One of the most important rules in subject-verb agreement is to make sure that the verb agrees with the subject in both number and person. This means that if you have a singular subject, you should use a singular verb, and if you have a plural subject, you should use a plural verb.

For example, consider the following sentences:

– The cat is sleeping on the couch.

– The cats are sleeping on the couch.

In the first sentence, “cat” is the subject and it is singular, so the verb “is” is also singular. In the second sentence, “cats” is the subject and it is plural, so the verb “are” is also plural.

However, subject-verb agreement can become tricky when dealing with certain phrases, like “one of.” When “one of” is used to describe a group of nouns, it can be easy to overlook the fact that the subject is actually singular. In these cases, it is important to ensure that the verb used is also singular.

For instance:

– One of the cats is sleeping on the couch.

– One of the cats is black.

In both of these sentences, “one” is the actual subject, and it is singular. Therefore, the verbs “is” and “is” are used.

On the other hand, if the phrase “one of” is followed by a plural noun, the verb should still be singular, as “one” is the subject:

– One of the cars needs an oil change.

– One of the flowers looks wilted.

In these examples, “cars” and “flowers” are plural, but “one” is the subject, so the verbs “needs” and “looks” are singular.

In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is essential to ensure clear and correct communication in writing. The rule to remember is that the verb should agree with the subject in both number and person. When using the phrase “one of,” be sure to pay attention to the actual subject of the sentence, as it may not be immediately obvious.