{"id":3478,"date":"2026-10-09T08:41:28","date_gmt":"2026-10-09T00:41:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.unmarinoenlaorilla.com\/blog\/?p=3478"},"modified":"2026-10-09T08:41:28","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T00:41:28","slug":"how-to-use-others-in-a-sentence-with-a-modal-verb-4840-8260a0","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.unmarinoenlaorilla.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/09\/how-to-use-others-in-a-sentence-with-a-modal-verb-4840-8260a0\/","title":{"rendered":"How to use ‘others’ in a sentence with a modal verb?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hey there! Let\u2019s cut to the chase\u2014if you\u2019ve ever stared at a sentence like, \u201cI need to fix [blank] for the team\u201d and floundered when \u201cothers\u201d paired with a modal verb showed up? Or worse, you\u2019re someone on the supply side (wait, full transparency: I\u2019m the \u201cothers\u201d supplier) and you\u2019ve had customers mess up that exact grammar line while ordering what we make? Yeah, that\u2019s why I\u2019m writing this. I\u2019ve talked to so many folks lately who get stuck on mixing modals (think could, should, would, might, need to) with \u201cothers,\u201d and half the time it\u2019s holding up orders for the stuff we ship. Let\u2019s break this down, no stuffy textbook talk\u2014just real examples, and a peek at how this grammar even ties to the work I do. Others<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

First, let\u2019s get one tiny, super easy rule out of the way that no one tells you: \u201cothers\u201d is plural, so when you pair it with a modal, you never, ever add an \u201cs\u201d to the modal? Wait no\u2014wait modals don\u2019t conjugate for plural or singular nouns, that\u2019s the key trick most people miss. Like, \u201cothers\u201d = more than one other thing\/person, and modals never change form based on that. So \u201cothers would\u201d is always right, never \u201cothers woulds\u201d\u2014that\u2019s a tiny win, but it\u2019s the foundation.<\/p>\n

Now, how does this tie to what I do? I\u2019m the \u201cothers\u201d supplier. Wait, let\u2019s clarify: when businesses order parts, supplies, or components, they usually break orders into categories\u2014core parts, specialized bits, and\u2026 \u201cothers.\u201d \u201cOthers\u201d is the catch-all for anything that doesn\u2019t fit the neat, pre-listed categories. Think of it like ordering for a office: you need printers, paper, chairs (core), then things like the tiny label maker attachments, extra USB-C dongles, those weird wall mounts for conference room TVs\u2014all that is \u201cothers\u201d on the order sheet. And guess what? When my customers (the office managers, procurement folks) write their order notes to me, they\u2019re almost always using modals with \u201cothers.\u201d That\u2019s where the grammar mess happens, and that\u2019s why this matters beyond just passing a English test.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s walk through the most common mistakes I see, plus how to fix them, with actual order examples so you see exactly why this matters for my side too. Let\u2019s start with the big one: mixing up \u201canother\u201d vs \u201cothers\u201d with modals. A lot of people think \u201canother\u201d is just singular \u201cother\u201d and \u201cothers\u201d is plural, which is true, but when modals hit, they flip. For example: \u201cWe should order another.\u201d That\u2019s talking about one extra thing, makes sense. But when you\u2019re talking about multiple, it\u2019s \u201cWe should order others.\u201d I\u2019ve had a customer send a note that said, \u201cI need another others in this shipment\u201d and I had to reply, \u201cWait, do you want one more catch-all item, or multiple?\u201d That slowed down the order by two days. Oops.<\/p>\n

