one of the, relative pronouns, subject+verb agreement, syntax
"I'm one of those people who dresses according to my mood." - Mischa Barton, in In Touch
Mischa has made an error in subject/verb agreement. She has also used awkward syntax.
A common error in sentences that contain "one of" is the use of a plural noun paired with a singular verb. In Mischa's statement, many people are dressing so the pronoun "who" refers to the plural "people." The verb should be the plural "dress."
Rearranging the words in the quote results in awkward language, but it highlights the error:
- Of those people who dresses according to my mood, I am one.
The rearranged syntax underscores Mischa's awkward syntax. She uses the pronoun "my" to refer to the mood that dictates how people dress. Mischa's choice of words implies that other people dress according to her own mood.
Mischa's fashion statements may in fact influence how other people dress, but it is unlikely that they choose what to wear based on how she is feeling at any given moment. Changing the pronoun from one that refers to Mischa to one that refers to "people" would make the meaning of her statement more logical.
This version of Mischa's statement corrects the agreement error and avoids the awkward syntax:
"I'm one of those people who dress according to their moods."
Notice that "mood" has been changed to the plural "moods" to reflect that each person has his or her own mood.
