This archive report was first published on 22 May 2020.
As a journalist, I have often encountered grammatically puzzling statements that leave readers scratching their heads. One such statement, made by an official of a Nairobi book-publishing company, reads: “... book publishing is one of the industries that attracts the least number of new investments...”
At first glance, the statement seems innocuous enough. However, upon closer inspection, it reveals a common grammatical error that can be confusing even for experienced writers.
The error lies in the use of the verb “attracts” in the third person singular form, which is incorrect because the subject “industries” is plural. In English grammar, the verb form must agree with the number of the subject, and in this case, the plural noun “industries” requires a plural verb form.
So, what exactly “attracts”? Is it the pronoun “one” or the noun “industries”? The answer lies in the grammatical structure of the sentence. The expression “one of the...” always invites a plurality of collective things (or nouns), and in this case, the plural noun “industries” is what controls the form of the verb.
Therefore, the correct verb form should be “attract” (without the “s”), which reflects the plural noun “industries”, not the singular pronoun “one”.
As a rule of thumb, when using the phrase “one of the...”, the plural noun that follows it should control the form of the verb. This means that the verb must agree with the number of the subject, and in this case, the plural noun “industries” requires a plural verb form.
By following this simple rule, writers can avoid common grammatical errors and ensure that their writing is clear and concise.
— Philip Ochieng, a veteran journalist.
