I always learnt that "more than one" takes a singular verb because it is followed by a singular noun as in: more than one child has bad grades.
But what happens when it is followed by a plural noun? For example: more than one of the children [has/have] bad grades?
Grammarphobia says when “more than one” modifies a singular noun, it goes with a singular verb: “More than one person is going.” But when it’s followed by “of” and a plural noun, it takes a plural verb: “More than one of the people are going”. –>https://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2007/12/can-more-than-one-be-singular.html
on the other hand, this site suggests a different answer: more than one of the authors has received the Nobel Prize.
"More than one," although plural in meaning, always takes a singular verb. Another such idiom occurs when "one or two" acts as the subject: One or two was found in the kitchen. (However, “one or two were found in the kitchen” is also acceptable).
–>https://crosstalk.cell.com/blog/10-tricky-cases-of-subject-verb-agreement
And what happens when the sentence is preceeded by "there is/are" or "here is/are?
So in the end what verb should I use? How can I correctly write these sentences:
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More than one of the dolphins contracts/contract dangerous diseases.
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More than one of them contracts/contract dangerous diseases.
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There is/are more than one sick dolphin.
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There is/are more than one of the sick dolphins.
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There is/are more than one of them.
Normally I'd use the singular for all of the sentences above, but grammar sites made me lose my sense of grammar, of which I had little to no knowledge! Please help me.
Best Answer
While reading researches that others have made like this good answer on ELL or this Grammarexchange post, it becomes apparent that singular is always preferred after more than one, though much less after more than one of.
Looking in the CAGEL, I have only found a comment on the grammatical behaviour of more than one followed by singular nouns. Neither is there any reference to more than one of the +plural noun in the Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language. Quirk only notes:
In order to understand how the choice of singular or plural can even possibly fluctuate, this post of a native speaker sheds some light:
The rule about more than one + of the + plural noun requiring a verb in the plural is encountered on grammar sites on the internet. For example the English Language Help Desk seems to agree with Grammarphobia you have quoted:
As a reputable source who clearly deals with this matter, I have only found The American Heritage Dictionary which provides this Usage Note:
Do note the use of usually in this explanation, which shows that the AHD does not state it as an absolute rule.
My conclusion is that, when more than one is followed by of the + a plural noun, as some comments have shown, I guess it is better to go with your intuition. One of the three rules (grammatical, notional or of proximity) will back you up.