Grammar Question!

[travisleit01]

I am doing a brochure stating "There are 14 people interested in buying in X subdivision." The next sentence should state that if one of those 14 people buy the home, etc, blah, blah, blah.

So, should the sentence be:

a) If one of the 14 buys your home...
b) If one of the 14 buy your home...

Thanks!

[Metatron]

1. Answer a!

[TexasProgresive]

2. a - one buys (of the 14 is modifing one which is singular)

[travisleit01]

4. THANKS :)

I was 99% sure, but not completely. And I'm pretty anal about grammar...

Thanks DUers :bounce:

[hlthe2b]

8. yes... agree

[Doug Decker]

3. I believe the answer is A...

because the rule is the noun (one) must agree with the verb (buys). I know it doesn't seem logical.

The phrase "of the 14" is a prepositional phrase and is not considered.

Think of the sentence as "If one buys your home" without the prepositional phrase and it is easier.

[BBradley]

5. I would say A.

The actual subject is one, so you would conjugate accordingly.
I'm not an English teacher though, so I could be wrong.

[SW FL Dem]

6. Not a grammar expert

But I would say a) buys

[Speck Tater]

7. Take out the modifier. Then it's obvious.

If one (of the 14) buys ... -> if one buys ...

[oblivious]

9. A is correct, but here's one we likely won't agree on -- NONE

a) If none of the 14 buys your home...
b) If none of the 14 buy your home...

[TheWizardOfMudd]

10. One buys a home

One does not buy a home.

Wait a minute . . . . . ;)

When grammar questions like these arise, change the subject of the sentence, as this:

"If you sell your home to one of the 14 . . . ."

[Zan_of_Texas]

11. Yeah, a.

But, grammar is not really the end of it.

When you are doing a brochure, the goal is to be very readable.

And sound fluid and credible and right.

If you change it to

If one of them buys .....

it might sound better. (Technically accurate English sometimes is accurate but not fluid.)

[TheWizardOfMudd]

13. Zan, you ignorant slut

"If you sell your home to one of the 14" is completely fluid and totally readable.

Heh. ;)

[Rabrrrrrr]

12. And your first sentence is passive

Not a grammar error, but it sounds better to say:

"14 people are interested in buying in X subdivision"

[BonjourUSA]

14. You must answer the question : "who ?"

Here "who ?" = "one" (not 14)

And the right spelling is a)