Next, let\u2019s talk about modal placement. Modals always go right before the main verb, and \u201cothers\u201d sits right where the noun would go\u2014so no weird spacing. A lot of my customers write, \u201cOthers could we need for the team\u2026\u201d and that\u2019s backwards. It\u2019s \u201cWe could need others.\u201d That\u2019s such a small tweak, but when I scan 50 order notes a day, misplacing a modal on \u201cothers\u201d makes me wonder if they\u2019re asking for, say, extra cable ties (others) or something totally random, like another vendor entirely. Wait, that\u2019s a huge point! If I misread that, I ship the wrong stuff.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get specific with real sentences I\u2019ve gotten from customers, fix them, and explain why they work (or don\u2019t). First, the \u201cshould\u201d modal\u2014for suggestions or recommendations. Bad: \u201cYou should send others with the core parts.\u201d Wait, that\u2019s confusing\u2014are they saying \u201csend others (the catch-all supplies) along with core parts\u201d? No, the way it\u2019s written, it sounds like they\u2019re suggesting I send other people, which is not what we do. Fixed: \u201cWe should send others with the core order.\u201d Perfect\u2014now it\u2019s clear we (my customer, the procurement team) want all the catch-all, non-core items included in that shipment. No confusion, no delays.<\/p>\n

Next, \u201ccould\u201d modal\u2014for possibilities or polite requests. I once got a note that said, \u201cCould you send another others?\u201d Fixed: \u201cCould you send others?\u201d Because if you\u2019re asking for plural items (which \u201cothers\u201d is), you don\u2019t need to add \u201canother\u201d (that\u2019s singular). That mistake made me think they wanted one more of something, so I almost shipped a single item instead of the three label makers, two cable clips, and a mouse pad they actually needed. Embarrassing for both of us.<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s \u201cwould\u201d modal\u2014for preferences or hypothetical needs. A customer wrote, \u201cI would like to swap some core items for others.\u201d That actually works! Wait, that\u2019s a good one\u2014they\u2019re saying they want to exchange their current core stuff for other, catch-all items. Makes total sense, no confusion. Another good \u201cwould\u201d example: \u201cWe would recommend adding 5 units of others to this month\u2019s order.\u201d Yep, that\u2019s clear\u2014they want more of the catch-all supplies.<\/p>\n

What about \u201cmight\u201d modal\u2014for uncertain needs, super common for customers who aren\u2019t 100% sure what they\u2019ll need later. I get a lot of notes like, \u201cMight need others for next quarter\u201d and that\u2019s almost right, but the subject is missing. Fixed: \u201cWe might need others for next quarter.\u201d That small tweak lets me know the customer is planning to order the catch-all supplies later, so I can remind them when my lead time hits, instead of them wondering why I didn\u2019t follow up.<\/p>\n

Wait, let\u2019s tackle a tricky one: negative modals with \u201cothers.\u201d A lot of people mess up negatives here too. Bad: \u201cWe don\u2019t can others without approval.\u201d No, modals + not: it\u2019s \u201cWe cannot order others without manager approval.\u201d Or, \u201cWe shouldn\u2019t substitute core parts for others.\u201d That\u2019s exactly what a customer wrote last week, and it was clear\u2014they didn\u2019t want me to swap a required part for a random catch-all item, which would have been a huge problem.<\/p>\n

Now, why does this matter for you<\/em> if you\u2019re ordering \u201cothers\u201d from someone like me? Let\u2019s be real\u2014when you send a order note, you\u2019re not writing an essay, you\u2019re giving instructions. If you mix up modals and \u201cothers,\u201d you get the wrong stuff, wait longer, pay extra for returns. Last month, a customer messed up and wrote, \u201cWe should order another others\u201d so I sent one extra of the catch-all item, but they needed three. They had to wait a week for a re-ship, and I lost a repeat order because they said it was \u201ctoo much hassle.\u201d That\u2019s not just grammar\u2014it\u2019s business, plain and simple.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s do a quick cheat sheet you can screenshot and save if you ever have to write about ordering \u201cothers\u201d (or just use \u201cothers\u201d with modals in general, no matter what you\u2019re ordering):<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Always pair plural \u201cothers\u201d with plural contexts (but modals never change, ever\u2014no \u201cothers do\u201d vs \u201cothers does,\u201d modals stay the same for any noun number)<\/li>\n
  2. Use modals before<\/em> the main verb, not before \u201cothers\u201d<\/li>\n
  3. If you mean multiple catch-all items (which is what \u201cothers\u201d usually is for business orders), skip \u201canother\u201d entirely\u2014\u201canother\u201d is for singular extra items<\/li>\n
  4. Negative modals go before \u201cnot,\u201d so \u201ccannot order others\u201d not \u201corder cannot others\u201d<\/li>\n
  5. When in doubt, add a tiny extra word to make it clear: \u201cWe need others\u201d vs just \u201cNeed others\u201d (the latter is vague, might make me think you need \u201cother people\u201d to process the order)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Wait, let\u2019s test this cheat sheet with some real customer scenarios. Scenario 1: A startup ordering office supplies, needs extra random stuff. Correct: \u201cWe should order 10 units of others with this shipment.\u201d Scenario 2: A retail shop ordering inventory, not sure what extra they\u2019ll need. Correct: \u201cWe might need 8 units of others for the holiday rush.\u201d Scenario 3: A school ordering classroom supplies, doesn\u2019t want to swap core for random stuff. Correct: \u201cWe wouldn\u2019t substitute core markers for others.\u201d All of these are clear, no mix-ups, get the order right on the first try.<\/p>\n

