ONE of the substances

[HSPA]

Biologists believe that they have found one of the
substances that tell individual genes both when to
become active and when to remain quiescent in the
earliest phases of an embryo's development.

(A) tell individual genes both when to become
active and when to remain
(B) tell individual genes both at which time they
should become active or should remain
(C) tells individual genes both when to become
active or remain
(D) tells individual genes both when to become
active or when to remain
(E) will tell an individual gene both about when it
should become active and remain

[rohu27]

idiom - both X and Y, X and Y shud be parallel.this takes me to A, but shudnt it be tells? as one of the is singular?

Found the solution frm SC grain:
it says:

One of the 'Noun' (will always be plural) + that/who + Plural Verb.

so plural tell it is.

[Rezinka]

IMO :A

[atulmangal]

idiom - both X and Y, X and Y shud be parallel.this takes me to A, but shudnt it be tells? as one of the is singular?

Found the solution frm SC grain:
it says:

One of the 'Noun' (will always be plural) + that/who + Plural Verb.

so plural tell it is.

Tell (Plural) is the correct Verb form...Its...ONE of the SUBSTANCES (PLURAL NOUN) THAT...require plural verb

REMEMBER:--

ONE OF THE NOUN (PLURAL) THAT/WHO VERB(Plural)

THAT/WHO refer back to the NOUN which is plural so take a plural verb....

Example:--
He is ONLY ONE/ JUST ONE/ BUT ONE of my friends who ARE an IT professional
One of the books that are...NOT is
One of the cricketers who are....NOT is

BUT, also note one exception...

IF THE ONLY ONE IS PRESENT THEN VERB SHOULD BE SINGULAR

He is THE ONLY ONE of my friends who IS an IT professional



Moreover if, THAT / WHO is not there in the sentence then the structure is

ONE OF THE NOUN (PLURAL) VERB (SINGULAR)

Example

ONE of my friends IS an IT professional

One of the boys is...NOT are

Hope this helps