One of My Friends Is or Are? Subject-Verb Agreement Explained

Many learners get confused by the phrase one of my friends is or are because two different ideas appear in the same subject. The word “friends” is plural, so “are” may sound natural at first. But the real subject is not “friends”. The real subject is “one”. That is why the correct sentence is: One of my friends is preparing for IELTS.

This is a small grammar point, but it matters. In speaking, it can make your sentence sound cleaner. In writing, it shows better sentence control. For Bangladeshi learners, the mistake is common because we often translate the meaning first instead of checking which word controls the verb.

The verb agrees with “one”, not “friends”

In English, the verb usually agrees with the main subject. In the phrase “one of my friends”, the main subject is one. The phrase “of my friends” only tells us which group the person belongs to. It gives extra information, but it does not control the verb.

So the structure is:

• One of my friends is preparing for IELTS.
• One of my teachers has a very clear teaching style.
• One of the students was absent yesterday.

Notice that “friends”, “teachers”, and “students” are plural. They need to be plural because “one of” means one person or thing from a larger group. But the verb still stays singular because we are talking about one person or one thing.

A useful way to test the sentence is to remove the “of” phrase for a moment. “One is preparing for IELTS” sounds correct. “One are preparing for IELTS” does not.

How to build the sentence correctly

The pattern is simple: one of + plural noun + singular verb.

The noun after “of” should usually be plural because you are choosing one from many. That is why we say “one of my friends”, not “one of my friend”. But after that, the verb should match “one”.

Compare these sentences:

• Wrong: One of my friend is preparing for IELTS.
• Wrong: One of my friends are preparing for IELTS.
• Correct: One of my friends is preparing for IELTS.

The first sentence is wrong because the group noun should be plural. The second sentence is wrong because the verb is plural. The third sentence follows both parts of the rule.

This also works with other verbs:

• One of the reasons is poor time management.
• One of the best ways is regular practice.
• One of my classmates does speaking practice every night.

Why this mistake appears in IELTS writing and speaking

In IELTS Writing, learners often make this mistake in opinion essays or examples. For example, someone may write: “One of the biggest problems are unemployment.” The correct version is: “One of the biggest problems is unemployment.” The plural word “problems” can distract you, but the sentence is still about one problem.

In IELTS Speaking, the mistake may happen when you answer quickly. You may say, “One of my hobbies are reading books.” A better answer is: “One of my hobbies is reading books.” If you pause for one second and identify the subject, you can avoid the error.

Try making three of your own sentences with this pattern. Use topics from your real life: one of my goals, one of my problems, one of my favourite places. Then check two things: Is the noun after “of” plural? Is the verb singular?

If small grammar mistakes like this happen often in your sentences, it may help to check your overall level first. You can use the Free English Level Assessment Tool to understand whether you need basic grammar revision before moving into heavier IELTS practice.

The main rule is easy to remember: the group is plural, but the verb follows “one”. Once you understand that, “one of my friends is” will start sounding natural.