Many English learners become confused when they want to say that someone or something is among the highest-quality people or things in a group. A common question is: Should I say “one of the best” or “one of the bests”? This small grammar choice can make a sentence sound natural and correct—or awkward and incorrect One of the Bests or One of the Best.
The good news is that the rule is quite simple once you understand how “one of” works. In normal English, we say “one of the best,” not “one of the bests.” The word best can work as a superlative adjective in this structure, so it does not normally need an -s ending.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
For example, you can say:
She is one of the best students in our class.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
You can also say:
This is one of the best restaurants in the city.
Notice that students and restaurants are plural, but best stays unchanged.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
Understanding one of the bests or one of the best is useful because this structure appears everywhere in everyday English. You will hear it in conversations, read it in reviews, and see it in articles, advertisements, school writing, and professional communication.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
By the end, you will know exactly which form is correct, why it is correct, how to use it with singular and plural nouns, and what mistakes to avoid.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
What Does “One of the Best” Mean?
“One of the best” means that a person or thing belongs to a group that has very high quality, ability, performance, or value.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
The basic structure is:
one of + the + superlative adjective + plural noun
For example:
Ali is one of the best players on the team.
This means Ali is a member of the group of players who are considered the best.
The phrase does not necessarily mean that Ali is number one. It means Ali is among the strongest or highest-quality members of the group.
Consider this sentence:
This is one of the best books I have ever read.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
The speaker is not necessarily saying that this is the single best book. Instead, the book is included in a group of books that the speaker considers excellent.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
When Should You Use “One of the Best”?
Use one of the best when you want to identify one person or thing as a member of a larger group with an extremely high level of quality or ability.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
Examples include:
- one of the best students
- one of the best teachers
- one of the best players
- one of the best movies
- one of the best restaurants
- one of the best ideas
- one of the best choices
- one of the best places
The important point is that the noun after best is usually plural.
Grammar Rule
After one of the, a plural countable noun is normally used.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
one of the best students
Not:
one of the best student
And best does not become bests.
one of the best students
Not:
one of the bests students
The word one tells us that we are talking about a single member of a larger group. The phrase the best describes the group.
Examples
- Maria is one of the best students in her school.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
- This is one of the best movies I have seen this year.
- He became one of the best players on the team.
- Lahore has one of the best food scenes in the region.
- She is one of the best teachers I have ever had.
- That was one of the best decisions I ever made.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
- This phone has one of the best cameras in its price range.
- It is one of the best places to visit during the summer.
In every example, best remains the same. The noun following it is plural.
A Common Learner Confusion
Learners sometimes think that because the sentence refers to several “best” people or things, the word best should become plural.
That is not how English works here.
We do not normally pluralize an adjective by adding -s. The adjective describes the noun.
For example:
the best students
Here, best describes students.
The noun students is plural. The adjective best does not need a plural ending.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
This is the main reason one of the bests or one of the best has such a clear answer in standard English.
What Does “One of the Bests” Mean?
“One of the bests” is generally not the correct form when you want to use the normal English structure meaning “one member of a group of the best people or things.”One of the Bests or One of the Best.
In standard everyday English, native speakers normally say:
one of the best
rather than:
one of the bests
The reason is grammatical. In one of the best, the word best is functioning as a superlative adjective.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
Compare:
one of the best students
Here, best describes students.
English adjectives generally do not become plural just because the noun is plural. We say:
the good students
not:
the goods students
We say:
the best players
not:
the bests players
Therefore, one of the bests or one of the best is not an equal choice between two normal expressions. One of the best is the standard and natural expression.
Why Do Some People Say “Bests”?
There is an important detail here. Best can sometimes be used as a noun in English, and in special contexts you may encounter the plural form bests.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
For example, a sports report might discuss an athlete’s personal bests:
She achieved two personal bests this season.
Here, bests is a noun. It means the best performances or results achieved by someone.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
Another example could be:
The runner recorded three personal bests.
This is completely different from:
She is one of the bests runners.
The first sentence uses bests as a noun. The second incorrectly tries to make the adjective best plural.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
Examples of Correct “Best” Usage
He is one of the best.
She is one of the best teachers here.
That was one of the best performances of the evening.
This is one of the best options available.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
These are natural.
Examples Where “Bests” Is Correct
There are special situations where bests can be a noun:
His personal bests are impressive.
The athlete broke two personal bests.
Her previous bests were recorded last year.
Here, bests does not mean “best people” or “best things.” It refers to best results, records, or performances.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
So when considering one of the bests or one of the best, always ask yourself what role best has in the sentence.
