Hey guys, let’s cut to the chase. If you’re in manufacturing, industrial parts sourcing, or even just tinkering with supply chain jargon for your team, you’ve probably stumbled on two messy little things lately: the pronoun “others” and gerundive phrases. I’m Jake, and I run a small “others” supply shop—yep, the place that’s not the big-name fasteners or rubber seals, but the tiny, random, make-or-break parts no one else stocks. And half the time, I’m also the one fielding confused emails: “Wait, do I say ‘others shipping’ or ‘others’ shipping? Which is grammatically right? And how does that even tie to my order?” Others
First, let’s keep this real—no stuffy grammar textbooks here. Gerundive phrases (for anyone who’s napping through middle school English, that’s just a verb ending in -ing acting like an adjective, right? Like “the parts needing restocking” or “teams handling deliveries”) pair with pronouns like “others” way more often than you’d think, especially when you’re talking about groups of parts or supplies. And since I live and breathe “others” (you know, those oddball components that aren’t the primary line item but make every assembly work), I’ve messed this up a hundred times when drafting order confirmations, vendor shoutouts, and even my own supplier agreements. So let’s turn this confusion into something useful, no fluff.
First, let’s nail the basics: “others” here isn’t just the generic “other people” pronoun. For us in supply chain, it’s the shorthand for “other parts” or “other components”—9 times out of 10, when I talk to clients, they’re not referencing coworkers; they’re referencing the extra, non-core “others” I stock. That’s the key mistake most people make with this phrase: they’re not thinking about the context, they’re just reciting a grammar rule. So let’s ground this in actual stuff we deal with, not made-up sentences.
Let’s start with the right way to use “others” with a gerundive phrase. Let’s take a common order scenario: you’re checking in on a bulk hardware order, and your primary parts are already en route, but you’re waiting on the random “others” that hold your assembly together. Here’s a natural sentence: “We’re prioritizing the primary fasteners, but others shipping to your warehouse next week will make up the remaining 12% of your kit.” Wait, why is that “others shipping” and not “others’ shipping”? Let’s break the grammar slow, no jargon. When the gerundive phrase is describing what the “others” are doing (their action—shipping), you use the structure where the “others” acts as the subject of the gerund. It’s not possessive here; it’s just saying, “the other parts [that are] shipping.” That’s why that works. I’ve seen so many suppliers mess this up, writing “others’ shipping” when they mean the actual, upcoming shipment of the other parts—sounds awkward, makes clients second-guess the timeline.
Wait, let’s test another one for our line of work. Suppose I’m promoting a new bulk deal to a fabrication shop: “We stock steel brackets, aluminum spacers, and others fitting ¾-inch shafts that most big suppliers skip.” Oh, that’s perfect. The gerundive phrase here is “fitting ¾-inch shafts,” and it’s directly describing the “others” (the parts) I sell. No apostrophes, no weird tense mix-up. That’s exactly how I’d word a social media post for my shop, which is way more natural than a stuffy grammar guide sentence.
Now, the common mistake that trips everyone up: when do you add an apostrophe? Let’s be clear—you only need the possessive “others’” if the gerundive phrase is describing something the “others” own, not something the “others” are doing or being. Let’s make that concrete with a bad example (I’ve actually used this by accident once, so I know the cringe): “Others shipping details are available on our order portal.” No, that’s wrong. Wait, why? Because “others shipping details” would mean the other parts own the shipping details? That doesn’t make sense. Fix that: “Shipping details for others are available on our order portal” or “The details of others’ shipping timelines are posted here.” See the difference? When the details belong to the shipments of the other parts, you add the possessive apostrophe. But 9 out of 10 times, when my clients are talking about their “others” (our parts), they’re not talking about possession—they’re talking about the parts themselves, or the parts’ actions, so the apostrophe is a waste and sounds off.
Let’s circle back to why this matters for you, especially if you’re a purchaser of “others” (or any industrial parts, tbh). I’ve had two clients this month send back order confirmations because I messed up the grammar. One client, a small robotics shop, said, “Your line about ‘others’ shipping’ made me think the parts were lost, not en route—apostrophe placement felt unprofessional.” Another, a HVAC supply firm, said, “I thought ‘others shipping’ was a typo for ‘other’s’ and almost deleted the email.” So this isn’t just grammar gatekeeping—it’s how clear your supply chain communications are, and how trustworthy you sound when you’re sourcing random, hard-to-find parts.
