Another/ the other for 3 items

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Kotfor

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Feb 17, 2011
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Which is correct?

There are three books in my backpack. One is a maths book, another one is an English book and ......... is a chemistry book.

1) another one
2) the other one

I am not sure which one is correct.
 
I would use #2.
 
I would use #2.
Thank you. Is it always like that if we refer to the last item of a group? Would it be the same if there were 4 items in the group?
 
I'd say '...the last one is...'

On reflection, a more natural way to say this is

'There are four books in my backpack: a maths book, an English book, a chemistry book and a copy of 'The Morning After' by Ella van Ite.'
 
I'd say '...the last one is...'

On reflection, a more natural way to say this is

'There are four books in my backpack: a maths book, an English book, a chemistry book and a copy of 'The Morning After' by Ella van Ite.'
Thank you. But I wasn't interested in rephrasing it as it's not a problem here. I am interested to know the logic of usage of "another/the other" in this context.
 
I'd use "the third" or "One is a maths book, one is an English book and one is a chemistry book."
More likely, I would not use that construction. "There are three books in my backpack - a maths book, an English book and a chemistry book."
Concerning four or more items, there's no proper way to say it, because there's no reason at all (that I can see) to express it that way. If there is a reason that eludes me, you could say, "One is A, another is B, another is C, another is D, and the last one (or the remaining one) is E." If it absolutely has to be one of your answers, I'd choose 2. I don't think there's a logical reason to choose 2 over 1 though.
 
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I'd use "the third" or "One is a maths book, one is an English book and one is a chemistry book."
More likely, I would not use that construction. "There are three books in my backpack - a maths book, an English book and a chemistry book."
Concerning four or more items, there's no proper way to say it, because there's no reason at all (that I can see) to express it that way. If there is a reason that eludes me, you could say, "One is A, another is B, another is C, another is D, and the last one (or the remaining one) is E." If it absolutely has to be one of your answers, I'd choose 2. I don't think there's a logical reason to choose 2 over 1 though.

I see. However, there is a logical reason in the case of 2 items, right? There are two books in my bag. One is a maths book and the other one is a chemistry book. I am quite sure that "another one is a chemistry book" is impossible in that case. It made me think that there must be some explanation of "the other" in 3 and 4-item cases.
 
I would use the other for the last one. Also, I don't see the need to say another/the other one in these examples- you could cut one out.
 
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