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Once we moved out from home, I didn't have my privacy problem anymore. But now I had another (one): finding a job.

Do I need that one in there? Why or why not? What are grammatical reasons to use or not to use 'one' in this example? What function would the word 'one' serve in this sentence, if used?

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    I think it's optional - but without 'one' sounds better if it's in the same sentence: check out LDOCE - last example in def 2 and ODO def 2, the first 2 examples. As for why: I'd say that without 'one' you are using another as a pronoun, and with 'one' you are using it as a determiner, but my only source are the dictionaries and those can't always be trusted to determine parts of speech, so someone (a linguist) would have to confirm this
    – Lucky
    Jun 22, 2015 at 9:24
  • I'm voting to close this question because it does not appear to be about learning the English language within the scope defined in the help center, namely because it is asking about writing advice, which generates multiple opinions.
    – user6951
    Jun 22, 2015 at 12:17
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    Please don't closevote this question. It's about grammar, specifically about why and whether you can elide "one". Many on-topic questions generate multiple opinions.
    – Ben Kovitz
    Jun 22, 2015 at 13:51
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    @Lucky I thought the question was going to get closed. I guess it's not the case anymore.
    – alexchenco
    Jun 22, 2015 at 14:09
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    Oh, I see. Well, I find your question quite interesting and I'm kind of hoping to see a formal explanation why 'one' is or isn't used, so I hope it doesn't get closed. Of course this may or may not happen, but you can always accept the current answer tomorrow :-).
    – Lucky
    Jun 22, 2015 at 14:14

2 Answers 2

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My answer (not as a linguist but as a native UK English speaker) is the sentence would be better as "Once we moved out from home, I didn't have my privacy problem anymore. But now I had another problem: finding a job."

That's because if you use 'one' it refers to "privacy problem", but finding a job isn't a problem of privacy, it's a problem of finding a job. Using "one" is potentially confusing to the reader. I had to read it twice to work out what you were saying. You could just leave out "one" altogether, but in this specific example I think my suggestion makes your meaning clearer.

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Amongst many uses, the word "one" is used as a pronoun to refer to someone or something (countable) of the type already mentioned.

As for the word "another", it can be used as a pronoun or a determiner.

When used with the pronoun " one", it's a determiner.

You use the word another as a pronoun or determiner in the following senses:

1.To refer to one more ( additional) of the same type as mentioned before. For example, I have had a cup of tea. I want to have another (pronoun). I have had a cup of tea. I want to have another (determiner) one (pronoun used instead of a cup of tea).

2.To refer to someone or something different to the type mentioned before. For example, I don't like a white shirt. Please show me another (pronoun). I don't like a white shirt. Please show me another (determiner) one (pronoun). Here you mean a different shirt, not white one.

In light of the explanation #2, I think you can either use one or omit it in the sentence presented by the OP, without any difference in meaning. The use of another without one is as a pronoun, and the use of another before one is as a determiner while "one" is a pronoun.

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