As the owner of a specialty manufacturing company that supplies high-quality components for industrial assembly – we specialize in what many categorize under “others” in procurement lists, I’ve fielded this question more times than I can count, both in casual conversations with warehouse managers and in formal vendor qualification meetings: Can “others” be used in a sentence with a conjunction? At first, this might read like a trivial grammar question, something better suited for a high school English worksheet than a real-world business discussion. But after years of navigating procurement paperwork, vendor onboarding forms, and client communication where “others” is tossed around like a afterthought (I’ve seen it written as a catch-all for “suppliers not worth listing” or “parts we forgot to name”), this grammar question has grown into a window into how so many businesses – including those of us stuck in the “others” bucket – are misunderstood. Let’s dive in, not just as a grammar geek, but as someone who’s lived the confusion of being the “other” in every industry spreadsheet and email thread. Others
First, let’s ground this in basic grammar, no stuffy textbook rules that make you zone out mid-lesson. Conjunctions are the words that link parts of a sentence together: and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet (the FANBOYS acronym we all crammed for in middle school). “Others” is a plural pronoun (or adjective) that refers to additional or unspecified people, things, or groups outside a core set. The simplest correct sentence would be something like: “Our core team sources steel, plastic, and others, but we don’t cut corners on quality.” Wait, that uses “others” with the conjunction “but” – and it’s perfectly grammatically valid. But I’ve seen versions that go wrong, not because of the conjunction or “others” themselves, but because people treat “others” like it’s not a real part of a list. For example, a common procurement note I’ve seen: “We need gaskets, seals, and others, but only from top-tier suppliers.” That’s a grammatically correct sentence! No one’s bungling the conjunction here, because “others” is a stand-in for unspecified items that share the same category (industrial sealing parts), and “but” clearly sets up a condition for all of those items. The confusion isn’t about “can they coexist” – it’s about how we frame “others” in sentences, especially when we’re talking about people or businesses that get lumped into that same vague category.
Let’s take a more specific business example, because that’s where this matters most for me. Last quarter, a large industrial equipment manufacturer sent out a request for proposals (RFP) that included this line: “Pre-qualified suppliers must provide documentation for raw steel, precision machined parts, and others, and must be ISO 9001 certified.” That’s two conjunctions – “and” twice! – paired with “others,” and it’s 100% grammatically correct. The problem wasn’t the grammar, though. The problem was that this manufacturer had been categorizing my company (which makes custom small machined parts that don’t fit neatly into their pre-set categories) under “others” for three years, and every time they sent an RFP, they’d send it to the big-named suppliers in their core lists, never explicitly tagging the “others” bucket to my email. I’d spend weeks following up, only to get a generic reply: “Thanks for submitting, we work with ‘others’ but only on new projects.” Wait a second – “others” in that sentence wasn’t just a grammar point. It was a code for “we don’t prioritize suppliers we don’t recognize, even if our own RFP lists them.” That’s the real power of this sentence structure: how the words we choose (including how we use “others” with conjunctions) shape how people (and businesses) are treated.
I’ve also seen this question pop up in client feedback, and it’s led me to notice a lot of small, avoidable mistakes that come from treating “others” like an afterthought. A few months back, a small assembly shop told me they turned down a partnership with a big box retailer because of this sentence on their vendor page: “Preferred vendors handle electrical components, wood, and others, but ‘others’ refers to suppliers we’ve worked with before.” That’s a grammatically correct sentence, but the conjunction “but” creates a hard line – “and others” sounds inclusive, but the “but” restricts it to a specific, pre-approved group. The shop I was talking to made parts that fit into “others” technically, but the wording made them feel like a second-class option. That’s why when I write my own communications, I’m careful with how I use “others” with conjunctions: if I say, “My company supplies custom machined parts, rubber seals, and others, and every order is inspected before shipping,” that’s a clear, inclusive line – the “and others” doesn’t separate those items from the core list, and the second “and” reinforces that all of our parts get the same care.
Now, let’s get back to grammar for a second, because there are common mistakes that people make when they pair “others” with conjunctions, and they’re not just grammar errors – they’re clarity errors that hurt businesses like mine. The wrong version would be: “We order bolts, nuts, and others, but they need to be delivered by Friday.” Wait, who is “they” here? Is it the bolts, nuts, or the “others”? That’s a misplaced pronoun, not a mistake with the conjunction or “others” – but it’s exactly the kind of vague wording that makes procurement teams toss “others” into the “unclear items” pile, and then leave suppliers like me at the bottom of the list. The fix is simple: “We order bolts, nuts, and other small fasteners, but these items need to be delivered by Friday.” Wait, no – if you want to keep “others,” it would be: “We order bolts, nuts, and others, but all of these items need to be delivered by Friday.” That makes it clear, no grammar issues. The mistake isn’t using “others” and a conjunction – it’s not making sure the sentence is specific enough to avoid confusion.
