"One of it" or "One of them"

Question

Hi forumers,I've been searching up and down for an answer to this. But couldn't hence I resorted to a forum. I believe I could get quite an accurate answer here. I was talking a friend the other day, about the things that the government is lacking to enable them to function efficiently. When she mentioned very bad corruption, I answered .. Yea, that is one of it....My friend argued and told me it isn't right. She said you say : `One of them....' She claims "one of it" is just totally wrong and doesn't exist.Is " one of it" a correct phrase in any occasion, and if it is, how and where can it be used which will make it right?Anyone here can enlighten me. I really want to know the correct statement. Thanks

Yoong Liat · Accepted Answer

Your friend is right.

Corruption is one of the things that the government is...

Hence, it should be "One of them". (one of the things)

Wilsongan · Answer

When then is `one of it' correct?

According to her, `one of it' doesn't exist because `it' is plural. One of is selection from a list. Her explanation was, it cannot be a choice from a singular item.

But from what I understand, when I say `one of it'...IT = a list
I qualify it earlier to mean IT as a collective noun, `one of...' is basically choosing from that list.

Either way, where then can I use `one of it'

Anonymous · Answer

When using "one of...," it has to follow by a plural. ([

]One of many vs.

one of one). As regarding "it" as a list, I think you have to explicitly state the series within the list but then again I've never heard of it in that sense.

Wilsongan · Answer

Which logically make sense.
But if you look at the use of the word `it'.
One of the definition is : " used to represent a `group' understood or previously mentioned.

Now from my story, you would see that I previously quality `it' as a list of items/matters hence `it' is now previously mentioned or understood. Now it becomes plural.

Hence when I use `one of it' ... it is directly like what everyone would agree `one of many vs one of one'.

Now my friend isn't an expert in english, it's only that she knows a few stuffs I don't and I know a few she doesn't. But I have no one else to prove which is right due to the fact that none of us knows anyone who are really clear about the proper words to use in english.

I notice answers are not made after reading my first post in detail. Anonymous, thanks for your answer but as you have advised, `I think you have to explicitly state the series within the list...'

I thought the predecessing statement I made was that "...about the things that the government is lacking to..." isn't that already a statement to fill the word `it' with content?

Mr Wordy · Answer

Wilsongan
According to her, `one of it' doesn't exist because `it' is ~~plural~~ singular. One of is selection from a list. Her explanation was, it cannot be a choice from a singular item.

With the correction noted above (which I assume is just a slip), your friend is correct.

Wilsongan
But from what I understand, when I say `one of it'...IT = a list

I qualify it earlier to mean IT as a collective noun, `one of...' is basically choosing from that list.

It doesn't matter. "it" is always grammatically singular, regardless of what it refers to.

WilsonganEither way, where then can I use `one of it'

Never.

BarbaraPA · Answer

Sorry, but I agree with your friend and the others posted here. Sure, "it" can represent a list of things, but when you use the "one of" you are now talking about those things individually, so you need a plural word to talk about those things.

That's it! (That is the one thing, period)

That's one of them.

That's one of it is simply not logical.

CalifJim · Answer

WilsonganIs " one of it" a correct phrase in any occasion, and if it is, how and where can it be used which will make it right?

No. "one of it", in the reading you have explained, is never correct on any occasion. It is always wrong. There is no way that it can be used which will make it right. Sorry.

In another reading, the word sequence itself is possible, however, but that wasn't the reading you intended:

-- I have a photo of Jack's new car.
-- I have one of it, too.

CJ

Wilsongan · Answer

I think I didn't make myself really clear here. I am not here alone for one objective. I want to find out if the usage of `it'' in my statement is right and at the same time, also learn about when can it be right if at all it can be right.

There are two types of answer I see here, one is a rigid `NO' to using that word `one of it' in ANY occasion in life.

CJ on the other hand shows me that `one of it' can be right at some other occasion. That was the answer I am seeking.

Thanks CJ. You're a great help!!

Anonymous · Answer

Great!
Thank you!

"One of it" or "One of them"

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