"one or two of them are new" vs "one or two of them is new"

Question

"one or two of them are new" vs "one or two of them is new"

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'One or two of them are new' is used when referring to a plural subject, while 'One or two of them is new' is used when referring to a singular subject. The choice between 'are' and 'is' depends on whether the subject is considered singular or plural.

Last Updated: March 08, 2024

This phrase is used when talking about a group of items, where one or two of them are new. 'Are' is used because the subject 'one or two' is considered plural.

Examples:

One or two of them are new, but the rest are old.
One or two of them are new to the team.

Alternatives:

Some of them are new
A couple of them are new

This phrase is used when talking about a singular item within a group. 'Is' is used because the subject 'one or two' is considered singular.

Examples:

One or two of them is new to the collection.
One or two of them is new to the market.

Alternatives:

One of them is new
Either one of them is new

Answer 1

one or two of them are new

This phrase is correct when referring to a plural subject.

Answer 2

one or two of them is new

This phrase is correct when referring to a singular subject.

"one or two of them are new" vs "one or two of them is new"

one or two of them are new

one or two of them is new

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