Another, other, others

1 spelling of another

Another is one word.

He's bought another car. (not ...an other car.)

2 'additional, extra'

Another can mean 'an additional, extra'. It is used with singular countable nouns.

Could I have another piece of bread? Another can be used as a pronoun without a noun, or with one, if the meaning is clear from what has come before.

Those cakes are wonderful. Could I have another (one)? With uncountable and plural nouns, we normally use more, not other.

Would you like some more meat? (not ... other meat?)

Would you like some more peas? (not .. .other peas?)

However, we can use another before a plural noun in expressions with few or a number.

I'm staying for another few weeks. We need another three chairs.

3 'alternative'

(An)other can also mean '(an) alternative', 'besides this/these'.

I think we should paint it another colour.

Have you got any other cakes, or are these the only ones? Other people often means 'people besides oneself.

Why don't you think more about other people?

4 other and others

When other is used with a noun it has no plural form.

Where are the other photos? (not .. .-the others photos?) But used alone, without a noun, it can have a plural form.

I've got one lot of photos. Where are the others?

These are too small. Have you got any others? Normally, other(s) is only used alone if it refers to a noun that has been mentioned before. An exception is the common plural use of (the) others to mean (the) other people.

He never thinks of others. Jake's arrived - I must tell the others.

but not On the telephone, one cannot see the other or He never listens to another.

5 not used to mean 'different'

Other is not used as an adjective to mean 'different'.

I'd prefer a completely different color. (not .. .a completely other color.)

It would print better on different paper, (not ... other paper.)

You look different with a beard, (not You look other...)