaining group of deadlines). (d) others (Pronoun; cannot be placed before the noun “deadlines”).
3 (d) the other
- Why it is correct (The Key): The sentence establishes that there are exactly “two regions.” If one is finished, the remaining one is specific and definite, requiring “the other.”
- Error Analysis: (a) another (Would imply a random third region). (b) other (Needs a plural noun). (c) others (Plural pronoun).
4 (a) another
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Presentation” is a singular countable noun. The speaker was assigned “one more” or “an additional” presentation. Another + Singular Noun.
- Error Analysis: (b) other (Must be used with plural or uncountable nouns). (c) the other (Implies there were exactly two specific presentations). (d) others (Pronoun).
5 (b) other
- Why it is correct (The Key): Other + Plural Noun (“departments”). Refers to different departments in general.
- Error Analysis: (a) another (Used with singular nouns). (c) the others (Pronoun; cannot precede the noun “departments”). (d) the other (Implies a specific remaining group of departments, but “other departments” is a general statement here).
6 (c) another
- Why it is correct (The Key): Another + Number + Plural Noun. Just like “another 3 days,” “another 48 hours” represents an additional, single block of time.
- Error Analysis: (a) other (Grammatically incorrect before a number indicating an additional amount). (b) the other (Meaning error). (d) others (Pronoun).
7 (d) others
- Why it is correct (The Key): Others is a plural pronoun standing in for “other team members” in general. It contrasts “some team members” with unspecified “others.”
- Error Analysis: (a) the other (Singular). (b) another (Singular). (c) other (Requires a noun after it).
8 (c) The other
- Why it is correct (The Key): The sentence explicitly states “two choices.” Option 1 is submitting early; Option 2 is the specific, remaining option, making it “the other option.”
- Error Analysis: (a) Another (Implies there is a third option). (b) Other (Needs a plural noun). (d) Others (Plural pronoun).
9 (b) the other
- Why it is correct (The Key): “The other day” is a fixed English idiom that means “a few days ago” or “recently.” It is highly natural in B2/C1 business English.
- Error Analysis: (a) another, (c) other, (d) others do not form this specific time idiom.
10 (c) the other
- Why it is correct (The Key): A whole is made of exactly two halves. If the first half is done, the remaining half is definite and specific (“the other half”).
- Error Analysis: (a) other (Incorrect before singular countable without an article). (b) another (Implies a third half, which is mathematically impossible). (d) others (Plural pronoun).
11 (d) others
- Why it is correct (The Key): Others acts as a plural pronoun meaning “other people.” The speaker doesn’t want to push work onto other people.
- Error Analysis: (a) other (Requires a noun, e.g., “other people”). (b) another (Singular, meaning “one other person”). (c) the other (Singular).
12 (b) other
- Why it is correct (The Key): Other + Plural Noun (“outstanding tasks”). Used in a negative sentence to say there are no additional tasks.
- Error Analysis: (a) another (Used with singular nouns). (c) the other (Implies specific remaining tasks). (d) others (Pronoun; cannot precede “outstanding tasks”).
13 (c) another
- Why it is correct (The Key): Another + Number + Plural Noun. “Another two weeks” means an additional block of two weeks.
- Error Analysis: (a) other, (b) the other, (d) others are grammatically incorrect for expressing an additional quantified amount of time.
14 (c) other
- Why it is correct (The Key): Other + Plural Noun (“projects”). They are focused on different, unspecified projects.
- Error Analysis: (a) another (Singular). (b) the other (Would mean a specific remaining set of projects). (d) others (Pronoun; cannot precede the noun).
15 (a) the others
- Why it is correct (The Key): The speaker mentions a specific group (managers). If two have submitted, the speaker is waiting for the specific remaining members of that exact group, requiring the definite plural pronoun the others.
- Error Analysis: (b) another (Singular). (c) other (Needs a noun). (d) others (General, unspecified people, but here the group of managers is a specific, closed group).
16 (b) another
- Why it is correct (The Key): Another + Number + Plural Noun. “Another 50 pages” acts as a single, additional quantity of work.
- Error Analysis: (a) other (Grammatically incorrect here). (c) the other (Implies a specific remaining 50 pages). (d) others (Pronoun).
17 (b) another
- Why it is correct (The Key): Another + Number + Plural Noun. “Another three hours” means an additional block of three hours lost.
- Error Analysis: (a) other, (c) the other, (d) others cannot be used to quantify an additional amount in this structure.
18 (b) another
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Way” is a singular countable noun. The speaker is asking if there is “one more” or “a different” single way. Another + Singular Noun.
- Error Analysis: (a) other (Requires a plural noun, “other ways”). (c) the other (Implies exactly two specific ways). (d) others (Pronoun).
19 (d) others
- Why it is correct (The Key): Others acts as a plural pronoun replacing “other people” in the management team.
- Error Analysis: (a) other (Needs a noun). (b) another (Singular). (c) the other (Singular).
20 (c) another
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Chance” is a singular countable noun. The speaker is asking for “one more” chance. Another + Singular Noun.
- Error Analysis: (a) other (Requires a plural noun). (b) the other (Implies there were exactly two chances total). (d) others (Pronoun).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
When negotiating deadlines or discussing workloads in professional emails, mastering these terms is essential for clarity and politeness:
1 The “Block of Time” Rule (ANOTHER + Number + Plural Noun):
- While “another” usually pairs with singular nouns, it is perfectly correct to use it before a number and a plural noun to mean an additional amount.
- This is the most polite and natural way to ask for an extension.
- Examples: “I need another three days.” / “It will cost another 500 dollars.” / “Give me another 48 hours.”
2 OTHER vs. OTHERS:
- OTHER is an adjective. You must place a plural noun immediately after it.
- Example: “I have other deadlines to meet.”
- OTHERS is a pronoun. It stands completely alone and replaces the noun (usually meaning “other people”). Never put a noun after “others.”
- Example: “I don’t want to give my work to others.”
3 THE OTHER vs. THE OTHERS:
- Adding “The” makes the word definite. You use it when talking about the specific remaining items in a known, closed group.
- The other: Used for exactly TWO things. If you have option A, the remaining one is the other option. It is also used in the excellent B2 idiom “the other day” (meaning recently).
- The others: Used when multiple specific items remain. (e.g., “Two managers replied; I am waiting for the others.”)