ToBE #22 : Singular or plural?

When it comes to saying "..one of the ...", many people are unsure whether 'of the' should be followed by a singular word or plural.

For example, which of the following is correct?

• One of my friend is in the army.
• One of my friends is in the army.

Answer: The second one is correct. When you choose an item out of , that has to be more than one.

To make it simpler, think of which one looks correct:

• Many people have come from Pune. I am one of him/her.
• Many people have come from Pune. I am one of them.

Obviously, the second one. Use the same logic in all conditions. Do remember that since you have chosen one of the many choices, it has to be followed by a singular verb and not a plural one:

• Correct: One of my friends is in the army
• Incorrect: One of my friends are in the army.

____________________________________________________________________

In the next issue, we will discuss a deviation from the last rule above.