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Perfect Stranger Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Grammar question no. 57: I'm one of the few people who... + verb

Dear All,

I'm wondering if the verb in the second part of the sentence should be used in the 3rd person singular form or not.

a) I'm probably one of the few people in this country who despises using a cellphone.
b) I'm probably one of the few people in this country who despise using a cellphone.

I'd say the first one is correct, the second one is not but I've come across this sentence online:

I'm one of those few people who actually care when I ask "What's wrong?".



What do you think?
  

Top answer

Perfect Stranger I'm probably one of the few people in this country who despise using a cellphone. It's this one (above). It should be parsed as shown below.

— CalifJim

  • Perfect Stranger I'm probably one of the few people in this country who despise using a cellphone.
  • It's this one (above).
  • It should be parsed as shown below.
  • I'm probably one of ........
  • [the few people in this country who despise using a cellphone].
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8 Answers
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Perfect StrangerI'm probably one of the few people in this country who despise using a cellphone.
It's this one (above). It should be parsed as shown below.

I'm probably one of
........ [the few people in this country who despise using a cellphone].

CJ
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Thanks CJ. Would you say the other sentence I included in my first post is incorrect? I mean, the one I've found online.
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Perfect StrangerThanks CJ. Would you say the other sentence I included in my first post is incorrect? I mean, the one I've found online.
The parsing is identical to what I explained in my reply.

I'm one of

............ [those few people who actually care when I ask "What's wrong?"].

It's correct.

CJ
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Oh, sorry, I didn't notice there was no -s in the corrected version of my sentence.

Thank you.
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Perfect StrangerI didn't notice there was no -s in the corrected version of my sentence.
So does it make sense now? Do you see why the verb after "who" has to be plural?

CJ
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CalifJimSo does it make sense now? Do you see why the verb after "who" has to be plural?
Thank you for this question. Yes, I think it's all clear now.

Have a good night!
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Who must always modify the nearest pronoun. Is that correct?
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AnonymousWho must always modify the nearest pronoun.
"who" doesn't modify anything. It may be the first word of a relative clause that modifies a noun, however, if that's what you mean. The modified noun is the nearest noun about 95% of the time, but sometimes the modified noun is before the nearest noun.

CJ
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