If you mean “among the highest quality,” use one of the best.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
Difference Between “One of the Best” and “One of the Bests”
The difference is mainly grammatical.
| Expression | Normal use | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| one of the best | Correct and common | One member of a group considered excellent | She is one of the best students. |
| one of the bests | Usually incorrect in this structure | Not the normal way to pluralize “best” as an adjective | Avoid: She is one of the bests students. |
| bests | Correct in special noun uses | Best performances, results, or records | He achieved two personal bests. |
Usage Difference
One of the best is used when best describes a plural noun or when the noun is understood from context.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
For example:
This is one of the best restaurants in town.
Or:
She is one of the best.
In the second sentence, people or another noun is understood.
By contrast, bests is usually a noun in expressions such as personal bests.
Grammar Logic
The key is to identify the part of speech.
In:
one of the best teachers
best is an adjective.
It describes teachers.
In:
three personal bests
bests is a noun.
It refers to achievements or records.
That is why these two forms cannot simply be treated as alternative spellings.
Sentence Structure
The common pattern is:
one + of + the + superlative + plural noun
Examples:
one of the best students
one of the fastest cars
one of the most interesting books
one of the biggest cities
Notice that the adjective does not change.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
We do not say:
one of the fastests cars
or:
one of the biggests cities
The same principle explains why one of the bests is not normally used.
Meaning Comparison
One of the best means:
One person or thing belongs to a group that is considered the best.
For example:
Serena is one of the best players.
This means Serena is among the strongest players.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
Bests, when used as a noun, has a different meaning:
He has several personal bests.
This means he has achieved several of his highest personal results.
So the correct choice depends on the meaning, but for the common grammar question one of the bests or one of the best, the answer is one of the best.
Grammar Rules You Must Remember
1. Use “one of the” Before a Plural Noun
The basic rule is:
one of the + plural noun
Examples:
one of the best students
one of the best players
one of the best restaurants
one of the best books
Because you are choosing one member from a group, the group noun is plural.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
A useful comparison is:
She is one of the best teachers.
Not:
She is one of the best teacher.
2. Do Not Add “-s” to the Superlative Adjective
The word best is already the superlative form of good.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
The basic forms are:
good → better → best
There is no normal adjective form bests.
So we say:
He is one of the best athletes.
Not:
He is one of the bests athletes.
The plural ending belongs to the noun athletes, not to the adjective best.
3. The Noun After “Best” Is Usually Plural
When the noun is a countable noun, use its plural form.
one of the best ideas
one of the best songs
one of the best teachers
one of the best restaurants
This is one of the most important rules to remember.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
4. “One of the Best” Can Stand Alone
Sometimes the noun is obvious from the conversation.One of the Bests or One of the Best.
For example:
Who is your favorite teacher?
Mr. Khan. He is one of the best.
The listener understands that one of the best teachers is meant.
You do not need to repeat the noun when the context is clear.
5. “One of the Best” Does Not Always Mean Number One
This is an important meaning point.
If you say:
She is one of the best singers in the country.
You are saying she belongs to the group of excellent singers.
You are not necessarily saying:
She is the single best singer.
That distinction matters in everyday communication.
6. “Best” Can Appear With Other Superlatives
The same structure works with many superlative expressions:
one of the most beautiful places
one of the fastest cars
one of the most useful tools
one of the largest companies
This shows that the grammar is not unique to best.
Common Mistakes Students Make
Why These Mistakes Happen
The most common problem comes from thinking that best should be plural because the noun after it is plural.
For example, a learner may think:
students = plural
bests = plural
But English adjectives normally do not change for singular and plural nouns.
We say:
a good student
and:
good students
The adjective good stays the same.
The same happens with best:
the best student
and:
the best students
So the correct form is best, not bests.
Mistake 1: Adding “-s” to Best
❌ She is one of the bests students in the class.
✅ She is one of the best students in the class.
Tip: Make the noun plural, not the adjective.
Mistake 2: Using a Singular Noun
❌ He is one of the best player.
✅ He is one of the best players.
The phrase one of the normally selects one item from several items. Therefore, the following countable noun is plural.
Mistake 3: Confusing “Best” With “Bests” as a Noun
❌ He is one of the bests athletes.
✅ He is one of the best athletes.
But:
✅ He achieved three personal bests.
The second sentence is correct because bests is being used as a noun meaning top personal performances.
Mistake 4: Saying “One of Best”
❌ She is one of best teachers.
✅ She is one of the best teachers.
The word the is an important part of this standard structure.
The normal pattern is:
one of the + superlative + plural noun
Mistake 5: Thinking “One of the Best” Means Only One
The phrase begins with one, but it refers to one member of a larger group.
For example:
This is one of the best hotels in the city.
There are other hotels that could also be among the best.
The sentence identifies this hotel as one member of that excellent group.
Easy Trick to Remember the Difference
Here is a simple classroom trick:
One of the best = one member + big group
Imagine a school with 100 students.
Suppose five students are excellent performers.
You choose Ali from those five and say:
Ali is one of the best students in the school.
Ali is one student.
But students is plural because there are several students in the group.
And best stays unchanged because it is describing the students.
