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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread One in 10 students in my class is / are rich. #209919 03/06/2013 8:48 AM Joined: Sep 2012 Posts: 41 Lionel Koh newbie Lionel Koh newbie Joined: Sep 2012 Posts: 41 One in 10 students in my class is / are rich. Which bold word should I use? Thanks. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Share Post on Reddit Re: One in 10 students in my class is / are rich. Lionel Koh #209920 03/06/2013 11:42 AM Joined: Nov 2011 Posts: 1,075 Lancaster, UK Rhubarb Commando old hand Rhubarb Commando old hand Joined: Nov 2011 Posts: 1,075 Lancaster, UK Welcome, Lionel. Is - the subject of the sentence is 'one student', therefore the verb must be singular. I'm immortal until proven otherwise Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Share Post on Reddit Re: One in 10 students in my class is / are rich. Lionel Koh #209922 03/06/2013 12:20 PM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Unless you feel that you're not really talking about one student, you're talking about 10% of the class. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Share Post on Reddit Re: One in 10 students in my class is / are rich. Lionel Koh #209923 03/06/2013 5:30 PM Joined: Jan 2012 Posts: 37 gooofy newbie gooofy newbie Joined: Jan 2012 Posts: 37 According to MWDEU, the plural verb is more common in this construction, although the singular verb is found. Use of the plural verb is due to notional agreement - that is, the subject is seen as a percentage, as Faldage says. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Share Post on Reddit Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary Forum Statistics Forums16 Topics13,915 Posts230,293 Members9,208 Most Online4,606 Sep 17th, 2025 Newest Members JerryC, blvd, Tony Hood, Wood Delivery, Forix Richard 9,208 Registered Users Top Posters(30 Days) wofahulicodoc 22 A C Bowden 9 Top Posters wwh 13,858 Faldage 13,803 Jackie 11,613 wofahulicodoc 11,144 tsuwm 10,542 LukeJavan8 9,974 Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210 AnnaStrophic 6,511 Wordwind 6,296 of troy 5,400

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