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#2 (permalink) Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:31 am "those" or "the ones"? |
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I will use 'those' but not 'the ones'.
The books are good. I want them (the books). My watch is gone. I want to buy a new one.(the one is another one, not the one you lost.) not 'I want to buy it.'
My watches are all gone. I want to buy some. (OK) I want to buy ones. (I've never heard of this.) I want to buy the ones. (wrong) |
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Edison_Chen_e_c I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 23 Jul 2007 Posts: 206
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#3 (permalink) Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:46 am "those" or "the ones"? |
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| guinevere wrote: |
Hello everyone, Can I use "the ones" instead of "those" in this sentence? Are they interchangeable here? Yes
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| The results of this experiment are more reliable than those of that experiment. |
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Generally speaking, you can use 'the ones' interchangeably with "those" only when you define "which ones" you are referring to (as you did in your sentence).
You cannot say this because "the ones" is not clarified/defined: These results are more accurate than the ones. X
But you can say this: These results are more accurate than the ones from last week. . _________________ "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8316 Location: USA
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#4 (permalink) Tue Aug 07, 2007 11:33 am "those" or "the ones"? |
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Hi, Amy
Look at these 2 rings on my finger. Arent they splendid? Yes, I want to buy ones (in the local shop)
Could you tell me if it is a valid dialog? thanks |
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Lost_Soul I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 15 Sep 2006 Posts: 1861 Location: South Park, Colorado, USA
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#5 (permalink) Tue Aug 07, 2007 12:34 pm "those" or "the ones"? |
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Hi LS
In your sentence you could use 'some' or 'a few' or 'a couple', but not 'ones'. (You could also use the word 'one' if you only want to buy one ring.)
Note that in my previous post I was referring specifically to "the ones".
"I want to buy some rings just like the ones you have." . _________________ "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8316 Location: USA
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#6 (permalink) Tue Aug 07, 2007 13:08 pm "those" or "the ones"? |
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Hi, Amy
Yeah, I see what you're saying. Thank you |
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Lost_Soul I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 15 Sep 2006 Posts: 1861 Location: South Park, Colorado, USA
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#7 (permalink) Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:03 am "those" or "the ones"? |
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| Thanks! But in this sentence "The results of this experiment are more reliable than those of that experiment.", "of that experiment" is specifying, so that "the one" could be used...does it not? |
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Guinevere I'm new here and I like it ;-)
Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 29
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#8 (permalink) Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:22 am "those" or "the ones"? |
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Hi Guinevere,
I see your point - you are making the distinction between 'this experiment' and 'that experiment'. Consequently you have 'results of this experiment and 'the ones of that experiment'. Seems all right to me.
Alan _________________ English as a Second Language You can read my ESL story Present Simple |
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Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 13891 Location: UK
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| usage of "lack", "lacking" | Ever: Less than half; More than half; Most people |