BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

Usage of "one" as a subject

This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Previous Topic Next Topic
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2011 2:25 am
Followed by:1 members
GMAT Score:680

Usage of "one" as a subject

by Aditya57 » Mon Jul 18, 2011 5:12 am
Hi all,
I've faced some problems concerning the use of "one" as the subject of a sentence and would like someone to please clarify the rules governing its usage and explain the following situations as well.
1. .....one of the [plural noun],a major [singular verb],that/who verb
Is the verb singular of plural ?
2. .....only one of the [plural noun], who/that verb
Is the verb singular or plural ? I've seen in the BTG flash cards that in the former case verb is plural and in the latter singular, Please help understand the rule
3.Is the usage of "none" the same as the usage of "not one" and thus match the above two cases?
Thanks.
Top
Source: — Sentence Correction |
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2011 6:04 pm
Thanked: 1 times

by priya2gupta5 » Mon Jul 18, 2011 5:55 am
I also have similar doubts. I think for number 3, whatever rules apply to "one" also apply to "none". But I am not too sure about the first 2 questions.

thanks for posting these.
____________________________________
If you like what I write, do not hesitate to "thank"...

BTW origin of the word "thank"
- from Old English thancian;
- akin to Old English thanc gratitude
Top

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 645
Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2010 12:42 pm
Location: US
Thanked: 527 times
Followed by:227 members

by e-GMAT » Mon Jul 18, 2011 6:14 am
You know that "one of the..." as a subject is always singular since we are talking about ONLY ONE entity.

However, when a relative pronoun clause is placed next to it, the decision of using singular or plural verb depends on the context of the sentence.

1: If the relative pronoun clause describes all the entities, then plural verb should be used.
2: If it describes just the ONE of the many entities, then singular verb should be used.

So in essence, it is all context driven...:)
Lets consider some examples:

1A: One of the apples was rotten. (one of the...as subject)
Here "one of the .." is the subject. And hence singular. From the context as well, we are emphasizing that only 1 apple was rotten - thus singular verb was.

1B: One of the apples that were rotten was mistakenly used in the pudding.
Notice here: We are saying that "Only 1 rotten apple" was used in the pudding.
But we are also saying that all apples were rotten.

1C: The only one apple that was rotten was mistakenly used in the pudding.
Again only 1 rotten apple was used in the pudding.
But now the sentence implies that this was the only 1 rotten apple.

So as you can see when relative pronoun clauses are used after the phrase "one of the noun", selection of plural vs. singular verb depends on the meaning of the sentence. So it is very essential to understand what the sentence implies.

Lets take another set of examples:

2A: Dhoni is one of those cricketers who do modeling assignments.
Lets simplify this sentence:

Dhoni is one of those cricketers
who do modeling assignments.

This sentence implies that many cricketers do modeling assignments and Dhoni is just one of them.
"who" refers to "cricketers" and hence is plural. Thus the plural verb -do.

2B: Dhoni is the only one of those cricketers who does modeling assignments.

In this sentence the context has changed. Now the author of the sentence is stating the fact that Dhoni is the only cricketer who does modeling assignments. So as you can see the word 'only' changes the emphasis in the sentence.

So as I always say, understand the meaning of the sentence and then select correct grammar to use to express that meaning.
Top
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2011 2:25 am
Followed by:1 members
GMAT Score:680

by Aditya57 » Mon Jul 18, 2011 11:29 pm
thanks for the reply but I seem to miss the meaning what the sentence tries to convey as in SC the sentence contains errors ;)However please explain this case

A higher interest rate is only one of the factors, albeit an important one, that keeps the housing market from spiraling out of control, like it did earlier in the decade.

a) that keeps the housing market from spiraling out of control, like it did earlier in the decade.
b) that keep the housing market from spiraling out of control, as it did earlier in the decade
c) that keeps the housing market from spiraling out of control, as it did earlier in the decade
d) that keep the housing market from spiraling out of control, like earlier in the decade
e) that keep the housing market from spiraling out of control, like it did earlier in the decade

options a,d and e are clearly wrong ,"as" vs "like" rule but in deciding between options b and c ,that antecedent here seems to be "only one of the factors" so the verb is plural keep .I chose C by thinking "that" refers to "an important factor".
Answer is B btw.
Thanks
Top

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 645
Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2010 12:42 pm
Location: US
Thanked: 527 times
Followed by:227 members

by e-GMAT » Tue Jul 19, 2011 6:09 am
A higher interest rate is only one of the factors, albeit an important one, that keeps the housing market from spiraling out of control, like it did earlier in the decade.

The intended meaning:
Although it is an important factor, higher interest rate is ONLY 1 of the many factors. All these factors keep the housing market from spiraling out of control. And higher interest rate acted in the same manner earlier in the decade as well.
Thus, in this sentence the relative pronoun clause "that keeps..." modifies ALL the FACTORS and hence should be "that keep..."

Another version of the sentence:
A higher interest rate is the only one of the factors that keeps the housing market from spiraling out of control, like it did earlier in the decade.

The intended meaning:
Higher interest rate is THE ONLY 1 of the many factors. This 1 factor keeps the housing market from spiraling out of control. And higher interest rate acted in the same manner earlier in the decade as well.
Thus, in this sentence the relative pronoun clause "that keeps..." modifies ONLY higher interest rate or ONLY 1 of the factors and hence should be "that keeps..."

Bottomline: Understand the intended meaning of the sentence and decide accordingly.

Note that grammatically "that" cannot refer to "an important one". Notice carefully the sentence structure:
A higher interest rate is only of the factors, extra information, that keep the housing market from spiraling out of control...
"that modifier" is directly linked to the main clause. And remember, the modified entity and "that clause" are never separated by a comma. This is because "that clause" always provides essential information about the modified entity.
Check out the link below for more information about this:
https://e-gmat.com/blogs/?p=575

Thanks,

Payal
Top
Post new topic Locked
• Page 1 of 1