    I know this stuff feels trivial if you\u2019re not a grammar nerd, but from my side (being the \u201cothers\u201d supplier), it\u2019s the difference between a customer texting me at 9am to say \u201cthanks for the perfect order!\u201d and a 10-minute call where we untangle a mistake that could have been fixed with two extra words. I\u2019ve been doing this for 7 years now, and I\u2019d say 20% of my order-related headaches come from bad modal + \u201cothers\u201d sentences. It\u2019s not that people are bad at English\u2014they just never learned the tiny, specific rules that apply when \u201cothers\u201d is paired with modals, especially when ordering catch-all supplies.<\/p>\n

    Wait, one more pro tip for anyone ordering: if you\u2019re writing a note to a supplier like me, don\u2019t overcomplicate it. You don\u2019t need fancy words. Just stick to the formula: [Subject] + [modal] + [main verb] + [others] + [optional detail]. Like, \u201cOur team could use others\u201d = clear, no extra stuff. If you need to add numbers, it\u2019s \u201cWe should order 5 others\u201d = that\u2019s easy. I don\u2019t need to know why you need the extra stuff, just what you need.<\/p>\n

    At the end of the day, the whole point is that clear communication is good for everyone. I get to ship the right stuff, my customers get what they need, no wait times, no returns. If you\u2019re ever ordering \u201cothers\u201d (or anything, really) and you\u2019re stuck on a modal + \u201cothers\u201d sentence, just come talk to me\u2014we can hash it out, no judgment. I\u2019ve messed up grammar myself enough times to know no one\u2019s perfect.<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

    If you\u2019re looking to lock in your next order of others and avoid the grammar mix-ups I talked about, hit me up to chat through your needs. I\u2019m here to make this part easy, no headaches, no miscommunication. You tell me what you need, and we\u2019ll get it right the first time.<\/p>\n

    Implant<\/a> References<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Cambridge Grammar of the English Language, Huddleston & Pullum<\/li>\n
    2. Practical English Usage, Michael Swan<\/li>\n
    3. Business Writing That Works, Robert W. Bly<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n

      Yilink (Tianjin) Biotechnology Co., Ltd.<\/a><\/p>\n

      Address: No. 9, Kaituo Road, Balitai Town, Jinnan District, Tianjin
      E-mail: service@yilink-dental.com
      WebSite:       https:\/\/www.yilinkzirconia.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Hey there! Let\u2019s cut to the chase\u2014if you\u2019ve ever stared at a sentence like, \u201cI need … How to use ‘others’ in a sentence with a modal verb?<\/span>Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":347,"featured_media":3478,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3441],"class_list":["post-3478","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry","tag-others-4bef-82bbfd"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.unmarinoenlaorilla.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3478","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.unmarinoenlaorilla.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.unmarinoenlaorilla.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.unmarinoenlaorilla.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/347"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.unmarinoenlaorilla.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3478"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.unmarinoenlaorilla.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3478\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.unmarinoenlaorilla.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3478"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.unmarinoenlaorilla.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3478"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.unmarinoenlaorilla.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3478"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.unmarinoenlaorilla.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3478"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}