Learn English – How to use “verb” with “who”

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It was difficult for me to complete the project with Drek because he is one of those persons who think he is always right.

Is the sentence above right?

I think it's not correct since one of those persons is singular. So, we have to use singular verb thinks.

So, the sentence would be

It was difficult for me to complete the project with Drek because he is one of those persons who thinks he is always right.

Am I right about my thinking? Or is it referring to only group of persons?

Consider other sentences like

He was one of those who goes to work by bike.

And

He was one of those who go to work by bike.

Which sentence is correct grammatically?

Could you please tell me which one who refers to in the sentences and grammar regarding this usage?

Best Answer

(This is not addressing OP's sentences although it deals with OP's concern over one of those noun who)

Does the verb following one of those noun who agree with one or those noun? Both are fine.

Where it is the subject that is relativised, the expectation would be that the number of the verb would be determined by the antecedent, giving a plural verb in Type I, and a singular in Type II. In practice, however, singular verbs are often found as alternants of plurals in Type I:

[22] i He's [one of those people who always want to have the last word]. (Type I)

ii He's [one of those people who always wants to have the last word]. (Type I)

iii He's [one of her colleagues who is always ready to criticise her]. (Type II)

Examples [i] and [iii] follow the ordinary rules, but [ii] involves a singular override. It can presumably be attributed to the salience within the whole structure of one and to the influence of the Type II structure (it is in effect a blend between Types I and II). But it cannot be regarded as a semantically motivated override: semantically the relative clause modifies people. This singular override is most common when the relative clause follows these or those + noun (520).

Source: Cambridge Grammar of the English Language by Rodney Huddleston & Geoffrey K. Pullum

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