[Grammar] one after the other

[mmasny]

Imagine a medieval castle run by the Benedictines, with cellarists, herbalists, gareners, young novices. One after the other half a dozen monks are found murdered in the most bizarre ways.

Shouldn't it be 'one after another'?

 

[Barb_D]

Logically, yes! But the expression "one after the other" is one of those fixed expressions that we use as-is. It simply means "in succession."

One after the other, the little ducks followed the mama duck.

 

[mmasny]

Thank you. The only doubt that remains: I think I heard and saw 'one after another', and I don't remember 'one after the other'. How much used are the two comparatively?

 

[Barb_D]

Hmm. I'd say both are used,and pretty much interchangeably.

Let's see what Ms. Google says:

One after another: 3.17 million
One after the other: 44.8 million

And from the Free Dictionary:
one after the other also one after another

 

[mmasny]

Thank you!