Practice
One of the examples is: singular and plural choices
One of the examples is clear. The noun examples is plural, but the subject of the sentence is one. Find the main subject before you choose the verb.
Choose a singular verb after one of the plus a plural noun, and recognize when a following relative clause has a different plural subject.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
one of the examples /wʌn əv ði ɪɡˈzæmpəlz/
The short answer
Write one of the examples is because one is the subject. Examples is plural, but it is inside the phrase of the examples. Use a plural verb only when a different plural subject controls that verb, as in one of the examples that are easy to remember.
One of the examples is on the first page.
Why it works: One is singular, so the main verb is is. The phrase of the examples adds information about the one.
5 more examples
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One of the answers is missing from the worksheet.
One is the main subject. Answers is plural because there are several possible answers.
Not this:The
answers aremissing from the worksheet. What changes: This sentence makes the whole group of answers the subject, so it uses are. -
One of my neighbors has a small garden.
The sentence is about one neighbor, so has is singular.
Not this:My
neighbors havesmall gardens. What changes: Here the plural noun neighbors is the subject, so the verb is have. -
One of the students was absent today.
One student was absent. The plural noun students names the larger group.
Not this:The
students wereabsent today. What changes: The whole group is absent in this sentence, so it uses were. -
One of the films that are available tonight is a comedy.
Are belongs to the clause that are available. That clause describes the plural noun films.
Not this:The only one of the films
that is availabletonight is a comedy. What changes: Here is can describe the single item because the phrase the only one makes that meaning clear. -
One of the reasons is easy to explain.
The main sentence has one reason as its subject, so it uses is.
Not this:The
reasons areeasy to explain. What changes: This sentence discusses all the reasons, so the plural subject takes are.
Read the full guide
Look for the word before of. In one of the examples, that word is one. Since one means a single item, the main verb is singular. This rule helps when a plural noun stands close to the verb and makes the sentence look confusing.
Find the main subject
In one of the examples, the main subject is one. The words of the examples describe which group the one comes from. Start with one when you choose the main verb.
One of the examples is useful.
One is singular, so the sentence uses is.
Which word is the main subject: one or examples?
One is the main subject.
Use a singular main verb
After one of, use a singular form for the main verb. This works with present, past, and perfect forms. The plural noun after of does not control the main verb.
One of the boxes has a broken label.
Has agrees with one box, not with several boxes.
Choose the main verb: One of the boxes ___ a broken label.
Use has: One of the boxes has a broken label.
Keep the plural noun after of
The noun after of is usually plural because it names a group. One of the book is not the normal pattern when you mean one item from several books. Use one of the books is.
One of the posters is near the entrance.
Posters is plural because the sentence selects one poster from several posters.
Choose the group noun: One of the ___ is near the entrance.
Use posters: One of the posters is near the entrance.
Compare one item with the whole group
A sentence with one of names one item. A sentence without one of may name the whole group. The verb changes because the subject changes.
One of the keys is on the table.
The keys are on the table. This second sentence is about all the keys.
Which sentence talks about a single key?
One of the keys is on the table talks about a single key.
Read a relative clause separately
A clause beginning with that, who, or which can have its own verb. In one of the reports that are online, are belongs to reports. The main sentence still needs a singular verb after the longer phrase.
One of the reports that are online is incomplete.
Are agrees with reports inside the clause. Is agrees with one in the main sentence.
Which noun does are describe in the clause that are online?
Are describes reports, the plural noun in the relative clause.
Before you go
Remember this
One of the examples is uses a singular verb because one is singular. The plural noun after of names the group, not the main subject. In a relative clause, choose the verb by the noun that the clause describes. Read long sentences in parts before you decide.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "One of the examples is: singular and plural choices"
Is one of the examples is correct?
Yes. One is the subject of the phrase one of the examples, so the main verb is singular: one of the examples is. The plural noun examples names the group that the selected example belongs to. It does not make the main verb plural.
One of the answers is missing from the worksheet.
Why is examples plural after one of?
Use a plural noun after one of when you mean one item selected from a group. One of the examples means one example from several examples. The group noun stays plural, while the main verb agrees with the singular word one.
The answers are missing from the worksheet.
Should I write one of the students has or have?
Write one of the students has when the sentence is about a single student. The word one is singular, so it takes has. Write students have only when students itself is the subject and the sentence refers to the group.
One of my neighbors has a small garden.
Can one of the be followed by a plural verb?
The main verb after one of is normally singular because one is the subject. A plural verb can appear later in a relative clause that describes the plural noun, such as a clause about several books, reports, or people. Check which noun controls each verb.
My neighbors have small gardens.
What is the difference between one of the books is and the books are?
One of the books is refers to a single book selected from a group. The books are refers to the whole group of books. The verb changes because the subject changes from the singular word one to the plural noun books.
One of the students was absent today.