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I wrote:

Each pattern can be designated either for data extraction purpose or for restricting the occurrence of other patterns.

Here, other could mean the remaining patterns (the rest), or maybe the other different patterns. Anyway, I feel I have a problem when I should use "the" before "other".

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    @Chris the 'proofreading' close reason explicitly states unless a specific source of concern in the text is clearly identified.
    – Glorfindel ♦
    Commented Dec 17, 2016 at 9:55
  • @Chris you're welcome. I also removed my comment. I try to respect the website rules, though I can't deny that I welcome any advice on my sentences but that's not my initial purpose.
    – Ahmad
    Commented Dec 17, 2016 at 10:31
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    I don't see before in your sentence. That said, the rule is this: if you have already mentioned /a pattern, not each pattern/, the next reference to other ones would be: before the other patterns [in your text] or before other patterns [in general, not restricted to your text]. Does that answer your question?
    – Lambie
    Commented Dec 17, 2016 at 17:33
  • @Lambie it seems I should use "the other" because I talk about a set of patterns created in an application. (However it is not determined how many they are)
    – Ahmad
    Commented Dec 18, 2016 at 6:28
  • @Ahman Sorry, can't help you beyond what I have already said.
    – Lambie
    Commented Dec 18, 2016 at 15:04

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Each pattern can be designated either for data extraction purpose or for restricting the occurrence of the other patterns.

If you use the, the phrase will imply a set of patterns that has already been described in some way.

An example:

In Judaism, the Torah is accorded the highest level of sanctity, above that of the other books of the Bible. (Google Books)

We can transform this excerpt:

There are 24 books in the Hebrew Bible. In Judaism, the Torah is accorded the highest level of sanctity, above that of the other books.

We will understand "the other books" to mean "the other 23 books of the Bible".

If we wrote:

In Judaism, the Torah is accorded the highest level of sanctity, above that of other books.

The phrase "other books" would mean "all other books in general".

Related:

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  • Couldn't "above that of other books" mean above other religions books of Judaism? I mean when the context is specified but the set is not specified which should be used "other" or "the other"?
    – Ahmad
    Commented Dec 18, 2016 at 6:26
  • @Ahmad - Indeed, since the general context is specified (Judaism), it may be taken to mean "above the other religious books of Judaism". Nice point.
    – CowperKettle
    Commented Dec 18, 2016 at 6:29

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