One and Ones in English: Rules, Examples and Practice

Hello English learners! In this lesson, you will learn how to use one and ones in English, when they can replace nouns, when we should not use them, and how to avoid some common mistakes.

We often use one and ones when the listener or reader already knows which type of person or thing we are talking about.

Instead of repeating the same noun, we replace it.

Compare:

Repetitive: I don’t like this dress. I prefer the green dress.

More natural: I don’t like this dress. I prefer the green one.

The meaning stays the same, but the sentence becomes smoother.

Table of Contents

Using One for a Singular Countable Noun

We use one to replace a singular countable noun that has already been mentioned or is obvious from the situation.

Structure

adjective + one

This phone is quite old. I need a new one.

There is no need to repeat the noun because its meaning is already clear.

Using Ones for Plural Countable Nouns

We use ones to replace plural countable nouns.

Structure

adjective + ones

I don’t like these shoes. I prefer the brown ones.

Here, ones replaces nouns such as shoes, biscuits, rooms, exercises and houses.

One and Ones after Adjectives

One of the most common uses of one and ones in English is after an adjective.

a cheap one
an expensive one

For example:

Which laptop should I buy?
I’d choose the lighter one.

The adjective tells us which person or thing we mean, while one/ones replaces the noun.

One and Ones after Which

We frequently use one and ones in questions with which.

Which one do you prefer?
Which ones are the most comfortable?

For example:

A: There are three different designs. Which one do you like best?

B: The simplest one.

And:

A: Which shoes are yours?

B: The black ones.

These structures are extremely common in everyday English.

This One and That One

We can use:

this one
that one

when we are referring to a particular singular item.

For example:

I don’t like that jacket. I prefer this one.
Which cake would you like? That one, please.

This often happens when the object is physically present, and both speakers can see it.

These, Those and Ones

With plural nouns, these and those can often stand alone:

I like these.
I don’t want those.
These are cheaper.
Those look more comfortable.

So we often do not need to add ones.

However, forms such as these ones and those ones are also used, particularly in informal spoken English and when speakers want to make a contrast especially clear.

For example:

Not those ones — these ones.
Which ones do you mean? Those ones over there.

The One / The Ones + Additional Information

We can use the one or the ones followed by information that identifies the person or thing.

The one + phrase or clause

Who is Sarah? She’s the one in the blue coat.

The ones + phrase or clause

The ones we bought yesterday were better.

Can One and Ones Be Used for People?

Yes.

Although we often use one and ones for objects, they can also refer to people when the noun is clear from the context.

There were several candidates, but the experienced one gave the best interview.

However, with people, English often has other natural alternatives such as person, people, man, woman, student, candidate or a pronoun. Choose the form that makes the meaning clearest.

Do Not Normally Use One or Ones with Uncountable Nouns

We normally use one/ones to replace countable nouns.

They do not normally replace an uncountable noun directly.

For example:

❌ ~~This furniture is old. I want a modern~~ one.

Better:

✅ This furniture is old. I want some modern furniture.

When We Do Not Need One

Sometimes an adjective can be used without one/ones, particularly when referring to groups of people.

For example:

the young
the elderly
the rich
the poor

We say:

The young often adapt quickly to new technology.

Not:

~~The young ones often adapt quickly to new technology.~~

However, young ones is possible when we are referring to particular young people or animals already identified in the context.

The older children went outside while the younger ones stayed indoors.

The context makes the difference.

One Meaning “People in General”

There is another, quite different use of one.

In formal English, one can mean a person in general, similar to general you.

For example:

One should always check the facts before making a decision.

The possessive form is one’s:

One should take responsibility for one’s actions.

Practice: One and Ones in English

Complete each sentence with one, ones, or leave the gap empty if no additional word is needed.

This jacket is too expensive. Have you got a cheaper ______?
I don’t like the black shoes. I prefer the brown ______.
Which ______ is your car?
These biscuits are nice, but the chocolate ______ are better.
I don’t want those. I’ll take ______.
My laptop is older than the ______ I use at work.
Which ______ of these photos would you like to keep?
The small rooms are cheaper than the large ______.
This furniture is very traditional. I’d prefer some modern ______.
The students who finished first helped the ______ who were still working.

Answers: 1. one, 2. ones, 3. one, 4. ones, 5. these / these ones, depending on context, 6. one, 7. one, 8. ones, 9. — (modern furniture), 10. ones

Once you become comfortable with one and ones in English, you can avoid unnecessary repetition and make both your spoken and written English sound smoother and more natural.

More C1 Advanced Use of English Practice

If you are preparing for C1 Advanced, grammar patterns such as one and ones are only one part of the Use of English paper. You also need strong vocabulary, collocations, word formation, open cloze and key word transformation skills.

My C1 Advanced Use of English Complete Collection gives you structured exam-style practice to help you develop these areas step by step.

Get the C1 Advanced Use of English Complete Collection →

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