Page 554 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

singular and plural (7): mixed structures 529
1 one of the few women who have climbed Everest
After expressions like one of the . .. , singular and plural verbs are both used in relative clauses beginning who, which or that.
She's one o f the few women who have/has climbed Everest.
This is one o f those books that are/is read by everybody.
Strictly speaking, a plural verb is correct (to agree with the few women who or those books that). However, singular verbs are also very common in these structures. More examples:
One ofthe things that really make/makes me angry is people who don't answer letters.
We've got one o f those Japanese cars that never break/breaks down.
2 A serious problem is wasps
In English a verb normally agrees with the subject of a sentence, not with a foUowing complement.
SVC
1 Inl I I
The biggest timewaster is meetings.
(NOT The biggest tintewtlSter are meetings.)
SVC 1InlI
A serious problem in our garden is wasps. (NOT AseR61:15J9F6hlem•••"Fe1H6I5/95.)
However, if the subject is a long way from the verb, people sometimes make the verb agree with a complement.
S
II
The most interesting thing on radio and television last
VC
II
1II I
weekend, without any doubt, was/were the tennis championships.
This often happens, too, when the subject is a relative what-clause, especially
when the complement is long.
What I am most interested in islare your immediate personal reactions.
sVC
1 1.--1--.1 I
What we need islare a few bright young engineers.
SVC
I~I I1111I
For singular and plural verbs after interrogative what and who. see 532.3.
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