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Here is a short grammar exercise for students working on English reading and writing. In “Which question should I answer? — The shorter one”, one stands for the countable noun question. It helps us avoid repeating a noun that both people already understand.
Singular and plural
“Which example is clearer? — The first one.”
“Which examples are clearer? — The first ones.”
The adjective does not change. Use one for one example and ones for more than one. Repeating the noun is also correct: “The first examples” still expresses the same idea.
A useful reading check
When you see one or ones after an adjective, look back for the countable noun it replaces. Put that noun back into the sentence and check whether the meaning still works.
For example: “I wrote two paragraphs. The second one gives the reason.” Here, one means paragraph. These are original practice sentences, not quotations from an exam paper.
Watch the limit
Uncountable nouns need a different approach. In “I need more information”, information is not a set of countable objects, so “the useful ones” would not simply replace it. In “useful pieces of information”, the countable noun would be pieces.
Try these before looking at the answers:
1. Which paragraph needs a heading? — The final ___.
2. Which sentences need checking? — The long ___.
3. I found two explanations. The simpler ___ helped me.
4. Which practice questions should I repeat? — The difficult ___.
Answers: 1. one; 2. ones; 3. one; 4. ones. In each case, say the replaced noun aloud as a second check.
For a small follow-up task, write a question and a short answer about two items on your desk. Then make the noun plural and adjust the answer.
I work on LingvoBerry. This explanation is adapted from our learning material; our one and ones lesson with practice exercises covers the same distinction.
Singular and plural
“Which example is clearer? — The first one.”
“Which examples are clearer? — The first ones.”
The adjective does not change. Use one for one example and ones for more than one. Repeating the noun is also correct: “The first examples” still expresses the same idea.
A useful reading check
When you see one or ones after an adjective, look back for the countable noun it replaces. Put that noun back into the sentence and check whether the meaning still works.
For example: “I wrote two paragraphs. The second one gives the reason.” Here, one means paragraph. These are original practice sentences, not quotations from an exam paper.
Watch the limit
Uncountable nouns need a different approach. In “I need more information”, information is not a set of countable objects, so “the useful ones” would not simply replace it. In “useful pieces of information”, the countable noun would be pieces.
Try these before looking at the answers:
1. Which paragraph needs a heading? — The final ___.
2. Which sentences need checking? — The long ___.
3. I found two explanations. The simpler ___ helped me.
4. Which practice questions should I repeat? — The difficult ___.
Answers: 1. one; 2. ones; 3. one; 4. ones. In each case, say the replaced noun aloud as a second check.
For a small follow-up task, write a question and a short answer about two items on your desk. Then make the noun plural and adjust the answer.
I work on LingvoBerry. This explanation is adapted from our learning material; our one and ones lesson with practice exercises covers the same distinction.