Some or One (Let's buy some/ones with flowers on)

[Tung Quoc]

Dear teachers,

What is the difference btw "some" and "ones" in:

a. We need new curtains. OK, let's buy ones with flowers on.
b. We need new curtains. OK, let's buy some with flowers on.

Best regards
Quoc

[Pamela]

. We need new curtains. OK, let's buy ones with flowers on.
Ones stand here for "curtains"
We need new curtains. OK, let's buy some with flowers on.
Some implies here something indefinite(I mean about curtains: quantity, what kind of exactly but with flowers on ).

[Tung Quoc]

Dear Pamela,

"
You may also say
We need new curtains. OK, let's buy any with flowers on. "

What does any with flowers on mean? (please explain so that I can distinguish the difference in meaning btw "one", "some", "any".Thanks teacher.)

Quoc

[Pamela]

Any I like better
We need new curtains. OK, let's buy any with flowers on.
Any means any kind of and with flowers on

[Yankee]

Hi you two

Just to make sure we end up with a 100% correct sentence, I'd like to point out that you cannot end this sentence with the word on. :shock:

A correct sentence would be:

We need new curtains. OK, let's buy some/any/ones with flowers on them.

Amy
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Tung Quoc]

Dear teacher,

[Yankee]

Hi Quoc

In your sentence there really isn't too much difference.

Using the word some states a general preference. Using the word any indirectly indicates that you don't care what the curtains look like as long as there are flowers on them. You don't even have a preference about what the flowers look like or what color the curtains are.

However, if you use the word ones, it would be better to say "flowered ones" rather than "ones with flowers on them." The meaning is similar to using some.

Amy
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln