Tom is one of the boys who is/are missing.

[kohyoongliat]

Tom is one of the boys who is/are missing.

Which is the correct word?

Thanks.

 

[Flamenco1]

Tom is one of the boys who is/are missing.

Which is the correct word?

Thanks.

If you remove "is one of the boys who", which simply gives us a little additional information about Tom, which verb form do you think is correct?

 

[5jj]

If you remove "is one of the boys who", which simply gives us a little additional information about Tom, which verb form do you think is correct?

That gives us: Tom (is one of the boys who) is missing.
I prefer to read it as : Tom is one of the boys who are missing].

 

[Flamenco1]

That gives us: Tom (is one of the boys who) is missing.
I prefer to read it as : Tom is one of the boys who are missing].

Agreed, but I'd have liked for him to work it out before muddying the waters.

 

[5jj]

Fine, but your question suggested there was only one possible response.

 

[jutfrank]

The context makes it most likely that a hearer would understand that who refers to the boys, and that there are several boys who are missing. I think it's extremely unlikely that anyone would interpret who to be referring to Tom.

 

[Tdol]

Fine, but your question suggested there was only one possible response.

I think there is, just not the one suggested.

 

[Ostap]

not a teacher

If you remove "is one of the boys who", which simply gives us a little additional information about Tom, which verb form do you think is correct?

"Is one of the boys who" is essential information; if removed, it changes the meaning of the sentence.

An example of additional information: Tom, who is one of the boys, is missing.

 

[Glizdka]

The sentence looks intentionally confusing, like an exam question or something similar.

Isn't it simpler to just say "Tom is one of the missing boys" if there are multiple boys who are missing and Tom's one of them, and "Tom, one of the boys, is missing" if Tom's among some group of previously mentioned boys, but he's the only one who's missing?

 

[Tarheel]

"Tom is one of the missing boys" is perfect.

 

[Sajjad Ali233]

The relative Pronoun refers to subject "Tom" that is a singular subject, the verb must be singular like (who is)

 

[5jj]

No.

The antecedent is probably 'boys'.

It could just about be 'one', though this is unlikely. It is not 'Tom'.

 

[jutfrank]

The relative Pronoun refers to subject "Tom" that is a singular subject, the verb must be singular like (who is)

That's an incredibly unlikely interpretation. To be honest, I'm slightly surprised that members are not saying it's ungrammatical, since the who = Tom reading is stretching the context unreasonably far. As Ostap has said, this alternative reading would naturally be formulated as Tom who is one of the boys is missing. Even so, this makes for a very unlikely thing to mean.

The pronoun clearly refers to the boys. There are some boys missing and Tom is one of them.

 

[Tdol]

I can't see any possible argument for is.

 

[Yankee]

kohyoongliat: I hope you are one of the members who (is/are) enjoying the debate. ​