A switch with three wires could be used for a hall light with a switch at each end. Wiring a one way switch.

How To Install A One Way Light Switch
Wiring a single light switch uk. Although technically it doesnt matter which way round you connect the wires it is best to stick to convention and connect the permanemt live from the supply to com and the switched live to the lamp. With a pair of 3 way switches either can make or break the connection that completes the circuit to the light. The common is for the live wire that supplies the input voltage to the switch. The switch puts power out to one wire or the other like a valve for water that goes in two directions. The l2 terminal is unused. The other terminal is marked as l1 and is the output to the light fixture.
When the switch is on both terminals are connected together. If you are describing this switch to an electrician or electrical supplier you should refer to it as a 1 gang 2 way light switch and. Wiring a 3 way light switch is certainly more complicated than that of the more common single pole switch but you can figure it out if you follow our 3 way switch wiring diagram. There are two terminals in a one way light switch. A two way light switch can also be used in in place of a one way light switch in this instance the red wire from the feed cable is connected to the common c terminal and the red wire going to the light is connected to the l1 terminal. A one way light switch has two terminals which is a common marked as com or c.
The switch leg brings power to the fixture when the switch is turned on. There are many variations and different ways that it can be wired but the most common and most basic variation has the power supply to the switch box and a switched line from there to the light. Heres my simple video on how to change a light switch in the uk. The other terminal is for a second hot wire called a switch leg that runs only between the switch and the light fixture. Standard single pole switches do not connect to neutral circuit wire. Wiring a 3 way light switch.
A single pole light switch is a fairly simple circuit. Its easy and quick to do and i cover the basics on swapping a simple switch like for like. Typically these terminals will be marked com and l1 sometimes l1 and l2. When you switch it one way on or position 1 the com terminal is connected to the l1 terminalwhen you switch it the other way off or position 2 the com terminal connects to the l2 terminal. A metal light switch must be earthed as seen below. Its possible that the switch you removed was one of the two that controls the non functioning light.
If youre changing a light. Uk so this fig 1 is what we call a 2 way switch. The ground screw is for the circuit ground wire connection.