Showing posts with label no one. Show all posts
Showing posts with label no one. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

ones, one's, once

Ones or ones means more than one one--it may refer to one-dollar bills, or typed or written characters--
Can I have five ones for a five? 
Can I have 5 1's for a 5?
I remember there were three ones in the phone number.
I remember there were 3 1's in the phone #.

One's or one's is the possessive ( belonging to) form of the pronoun "one"--
One should take one's time and read the questions carefully.
One should not divulge one's personal information to strangers.
One's or one's might also be used as a contraction (short form) for "one is", but this would be uncommon, as the use of "one" as a pronoun is very formal, and the use of a contraction is informal--
One's not likely to remember something that is not important.

Most people are more familiar with the use of "one" as a pronoun in the expression "no one"--
No one was home.
I rang the bell, but no one answered.

Once or once ( pronounced wuhnss ) means only one time--
We ate there once, but didn't like it.
I met him once, a long time ago.
Once upon a time...

Now that you know that, you can say--
"One should count one's ones once, at least."

Note--"no one" may be mistaken for "noon", meaning 12 in the afternoon--
I called at noon, but no one answered.
Note #2--"once" sounds a lot like "wants", meaning desires or has a wish for--
He wants to go there, just once.
Note #3--"ounce" or "ounces" ( rhymes with pounce or pounces ) means a unit of measure--of weight or volume--
There are 16 ounces in a pound.