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SUBSTITUTION FOR NOUNS

132

One, some, ones

132a

One

and some/ones are the most common items used to substitute for count

nouns.

One

can be used alone as a substitute or with premodification and/or

postmodification:

I want 

a decent notebook anyway. Where can I get one?

(understood: Where can I get a decent notebook?)

Most 

diseases have been around for a very long time, but not all of them. There

is 

a new one called Lyme disease. Lyme disease has been studied only since 1975.

‘Well, I shall get 

a manager somewhere, no doubt,’ said Henchard, with strong

feeling in his tones. ‘But it will be long before I see 

one that would suit me so well!’

Ones

cannot be used alone in this way. Where there is no premodification or

postmodification, some or any are used as a plural substitute:

A: Do you want some stamps? 

B: Well I haven’t got any. Have you got some? 

A: I’ve got some. I don’t know if I’ve got enough for all those letters. 

(Well, I haven’t got ones. Have you got ones?)

Ones

is always premodified and/or postmodified:

[a punt is a flat-bottomed boat]

A: Apparently they cost about £8,000, those punts. 

B: They’re incredibly expensive. 

A: Mm.

B: You can get them cheaper. Fibreglass ones are cheaper than wood.

[A comments on B’s socks]

A: They look like your dad’s.

B: No they’re not actually. They’re mine but they’re boys’ school socks really.

Cos I just wanted 

some grey ones that were long enough to come out of the top

of my boots.

250 | Grammar across turns and sentences

Cambridge Grammar of English

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For non-count nouns, some, not one/ones, is used as a substitute:

We need a bit more 

furniture

in here. We’ll have to get 

some when the sales

are on.

(We’ll have to get one(s) when the sales are on.)

A: What’s it like, that 

tea

, then? 

B: Mm, nice. 

A: Can I try some?