# someone else

CEFR A1 · Compound

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/someone-else
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

A different person; not you, and not the person we are talking about right now.

For teachers: An indefinite pronoun phrase referring to an unspecified person other than the one already mentioned, implied, or present.

## Examples

- I think someone else should answer the phone.
- If you don't want this last piece of cake, I'm sure someone else will eat it.
- She lived in constant fear that her husband would leave her for someone else, a worry that consumed her thoughts.

## Pitfalls

- Not "This must be someone's else jacket." but "This must be someone else's jacket." — The possessive marker 's' attaches to the end of the entire phrase 'someone else'.

## Usage notes

- The possessive form is 'someone else's', with the 's' at the very end.
- Teaching tip: Teach 'someone else', 'anyone else', and 'no one else' together as a set to establish the pattern of 'indefinite pronoun + else'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.