Else means different, other, or in addition to what has already been mentioned. When your mom asks “What else do you need for school?” she wants to know what other things you require beyond what you've already told her. When a teacher says “Does anyone else have a question?” she's asking if another person, different from whoever just spoke, wants to ask something.

The word often appears in questions and conditions. “Where else could my backpack be?” means “In what other place might I find it?” When you say “I can't think of anything else,” you mean you've run out of additional ideas or items to mention.

Else frequently pairs with or to suggest an alternative or consequence: “Finish your homework or else you can't play outside” implies something unpleasant will happen if you don't comply. “Hurry or else we'll be late” works the same way.

You'll also see else combined with words like someone, anyone, everyone, something, anything, or nothing: “Is anyone else coming to the party?” or “I have nothing else to say.” In these cases, it helps specify that you're talking about other people or things, not the ones already discussed.