Another place this confusion comes up is in diversity and inclusion conversations, surprisingly. As a small business owner, I’ve heard people argue that using “others” in a sentence (even with conjunctions) is exclusionary, because it frames the group it’s referring to as less than the core set. For example, if a company says, “Our suppliers are Local Co, Regional Co, and others, and we prioritize these partnerships,” that “others” can feel like the suppliers on the edge, not part of the main group. But here’s the thing: “others” isn’t inherently exclusionary – it’s how you pair it with conjunctions that changes that. If you say, “Our suppliers include Local Co, Regional Co, and others, and all of these partnerships get equal priority,” that “and” links the core suppliers to the others, no hierarchy. That’s the difference between a sentence that uses “others” correctly and fairly, and one that uses it to marginalize. And for me, as someone who falls into that “others” bucket on nearly every form, that’s a huge distinction. I don’t want to be labeled as less important – I want to be part of the group, and clear, correct sentence structure helps with that.
I’ve spent the last 12 years in this industry, watching new suppliers get lumped into “others” from day one, and watching established vendors dismiss those of us in that bucket because of vague wording. Last year, I was part of a roundtable for small component suppliers, and everyone there had a similar story: they’d submit detailed proposals, only to get a note back that said, “We review ‘others’ but don’t have space in our current supply chain.” The “but” there creates a barrier, even though “and others” would sound more open. When I helped rewrite that note for a client recently, we changed it to: “We review all suppliers, including those categorized as ‘others,’ and we will reach out if your products meet our needs.” That small change – using “and” instead of a restrictive conjunction like “but” – didn’t just fix a grammar point. It opened a door for suppliers who had been overlooked for years.
Let’s go back to the original question: Can “others” be used in a sentence with a conjunction? The short answer is a resounding yes – but only if you use it correctly, clearly, and fairly. It’s not a grammar trick, or a rule only English teachers need to worry about. For a supplier like me, who makes parts that don’t fit neatly into pre-set industry categories, how people use “others” in a sentence shapes whether I get a shot at a partnership, whether my products are taken seriously, whether my company is seen as a real part of the supply chain. I’ve seen sentences where “others” and conjunctions work perfectly to include and clarify, and I’ve seen the same structure used to push small businesses to the margins.
That’s why when I write my own marketing materials, my RFP responses, my follow-up emails to clients, I’m intentional with every word. I don’t hide behind “others” as a vague catch-all, and I don’t let others use “others” to dismiss my work. For example, when I send a quote, I end it with: “Our company supplies custom precision parts, industrial fasteners, and other specialized components, and every order comes with a 30-day quality guarantee. If you need to discuss your specific needs, please reach out to our team.” That’s a sentence that uses “others” and two conjunctions – and, and – perfectly, clearly, and it invites people to connect, not to shut me out.
I’ve also had clients come to me after they noticed how I frame these sentences, and they’ve revised their own procurement forms to be clearer. One mid-sized manufacturing plant told me they changed their form from “Supplier Category: Core, Secondary, Others” to “Supplier Category: Core, Secondary, and Additional” – not because of grammar, but because they wanted to stop labeling suppliers as “others” and start seeing them as part of the team. That’s the power of this small grammar question: it’s not just about words on a page. It’s about how we see the people and businesses we work with, every day.
As the owner of a specialty supplier that’s long been stuck in the “others” bucket, I’ll keep fighting to make sure that when someone uses “others” in a sentence, it’s used correctly, fairly, and with clarity. And if you’re a procurement manager, a business owner, or someone who’s ever written a line that includes “others” and a conjunction, take a minute to think about what that sentence is really saying. Is it including others, or pushing them aside? Is it clear, or is it vague enough to leave small suppliers like mine in the dark?
If you’re tired of dealing with vague supplier lists, missed deadlines, or the frustration of being labeled as “one of the others,” let’s talk. My team has years of experience working with industrial manufacturers, and we specialize in the components that get overlooked in core lists. We don’t cut corners, we meet tight deadlines, and we treat every order with the same care as a major contract. Reach out to our team to discuss how we can support your next project, no vague categories, no hidden barriers.
Others References
The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition. University of Chicago Press, 2017.
Modern English Grammar in Use, 4th Edition. Cambridge University Press, 2020.
Small Business Procurement Trends Report 2023. National Federation of Independent Business, 2023.
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