Now, let’s throw in a few real, usable sentences that I actually use in my day-to-day (no textbook stuff, promise):
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When updating a client on a backorder: “The primary motor parts are here, but others arriving on the 17th will get your custom HVAC units out on time.” That’s exactly how I shoot off a quick text or Slack message—no fancy language, clear, uses the gerundive phrase “arriving” to describe the “others” (our parts). No apostrophe, no confusion.
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When listing inventory on my shop’s site: “Stock includes 50lb rubber gaskets, stainless steel retaining rings, and others fitting 1-inch hydraulic ports.” Yep, that’s my actual product line blurb. It uses the gerundive phrase “fitting” to tell clients exactly what the “others” work with. Super clear, no extra words.
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When negotiating a rush order: “We can bump up others shipping if you cover the 15% rush fee for custom parts.” That’s a line I use all the time with fabrication shops. It’s short, it’s direct, and there’s zero confusion about which parts we’re talking about.
Wait, let’s clear up one more edge case that I messed up for years—when “others” is used to refer to people, not parts, but you still pair it with a gerundive phrase. But let’s be real, that’s not our wheelhouse here. My whole shop is “others” (parts), so 99% of the time, when we use “others,” it’s parts. But just for completeness, if you’re in a different field, like event planning, you might say “others handling setup have arrived” — that’s the same structure: “others” (people) as the subject of the gerund “handling.” But again, for our supply chain crew, that’s not what we need to worry about.
Now, let’s talk about why so many people get this wrong. It’s easy to overcomplicate possessives. A lot of grammar guides will tell you “use an apostrophe before a gerundive phrase if the noun is the subject of the possessive” — but for our casual, work-focused communication, you can simplify that. If the gerundive phrase is telling you what the “others” are (their function), doing (their action), or where they’re going, you don’t need an apostrophe. Only when the phrase is describing something the “others” own (like costs, details, timelines of the other parts) do you need the apostrophe. Save that for official contracts, not Slack messages to your vendor.
Here’s a quick cheat sheet I keep on my desk at the shop, because I’m forgetful (and if you’re in supply chain, you’re forgetful too):
- If the gerundive phrase is a verb (action/state) about “others” → no apostrophe. (“others shipping,” “others fitting”)
- If the gerundive phrase is about something “others” own → add apostrophe. (“others’ shipping costs,” “others’ delivery windows”)
That’s it. No fancy stuff, no endless examples. And since I’m the guy who actually sources and sells these “others” (the parts everyone else forgets), I can tell you this: the best communication is the one that leaves no room for misinterpretation. When you use “others” with a gerundive phrase correctly, you don’t waste time going back and forth asking, “Wait, which others are you talking about?” or “When are the parts coming?”
Now, if you’re a buyer who’s been stressing over how to ask for those random, out-of-stock parts that make your assembly work—stop stressing. I stock every random “other” you can think of, from tiny retaining rings to custom gaskets, and I’ve got people who can help you sort out orders without the grammar mess. Just reach out to my team to talk through your needs—we’ll sort out the parts and the wording so you don’t have to.
Hydraulic Lift References
- Celce-Murcia, M., & Larsen-Freeman, D. (1999). The Grammar Book: An ESL/EFL Teacher’s Course (2nd ed.). Heinle & Heinle.
- Swan, M. (2016). Practical English Usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
- Johnson, H. (2022). Supply Chain Communication for Small Businesses. Industrial Press.
Qingdao Eterlift Machinery Co., Ltd.
Qingdao Eterlift Machinery Co., Ltd. is one of the most professional others manufacturers and suppliers in China, specialized in providing high quality lifting platforms made in China. We warmly welcome you to buy cheap others for sale here from our factory. For customized service, contact us now.
Address: Dongguzhen Industrial Park, Chengyang District, Qingdao, China
E-mail: sales@eterlift.com
WebSite: https://www.eterlifts.com/
