The phrase “one of” looks simple, but it often confuses English learners. Many students know the basic rule, yet they still feel unsure when they see sentences like “one of the few.” This post clears up the confusion and shows when ‘one of’ must be followed by a plural noun—and when it doesn’t . The General Rule (This Covers 90% of Cases) One of + plural noun We usually use “one of” to mean one person or thing from a group . Examples: one of the students one of my friends one of those mistakes ✔ This is the safest and most common structure. One of the + Superlative + Plural Noun When we are ranking or evaluating, we add a superlative. Structure: one of the + superlative + plural noun Examples: one of the best teachers one of the finest actors one of the most difficult exams One of the + adjective (adjective acting as a noun) Structure: one of the + adjective Examples: one of the few one of the best one of the lucky one of the chosen ⚠️ Only certain adjectives ...