one

one

1. When the phrase one of those who… is used, it is normally preferable to follow it with a plural verb (regarding those rather than one as the antecedent), except when particular emphasis is being placed on the individuality of one, in which case a singular verb is called for: (plural verb)

• She was one of those women who make an enchanted garden of their childhood memories —Anita Brookner, 1990

• (singular verb) ‘Don't you think,’ said Bernard, ‘that Hawaii is one of those places that was always better in the past?’ —David Lodge, 1991.

2. The use of one to mean ‘any person’, ‘I’, or ‘me’ is often regarded as an affectation, although English does not always have a ready alternative. It is probably true to say that the more one is associated with ‘I’ or ‘me’, the greater the affectation:

• This performance commanded attention; at times…it brought one's blood to a boil —Chicago Tribune, 1988.

When it genuinely means ‘any person’ (including only incidentally the speaker), it seems a good deal more natural:

• You must realize that there are risks that one doesn't take —Nadine Gordimer, 1987.

When one is used in this way there is a difference of usage between BrE and AmE when the sentence is continued with a further pronoun having the same reference. In AmE one is followed either by another one (or one's) or by a third-person pronoun he or she (or, to avoid gender problems, occasionally they), or by his or her or their, whereas in BrE another one (or one's) always follows: (AmE)

• I like to believe one can be honest and sincere and committed in what he's doing —Chicago Sun-Times, 1988

• (BrE) If one has no base on which to formulate probing questions, can one actually give informed consent? —Dædalus, 1986.