English Café: How to use “another” and “the other”

Advanced Details: How to use another and the other

Another usually means additional or one more. But, be careful. Another can have more meanings. Test yourself. Can you see why “another” in the sentence below is wrong?

• There are 2 computers in the room: the first one is for the manager and another one is for the staff.

In this sentence situation, another is not the correct way to refer to the second computer in the room. We don’t want to express the idea that there is an additional computer in the room. We want to do more than this. We want to explain that there are 2 computers in the room, and that the 2nd is different – it will be used by only the staff. The manager has a computer designated specially for him/her. So, the correct sentence for us to write is below:

• There are 2 computers in the room: the first one is for the manager and the other one is for the staff

Below are some more sentences where another does NOT mean additional; it means alternative or different.

• There is no other internet cafe in this area.
• Is there any other PTTEP staff person, who can give the right information?
• Which safety vest should I wear on the helicopter? This one or the other one?