someone else's

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "someone else's" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to emphasize that something belongs or pertains to someone else in particular and not to you. For example, "I don't want to borrow someone else's pencil; I want to use my own."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It was someone else's money.

The New York Times

Someone grabbed someone else's pennies.

The New York Times

"We were someone else's kids.

The New York Times - Magazine

Laugh at someone else's jokes.

The New York Times

It is someone else's idyll.

The New Yorker

For someone else's team.

The Guardian - Sport

In someone else's house.

The Guardian - Tech

First review someone else's proposal.

Science Magazine

"They'd licensed someone else's technology.

Forbes

Projecting: putting yourself in someone else's shoes.

Functional Linguistics

Someone else's bad behavior.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In collaborative projects, use "someone else's" to define boundaries and responsibilities, ensuring that each member understands their role and contributions relative to others.

Common error

Avoid using "someone else's" vaguely. Always clarify who 'someone else' is, especially in professional or academic contexts. Unclear attribution can lead to confusion and disputes over intellectual property or responsibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "someone else's" functions as a possessive determiner. It modifies a noun to indicate that the noun belongs to or is associated with a person other than the speaker or the primary subject. As Ludwig AI points out, this phrase is grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Wiki

30%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "someone else's" is a commonly used and grammatically correct possessive phrase that indicates ownership or association with an individual other than oneself. As indicated by Ludwig AI, this phrase is widely accepted and appears frequently in various contexts, particularly in news, media, and general writing. It's important to use it accurately to give credit where it's due and avoid any confusion about ownership or responsibility. While alternatives exist, "someone else's" provides a clear and straightforward way to express this concept.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Somebody else's

Uses "somebody" instead of "someone", offering a slight variation in wording with similar meaning.

Another person's

Replaces "someone" with "another person" for a more formal tone.

A different person's

Emphasizes the difference in person, highlighting that it's not just any 'someone' but a 'different person'.

Belonging to another

Focuses on the act of belonging, making it clear that the item or concept is owned by someone else.

Not my own

Contrasts directly with "my own", indicating something belonging to anyone but the speaker.

Not one's own

Similar to 'not my own' but more general, applicable to anyone.

In another's possession

Highlights the possessive aspect, suggesting that something is held or owned by someone else.

From an outside source

Shifts the focus from person to source, useful when the origin is more important than the owner.

Attributable to another

More formal, suitable when discussing ideas or work rather than physical possessions.

Someone's else

An ungrammatical version of the phrase

FAQs

How do I properly use "someone else's" in a sentence?

Use "someone else's" to show possession by a person who is not you. For example, "That's "someone else's coat"", indicating the coat belongs to another person.

What are some alternatives to using "someone else's"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "another person's", "somebody else's", or "not my own" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it correct to say "someones else's" instead of "someone else's"?

No, "someones else's" is grammatically incorrect. The correct possessive form is "someone else's", where the apostrophe indicates possession by "someone else".

How does "someone else's" differ from "other people's"?

"Someone else's" refers to a single, unspecified individual, while "other people's" refers to multiple individuals. The choice depends on whether you are referring to one specific person or a group.