Hey guys, let’s cut to the chase—if you’ve ever stared at a sentence and gone, “Wait, do I say ‘with others’ or ‘among others’? Or even ‘for others’?” you’re not alone. When I first started in the “others” supplier game, I thought it was just a random set of words to toss into emails. Turns out, that stuff matters—especially when you’re writing to vendors, clients, or even your team. I’ve been in this lane for 7 years now, and I’ve messed up so many times that I can spot a “wrong others” sentence from a mile away. Let’s break this down like we’re shooting the breeze over coffee, no stuffy grammar textbooks here. Others
First, let’s get one thing straight: “others” isn’t a noun you can just plop next to a preposition willy-nilly. Prepositions (words like “with,” “among,” “for,” “about,” “between,” etc.) link “others” to the rest of the sentence, and that link has to make sense. For example, if I send a note to my supplier buddies, I don’t say “I shipped 50 units others” — that’s garbage. No preposition, no connection. So let’s start with the most common prepositions I use every single week, tied directly to what I do as an “others” supplier.
Let’s kick off with “among others.” This one’s probably the most overused, but so many people get it wrong. Wait, no—let me rephrase: so many people use it when it doesn’t fit. “Among others” means “along with other people or things in a group.” Right? So if I’m talking about recent orders for my business, I might say, “This quarter, our top clients include a retail brand, a packaging company, and a stationery maker, among others.” That works because we’re listing a group, and “among others” is tagging onto that group. But here’s my mistake last year: I wrote, “We need to restock among others our custom size bins.” That’s not a group! I was talking about one specific thing (custom size bins) plus a few others, but that preposition “among” needs the main thing to be part of a group. So I fixed that to “We need to restock our custom size bins and others like them” — boom, that makes sense. Another tip: if you can swap “among others” out for “and other things,” it’s good. If you can’t, don’t use it. I test every time I write a client email: if I say “our best sellers include x, y, and z, among others,” swapping gives “our best sellers include x, y, and z, and other things” — perfect, that fits.
Next up: “with others.” This one’s for when you’re working alongside other people or things, right? As an “others” supplier, I deal with this every day because we often supply parts that go into larger projects. Last month, I had a manufacturing client hit me up: “We need your plastic fasteners to work with others like our metal brackets.” That’s exactly right! “With others” here means the fasteners play nice with other components. But I’ve seen people mess this up too. A new rep at my company once wrote, “Can you send us a quote with others for bulk items?” That sounded like he wanted a quote along with other quotes, but what he actually meant was, “Can you send a quote for bulk items to go with others on our next order?” Oh, big difference. So “with others” is all about partnership—two or more things existing together. Another way to use it? When I’m talking about customer feedback: “A lot of buyers say our storage boxes work great with others they already have in their closets.” Yep, that’s partnership. That’s the kind of line that makes clients go, “Oh, this supplier gets it.”
Then there’s “for others.” This one’s straightforward, but don’t sleep on it. “For others” means something is intended to help, belong to, or be used by other people. For our business, that’s the bread and butter. We don’t just make “others” parts—we make them for other businesses. A line I use all the time in pitches: “We specialize in custom small parts designed for others who build eco-friendly products.” Wait, that’s perfect because it tells the client exactly who we’re making these for. But here’s a mistake I’ve seen: someone wrote, “We have a wide range of parts for others that need quick shipping.” No, that’s missing the target. It should be “We have a wide range of parts for others who need quick shipping.” Oh, right! “For others” needs a clear group—you can’t have “for others” hanging without knowing which others. Another example: “This batch of cable ties is for others assembling outdoor equipment” — that makes sense, because you’re specifying the group they’re for. If I’d left off “who,” it would sound like we’re making ties for “others” as a thing, not people or businesses. That’s a tiny tweak that makes your sentence actually communicate, not just sound fancy.
Let’s move to “about others.” This one’s for when you’re talking or writing related to other things. I use this when updating clients on inventory: “Just sent over an update about others in the warehouse—we’re low on the 2×4 inch plastic tabs.” That works because we’re talking about others (the parts we supply) in the context of an update. But again, mistake alert: don’t say “I’m writing about others I ordered” — that’s too vague. Be specific: “I’m writing about others I ordered for your prototype run.” Now it’s clear what others, what for. I once had a client reply, “Your email was about others—can you clarify which ones?” That hurt a little, but it taught me: “about others” is only useful if you’re referring to a specific set of others, not just random ones.
