one/it

[navi tasan]

Are these sentences both correct:

1-I don't have a computer so I have to keep renting one when I need it.
2-I don't have a computer so I have to keep renting one when I need one.

It seems that "1" implies that I am renting the same computer over and over again.
"2" does not have that implication. It could be the same one, but most probably is not.

 

[susiedq]

The surrounding words clarify the meaning.


Don't worry about it. Either sentence is very clear.

 

[navi tasan]

Thanks Susiedq,

But is there a difference in the meanings?

 

[bhaisahab]

I suggest rewriting it like this: "I don't have a computer so I have to rent one when I need one."

 

[Afit]

Are these sentences both correct:

"it" is a definite pronoun. Its antecedent, "a computer", is indefinite. A definite pronoun cannot stand proxy for an indefinite pronoun. Choose #2. :up:

 

[RealPeopleTalk]

I suggest rewriting it like this: "I don't have a computer so I have to rent one when I need one."

(I'm not a teacher.)

Is this a difference between British and American English? I think I'd be much more likely to use either one and then it or it and then one. I probably wouldn't repeat "one". I'd be more likely to use two "it"s. These are pretty tiny differences though - I don't think any of them sound wrong, and I don't think there's any difference in meaning at all.

To me, this sounds the best:
I don't have a computer so I have to rent one when I need it.

These sound OK:
I don't have a computer so I have to rent it when I need one.
I don't have a computer so I have to rent it when I need it.

Other things that sound fine to me:
I don't have a computer so I have to rent when I need one.
I don't have a computer so I have to rent when I need it.

I think what I'd actually _say_ would be "I don't have a computer, so if I need one, I've gotta rent it." I'd never write "gotta," of course. (As a side note, there's actually a web site called gottarent.com.)

 

[navi tasan]

Thank you all.

John has five different telescopes. They are all used for different things. I borrow one from him when I need it.

That to me would mean I need that particular telescope and I borrow it.
To me,
I borrow one if I need one.
won't work here.

When I need one, I borrow it=When I need one, I borrow THAT ONE.

Of course, it is quite possible that
a-"When I need one, I borrow it"
could be used instead of "
b-"When I need one, I borrow one."
as well. That I don't know. But I don't think that "b" could replace "a" on all occasions.

 

[bhaisahab]

If you want to avoid confusion you could say this: "I don't have a computer so I have to rent one when the need arises."