Agreement is an important aspect of the English language. It refers to the correspondence between a subject and its verb in a sentence. This means that the verb used in a sentence must agree with the subject in number, person, and tense. Failure to follow proper agreement rules can lead to grammatical errors that affect the clarity and coherence of your writing.
Here are some tips to help ensure proper agreement in English:
1. Subject-Verb Agreement
The subject of a sentence is the person, place, thing, or idea that performs the action of the verb. For example, in the sentence “John eats pizza,” “John” is the subject. The verb is “eats,” which agrees with the singular subject “John.”
When the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural. For example, in the sentence “The students study,” “students” is the plural subject, and the verb “study” agrees with it.
2. Noun-Verb Agreement
When using noun phrases in a sentence, the verb must agree with the noun in number. For example, in the sentence “The car, as well as the motorcycles, needs maintenance,” the verb “needs” agrees with the singular noun “car” and not the plural “motorcycles.”
3. Collective Noun Agreement
A collective noun, such as “team,” “audience,” or “family,” refers to a group of individuals who act as a whole. When using a collective noun as the subject of a sentence, the verb must agree with it in number depending on whether the group is acting as a single unit or as individuals. For example, in the sentence “The team is celebrating their victory,” “team” is a single unit, so the verb “is” agrees with it. In the sentence “The family are all going on vacation,” “family” refers to multiple individuals, so the verb “are” agrees with it.
4. Indefinite Pronoun Agreement
Indefinite pronouns, such as “everyone,” “someone,” and “anybody,” refer to a person or thing that is not specified. When using indefinite pronouns in a sentence, the verb must agree with the pronoun in number. For example, in the sentence “Everyone is responsible for their actions,” the verb “is” agrees with the singular indefinite pronoun “everyone.”
In conclusion, proper agreement in English is essential for clear and coherent writing. It requires paying attention to the subject, noun, collective noun, and indefinite pronoun in a sentence, and ensuring that the verb agrees with them in number, person, and tense. By following these tips, you can avoid grammatical errors and produce more polished writing.