What about “between others”? Wait, that’s a tricky one. “Between” usually refers to two things, right? So “between others” only works when you’re picking between two things that are part of a bigger group. For example: “When choosing a supplier, we had to pick between others that offer eco materials and ones that don’t.” That makes sense because it’s narrowing down to two options out of a bunch. But if you say “We need to pick between others” — no, that’s not enough. You need to name the two. I tried that once with a vendor, and they replied, “Between others what?” Oops, right. “Between others” is super specific—only use it when you’re comparing two items from a group. That’s the preposition most people get wrong because they mix up “between” (two) and “among” (three+), and when you add “others,” that rule still applies.
Now, let’s tie this back to why this matters for me and, honestly, for you if you’re buying “others” parts. I used to think grammar stuff was just for English teachers, but here’s the truth: when you write a clear sentence with the right preposition, you get a faster response, fewer mix-ups, and less wasted time. Last quarter, a client emailed me: “Can you rush the parts with the metal connectors that work with others on our assembly line?” That’s so clear, I knew exactly what they needed. If they’d written “Can you rush the parts with others on our assembly line,” I would’ve had to send a follow-up email, which delays their order. For a supplier like me, speed is everything—your words save time.
Wait, let’s also talk about a common case where people use “others” with no preposition at all, but that’s a big no-no when you’re being specific. For example, “We need more others” — that sounds like you’re ordering random stuff, not specific parts. If you say “We need more others for our custom totes” (using “for others”), that’s clear. Or “We need more others that work with our current hardware” (using “with others”). That small preposition makes all the difference between a vague order and a specific, actionable one.
Let me throw in a real example from last week to make this stick. I had a purchase order come in from a small business: “We need 100 adhesive strips for others that are water-resistant.” Wait, that’s almost right, but they missed a small tweak. It should be “We need 100 adhesive strips for others who sell outdoor gear” — or, if they meant for other parts of their own products, “We need 100 adhesive strips with others on our waterproof phone cases.” That’s the difference between me sending the right stuff and them having to return half the order. And returning stuff kills everyone’s time—yours, mine, no one wants that.
Now, let’s clear up a myth: “others” is only for physical parts? No, I’ve seen people use it for services, too. For example, if you’re a service provider that offers “others” add-ons, you might say, “Our add-on service works well with others like digital marketing packages” (using “with others”). Or “We design add-ons for others who run small cafes” (using “for others”). The rule stays the same, no matter what “others” you’re talking about. The preposition just links the “others” to what’s around it.
Let’s recap the quick rules I live by, so you don’t have to scribble notes like I used to:
- Use “among others” when you’re listing a group (3+ things/people) and it’s part of a bigger set. Test it: swap out for “and other things” — if it fits, you’re good.
- Use “with others” when your “others” are working alongside something else (parts, services, people).
- Use “for others” when your “others” are intended for a specific group—never leave “others” hanging here, always name the group.
- Use “about others” only when you’re talking about a specific set of “others” in an update or message.
- Use “between others” only when you’re comparing two specific “others” from a group (follow the “between two” rule, even with “others”).
And one last thing: don’t overcomplicate it. I’ve seen people stuff “among others” into a sentence where it doesn’t belong just to sound fancy, and it always backfires. My go-to trick? Read your sentence out loud. If it sounds weird, it is. If when you say it, you catch yourself adding a preposition that’s missing, that’s your cue to fix it. For example, if you read “We need more others” and go, “Wait, more others for what?” add “for others that need it” or whatever fits.
Solar Street Light Other Now, if you’re out there shopping for “others” parts, whether you’re a small business owner or a big manufacturing team, I’m here to make this part easy. I’ve got a huge inventory of “others” custom and standard parts, all made to fit with what you’re already building, for exactly the uses you need. No more mixing up prepositions, no more vague orders that get sent to the wrong place. Just shoot me a note, tell me what you’re working on, and we’ll get your order right the first time. No hoops, no weird grammar hoops—just straight talk and the parts you need.
References
- The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary Entry for "other" (adjective, pronoun)
- Business Writing Essentials: A Guide for Effective Communication in Procurement, 2022
Zhongshan Flying Lighting Co., Ltd.
Address: No.99 North Shun Xing Road, Heng Lan Town, Zhongshan City, Guangdong, China
E-mail: s9@flyinglighting.com
WebSite: https://www.flyinglighting.com/
