Some, others and again others?

Question

If I want to add a third option to the construct "Some..., others", what is the best way to put it? Some, others and again others? So:

Some people like apples, others like oranges and again others enjoy bananas.

This sounds a bit off, or not?

I'd probably keep using some unless I meant 'the rest', not sure. Some people like x, some like y and some like z. If I meant 'the rest', that is what I'd say, because 'others' may be taken ambiguously. Of course, if it is something as simple as apples, oranges and bananas, then common sense will dictate that you don't mean 'the rest'! The construct seems to be more useful for mutually-exclusive preferences to me. I don't know if you need to change like to enjoy the third time, but I did find it amusing. — Lee Kowalkowski, Apr 03 '12 at 21:51

score 12 · Answer 1 · edited Jun 22 '22 at 08:16

12

You will commonly find people using still others.

edited Jun 22 '22 at 08:16

Community

1

answered Apr 03 '12 at 15:41

Brett Reynolds

9,274

You will also sometimes (if rarely) see the more old-fashioned others still – Cameron Apr 03 '12 at 18:10

score 7 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 03 '12 at 16:54

7

Brett and Keith both have good answers. Another possibility is to repeat "some", as in, "Some people like oranges, some like apples, and others like bananas."

answered Apr 03 '12 at 16:54

Jay

36,223

score 5 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 03 '12 at 15:58

5

Also, "yet others" is sometimes seen, but more often the word "yet" in this case is a connotation that the rest of the sentence is true despite everything preceding it. It can still be useful: "Some people like apples, others like oranges, yet others enjoy bananas" implies that despite preferences among many for apples and oranges, there are those who enjoy bananas as well.

answered Apr 03 '12 at 15:58

KeithS

11,019
33
41

You could get rid of the comma conjugation though, 'and' sounds better. – hrishioa Apr 03 '12 at 16:51

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Apr 03 '12 at 17:28

Some...,others...and others again... is a perfectly normal construction; sometimes there are commas before and after again, but they are not necessary.

Others said, "He is the Christ." But others again, "Not so, for is the Christ to come from Galilee?

(John 7:41, Weymouth New Testament)

Some, others and again others?

4 Answers4