These ones and those ones

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Guest

#39476 Tue, 27 Jul 04 08:17 AM

While looking at new glasses today, my daughter was saying, "I like these ones" or "I like those ones". A bystander made clear her disapproval of the use of "these ones" and "those ones". I am assuming the proper way to say this is "I like these" or "I like those" but is it improper to add "ones"?

Guest

miriam

#39511 Tue, 27 Jul 04 10:54 AM

Hi, Guest. Smile [:)]

In the sentences "I like these ones" and "I like those ones", "these" and "those" function as adjectives/determiners, and "ones" -a pronoun- is used instead of repeating the word "glasses".

In "I like these" and I like "those", "these" and "those" are used as pronouns, so "ones" is not needed.

All four sentences are grammatically correct.

However, not long ago, I read in a dictionary that in American English and in formal British English "ones" is not used after "these/those":
"I prefer these glasses to those" instead of "I prefer these glasses to those ones".
I don't live either in the USA or in the UK, so I am not sure this still applies today.

Miriam

miriam

Joined on Mon, May 10 2004

Argentina

Regular Member (821)

"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something." Plato

American English, Nouns, Pronouns, British English, Determiners

Anonymous

#412421 Fri, 31 Aug 07 10:56 PM

It is true that "ones," according to proper grammar should not follow "these" or "those" only because one is a singular object. If there is a plural number, "one" becomes inappropriate however there are few people I know (I live in the midwest US) that do not use this construction, as in common speech leaving an object out of a sentence sounds strange or over educated.

Anonymous

Grammar, Plurals, Constructions, Numbers, Proper Grammar

Grammar Geek

#412457 Sat, 01 Sep 07 12:30 AM

Anon, what pronoun would you suggest then for something to replace "pens" in the second and third line below?

I'm looking for a particular set of drawing pens.

Are these the pens you're looking for?

Thanks, but no, those aren't the pens I'm looking for.

(I agree that "Those ones aren't the right ones" is wrong - it's simply "Those." But I don't agree that ones can't be plural.)

Grammar Geek

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006

Pennsylvania, USA

Veteran Member (15,567)

Barbara, who answers in American English.

Plurals, Nouns, Pronouns

CalifJim

#412493 Sat, 01 Sep 07 02:17 AM

I think we had a thread on this some time ago, and the "conclusion" there was that the use of "these ones" and "those ones" is not wrong, but British! I agree that it's wrong in American English.

CJ