Choose the sentence which is grammatically incorrect:

The correct answer is Option (1) → One of the ceiling fans in our hostel room make a strange noise at night.

“One of” + plural noun takes a singular verb:

• The given sentence says “One of the ceiling fans ... make”.
• The subject is “one”, not “fans”. “One” is singular, so the verb must be singular: “makes”.
• Corrected: One of the ceiling fans in our hostel room makes a strange noise at night.

Why the Other Options are Incorrect?

Option 2: A number of farmers have brought their wheat to the mandi today. This sentence is correct. “A number of” means many, so “a number of farmers” is plural and takes “have”.

Option 3: On the top shelf lie my grandmother’s old diaries. This sentence is correct. The subject “my grandmother’s old diaries” comes after the verb. It is plural, so “lie” is right.

Option 4: More than one student has failed to submit the project on time. This sentence is correct. “More than one” is followed by a singular noun, “student”, so it takes the singular verb “has”.