Should You Say These Ones or Those Ones?
The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
Should You Say These Ones or Those Ones?
When assessing the grammatical validity of these ones and those ones, you will probably run into a few schools of thought. Opinions often branch into one of three areas:
Both are correct.
Neither is correct.
These ones is incorrect, but those ones can be acceptable.
Who has it right? And more important, which (if either) of these ones and those ones can you use in your writing or speech?
To find the best answer, we need to peel back a few layers of language.
It’s a This or That Problem
Let’s start by understanding that these and those are the plural versions of the demonstrative pronouns this and that. So, when you are writing or speaking:
This shoe becomes these shoes when there is more than one.
That flower becomes those flowers when there are multiple flowers.
We use those words to differentiate by distance, type, or even possession. That brings us back to the issue at hand. If this one becomes plural, is it these ones? And conversely, does that one become those ones?
As it turns out, neither one is correct. It’s much better to simply say and write these and those. The extra wording isn’t needed because the “ones” are implied by the use of plural phrasing. If clarification is needed, it’s better to identify the objects in question.
Examples
“I prefer those ones on the left.”
“I prefer those on the left.”“I never liked these ones because they are too salty.”
“I never liked these because they are too salty.”“I bought these ones at the new shop in the mall.”
“I picked up these chocolates at the new shop in the mall.”
Except to be clear in the last example, you can probably sense that adding the extra word “ones” adds more than is needed. Most native speakers will also intuit improper phrasing. Many will consider using the extra words to be poor grammar, particularly in the case of “these ones.”
Why Are These Ones and Those Ones Used So Often?
One can find logic in adjusting the singular this one and that one to the plural these ones and those ones. However, a quirk of English grammar is that the “ones” component becomes implicit with the plural. In other words, it’s simply one of those rules you learn as you go as you refine your linguistic knowledge.
For that reason, you may still find people who will be unaware that saying these ones or those ones is incorrect. And to be fair, many of them won’t find much importance in that fact.
If you on the other hand wish to be precise with your grammar, we advise adhering to the shorter words these and those. You will sound better, you will be more accurate, and you typically won’t have to worry about being challenged for your usage.
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What if I am at a store and ask for the price of a pair of shoes? I think the answer could be “These ones are $45, and those ones are $50.” Would this be incorrect then? If it is, why?
Thank you so much!
As the post indicates, writing “these ones” and “those ones” is incorrect in formal writing, and native speakers will recognize improper phrasing if it is spoken.
In your example sentence, you could write either “These shoes are $45, and those shoes are $50” or “These are $45, and those are $50.” You might also write it as “These shoes are $45, and those are $50” because the omission of “shoes” in the second independent clause will typically be understood.
Whenever I hear (which is all the time now) “these ones, those ones,” it is like hearing the word ain’t. I now hear even news commentators use it on national tv.
I’ve heard a news anchor use “these ones” several
times lately. Grates on my ears.
OMG. I thought my husband and I were the only ones who find it really nerve racking to hear people say “these ones” or “those ones,” because “these” and “those” are plural, and “ones” is plural also; therefore, it should be either “these,” “those,” “this one,” or “that one.” Putting two plurals together is definitely incorrect. Thank you very much. I’ve been wanting to vent that for some time.
I am overjoyed to learn others recoil when “these ones” or “those ones” is used. Now it is found in publications…ugh. It’s becoming common lexicon (“sound cool, get with it”), just as “no worries” caught on as if it was “2022 cool.” I heard the same phrase spoken in a classic 1940 B&W film.
Dear Diane Dixon: If as you say “putting two plurals together is definitely incorrect,” how do I solve the problem of “these plates” or “those bricks”?
We interpret her observation as referring to “these ones” and “those ones” when incorrectly combining two plurals. The concept of “ones” is already implicit in “these” and “those.” Both “these” and “those” would sufficiently modify and identify plural nouns such as “plates” and “bricks.”
It does make me wince when I hear “these ones” and “those ones” being used, especially by the younger generation who cannot understand what the problem is, but now I have a clue! I was recently chatting with a lady who was pointing out some objects using “these ones.”
I said,”You mean these?”
“Yes,” she said, “these ones.” A little further in the conversation I found out that she is a teacher who educates high school students in French, English, and how to use grammar and diction.
Thank you for the clarification. For me the terms “these ones” or “those ones” are like fingernails on a chalkboard and not proper. These and those are plural and adding “ones” is not necessary.
I, for one, absolutely cringe when hearing the verbal usage of “these ones” or “those ones” in speech!
I do consider this carrying a laziness in speech/grammar and very improper!
Further, “ones” should carry a descriptive adjective such as “small ones,” “green ones”, “fast ones,” etc.
Absolutely not!
You say “these” or “those.” There is no reason to ever say “these ones” or “those ones.”
I don’t even like the word “ones.” It is an oxymoron.
They’re just plain wrong, no doubt. However, I would posit that even using “this one” and “that one” could be eliminated for, basically, the same reason. If you say “this” and/or “that,” then it absolutely will suffice. If there’s any need to specify, you can always add the actual name of the subject (or object) for clarification as in “this flower,” but the use of a pronoun WITH a noun is as equally redundant/confusing/wrong as using two plurals. Now, I understand that in the use of “this one,” “that one,” “those ones,” AND “these ones” the first word of each technically becomes an adjective instead of a pronoun, but I maintain that they are stand-alone words (serving as perfectly adequate pronouns) and do not need anything after them (as long as the subject is obvious). So, in summary, using “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those” all by themselves is the most proper and clear usage in English speech as well as writing.
If we are talking about a stack of one dollar bills, is “these ones” the proper term?
It could be grammatically correct in some sentences. Example:
The young boy wanted to exchange these ones for a five-dollar bill.
I really want to correct the 20-year-old people in my family when they always say “these ones,” but maybe it’s rude of me to correct them. I’ve already corrected my family of not saying “me and” instead of saying “so and so and I” but they have a hard time adjusting. It grates on my nerves!
Perhaps you could show them our post You and I or You and Me: Which Is Correct?
Okay, I now understand why people are using these words together.
I still find it incorrectly used.
However, hopefully people will wake up soon and stop.
I live in Utah. Our primary schools are rated below any of the southern states according to articles written in the Salt Lake City Tribune newspaper. My mother-in-law was a primary school teacher and consultant. After she returned from Shreveport, she told me this about a commonly used phrase here in Salt Lake:
“ ‘These ones’ versus ‘those ones’ fighting a pitched battle with this one or that one.
But after all, we still have ‘freedom of speech,’ even if your ears start to rattle.”