Think of the sentence like this:
one → one student
of the → from the group
best → describes the group
students → plural group
This makes the grammar much easier.
Another quick trick is:
Plural noun, not plural adjective.
Say that to yourself whenever you hesitate.
one of the best students
Not:
one of the bests students
Daily Life Examples
Real-Life Spoken English Examples
Here are natural examples you might hear in everyday conversations.
1. Talking About a Teacher
“Who is your favorite teacher?”
“Mr. Ahmed. He is one of the best teachers at our school.”
The speaker means Mr. Ahmed is among the excellent teachers.
2. Talking About Food
“Where should we eat tonight?”
“Try that restaurant near the market. It is one of the best restaurants in the area.”
This means the restaurant belongs to a group of highly recommended restaurants.
3. Talking About a Movie
“Did you like that movie?”
“Yes! It is one of the best movies I have watched recently.”
The speaker is giving the movie a very high rating.
4. Talking About a Player
“Why do so many people like him?”
“Because he is one of the best players on the team.”
The player is among the strongest members of the team.
5. Talking About a Place
“Where should I go on vacation?”
“That village is one of the best places to visit in the region.”
The village is included among the highly recommended places.
6. Talking About a Decision
“Do you think leaving that job was a good idea?”
“Yes. It was one of the best decisions you made.”
The speaker believes the decision was extremely good.
7. Talking About a Book
“Have you read this book?”
“Yes. It is one of the best books for beginners.”
The book is considered one of several excellent choices.
8. Talking About a Phone
“Which phone should I buy?”
“That model has one of the best cameras in its price range.”
The camera is among the strongest available at a similar price.
9. Talking About a Friend
“Why do you trust Sara so much?”
“Because she is one of the best friends I have ever had.”
The speaker considers Sara an especially good friend.
10. Talking About a Skill
“Why is he so successful?”
“He is one of the best communicators in the company.”
The speaker is placing him among the strongest communicators.
These examples show why one of the best is so useful in real English. It works with people, places, products, experiences, decisions, skills, and many other things.
Practice Section
Choose the Correct Option
Try each sentence before looking at the answers.
1. She is one of the (best / bests) students in her class.
2. This is one of the (best / bests) restaurants in town.
3. He recorded two personal (best / bests) this year.
4. That was one of the (best / bests) decisions I made.
5. They are one of the (best / bests) teams in the league.
Answers
1. best — She is one of the best students in her class.
2. best — This is one of the best restaurants in town.
3. bests — Here, bests is a noun meaning personal top performances.
4. best — That was one of the best decisions I made.
5. best — They are one of the best teams in the league.
The third example is especially useful because it shows that bests is not always impossible. It simply has a different grammatical job.
FAQs
What is the difference between “one of the best” and “one of the bests”?
One of the best is the normal expression used to say that a person or thing belongs to a group of excellent people or things. Bests is not normally used as a plural adjective. However, bests can be a noun in phrases such as “personal bests,” meaning top personal performances.
Is “one of the bests” grammatically correct?
Usually, no. If you mean “one member of a group of the best people or things,” use one of the best. For example, “She is one of the best teachers in the school.” The word best is an adjective here, so it does not need an -s ending.
Why do we say “one of the best students”?
Because one of refers to one member of a group. The group contains several students, so students is plural. Best describes those students and remains unchanged: one of the best students.
Can I say “He is one of the best”?
Yes. You can use one of the best without a noun when the meaning is already clear from the conversation. For example, “Who is your coach?” “Mr. Ali. He is one of the best.” The listener understands that you mean one of the best coaches.
Is “one of the best” formal or informal?
It is natural in both formal and informal English. You can use it in everyday conversation, school writing, reviews, business writing, and professional communication. It is a very common English structure.
Can “bests” ever be correct?
Yes, but usually as a noun rather than as the plural form of the adjective best. For example, “The athlete achieved three personal bests.” Here, bests means the athlete’s best performances or results. This is different from one of the best teachers.
Conclusion
The answer to one of the bests or one of the best is simple: in the normal structure, use one of the best.
The standard pattern is:
one of the + superlative adjective + plural noun
So we say:
one of the best students
one of the best teachers
one of the best restaurants
one of the best movies
We do not normally say “one of the bests” when best is functioning as an adjective.
Remember one easy rule: make the noun plural, not the adjective. That is why we say “one of the best players,” not “one of the bests players.”
There is one useful exception to understand. Bests can be correct when it is being used as a noun, especially in phrases such as personal bests. But that is a different grammatical structure.
Once you understand this small difference, the choice becomes easy. When you are describing someone or something as belonging to a group of excellent people or things, confidently choose one of the best.
Hi, I’m Isabella Foster, an English language writer passionate about making grammar, vocabulary, and communication skills easy to understand. At EnglishVistor, I create clear, practical, and engaging learning resources to help learners improve their English with confidence.
