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One of the… Pattern

Introduction

The phrase “One of the…” is a very common English expression and is often tested in subject-verb agreement questions. It looks plural because of the noun that follows, but the true subject is singular (“one”).

Understanding this pattern helps in correctly choosing between singular and plural verbs when the sentence structure looks tricky.

Pattern: One of the… Pattern

Pattern

“One of the” is always followed by a plural noun and takes a singular verb.

The word “one” is the real subject (singular), not the plural noun after “of the”.

Step-by-Step Example

Question

Choose the correct verb:

One of the students _______ missing from the class.

(A) are    (B) were    (C) is    (D) have

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the key phrase.

    The sentence starts with “One of the”.

  2. Step 2: Understand the structure.

    “Students” is plural, but the real subject is ‘one’ (singular).

  3. Step 3: Apply the rule.

    Since the true subject is singular, use a singular verb.

  4. Step 4: Substitute and check.

    ‘One of the students is missing from the class.’

  5. Final Answer:

    is → Option C

  6. Quick Check:

    “One” = singular → verb = singular (‘is’). ✅

Quick Variations

1. “One of the boys is…” (singular verb)

2. “One of the answers was…” (singular verb)

3. “One of my friends has…” (singular auxiliary)

4. When it starts with “The only one of the…”, the rule remains the same - still singular.

Trick to Always Use

  • Step 1: Look for “One of the…” - ignore the plural noun after “of the”.
  • Step 2: The real subject is “one” → always singular verb (is/was/has).
  • Step 3: Don’t get confused by the plural noun that follows.

Summary

Summary

  • Rule: “One of the” + plural noun → singular verb.
  • “One” is the true subject, not the plural noun.
  • Examples:
    ✅ One of the players is injured.
    ✅ One of the girls has left early.
  • Always match the verb to “one”, not the noun after “of the”.

Practice

(1/5)
1. Choose the correct verb:<br><br>One of the teachers _______ going to retire this year.
easy
A. is
B. are
C. were
D. have

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the key phrase.

    The sentence begins with ‘One of the’.

  2. Step 2: Determine the true subject.

    Although ‘teachers’ is plural, the real subject is ‘one’ (singular).

  3. Step 3: Apply the rule.

    ‘One of the’ + plural noun → singular verb → use is.

  4. Step 4: Substitute and check.

    ‘One of the teachers is going to retire this year.’

  5. Final Answer:

    is → Option A

  6. Quick Check:

    ‘One’ is singular → use singular verb ‘is’. ✅
Hint: ‘One of the’ always takes a singular verb.
Common Mistakes: Choosing plural ‘are’ due to the plural noun after ‘of the’.
2. Fill in the blank:<br><br>One of my friends _______ invited me to his wedding.
easy
A. has
B. have
C. were
D. are

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the structure.

    The phrase ‘One of my friends’ begins the sentence.

  2. Step 2: Recognize the subject.

    Though ‘friends’ is plural, the real subject is ‘one’ (singular).

  3. Step 3: Apply the rule.

    ‘One of the’ + plural noun → singular verb → use has.

  4. Step 4: Substitute and verify.

    ‘One of my friends has invited me to his wedding.’

  5. Final Answer:

    has → Option A

  6. Quick Check:

    Singular subject ‘one’ → singular verb ‘has’. ✅
Hint: If it starts with ‘One of the’, always use singular verbs like ‘is/has’.
Common Mistakes: Using plural ‘have’ because of the plural noun ‘friends’.
3. Select the correct option:<br><br>One of the boys _______ late for the match.
easy
A. are
B. was
C. were
D. have

Solution

  1. Step 1: Find the phrase.

    The sentence begins with ‘One of the’.

  2. Step 2: Identify the real subject.

    The noun ‘boys’ is plural, but the real subject is ‘one’ (singular).

  3. Step 3: Apply the rule.

    ‘One of the’ + plural noun → singular verb → use was.

  4. Step 4: Substitute and check.

    ‘One of the boys was late for the match.’

  5. Final Answer:

    was → Option B

  6. Quick Check:

    Singular subject → singular past verb ‘was’. ✅
Hint: Focus on ‘one’ - ignore the plural noun after ‘of the’.
Common Mistakes: Using plural ‘were’ because of the plural-looking noun.
4. Choose the correct verb:<br><br>One of the answers _______ incorrect in the test paper.
medium
A. are
B. were
C. is
D. have

Solution

  1. Step 1: Recognize the pattern.

    The phrase starts with ‘One of the’.

  2. Step 2: Find the subject.

    ‘One’ is singular, so the verb should be singular too.

  3. Step 3: Apply the rule.

    ‘One of the’ + plural noun (‘answers’) → singular verb → use is.

  4. Step 4: Substitute and verify.

    ‘One of the answers is incorrect in the test paper.’

  5. Final Answer:

    is → Option C

  6. Quick Check:

    ‘One’ = singular → use singular verb ‘is’. ✅
Hint: ‘One’ is singular → verb must also be singular.
Common Mistakes: Selecting plural verbs (‘are’/‘were’) due to plural noun confusion.
5. Select the correct sentence:
medium
A. One of the players are missing from the team.
B. One of the players is missing from the team.
C. One of the players were missing from the team.
D. One of the players have missing from the team.

Solution

  1. Step 1: Review each option.

    We must find the one where the verb agrees with the singular subject ‘one’.

  2. Step 2: Apply the rule.

    ‘One of the’ + plural noun → singular verb → the correct verb is is.

  3. Step 3: Choose the correct option.

    Option B uses ‘is’ correctly - ‘One of the players is missing from the team.’

  4. Final Answer:

    One of the players is missing from the team. → Option B

  5. Quick Check:

    ‘One’ = singular → singular verb ‘is’ fits perfectly. ✅
Hint: When in doubt, replace ‘One of the’ with ‘He/She’ - if it fits, verb is singular.
Common Mistakes: Using plural verb ‘are’ with ‘One of the’.

Mock Test

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