Agreement 

In this lesson you will learn about complex grammatical agreement rules to ensure harmony between sentence elements. Gain expertise with clear explanations.

What Is Agreement in English Grammar

What Does Agreement Mean in Grammar?

'Agreement' (also called concord) means that the person, number, gender, case, etc. of the related verbs, subjects, predicates, and antecedents must be the same.

Agreement: Types

There are different types of agreements in English grammar:

Subject-Verb Agreement

The subject has to agree with the verb. This is particularly important when the subject is third-person singular and the verb is in present simple tense or there is an auxiliary verb. Check out the examples:

Example

She plays soccer really well.

subject-verb agreement with a main verb

He has been in a bad mood all day.

subject-verb agreement with an auxiliary verb

Dependent Clauses as Subject

Nominal dependent clauses, including that-clauses, nominal relative clauses, present participle clauses, and to-infinitive clauses are always treated like third-person singular subjects and the verb follows third-person singular rules.

Example

What she wants matters a lot.

A nominal relative clause as the subject takes a third-person singular form verb

Eating vegetables is good for health.

A present participle clause as the subject

Indefinite Pronouns and Determiners as Subject

Indefinite pronouns and determiners such as 'each', 'each one', 'either', 'neither', 'every', 'everyone', 'everybody', 'anyone', 'anybody', 'nobody', 'somebody', 'someone', and 'no one' are singular and require a singular verb. Pay attention to the examples:

Example

Everyone hates her.

Each nail was done in a particular shape.

Collective Nouns as Subject

When referring to 'collective nouns' as a single unit, singular verbs are used. However, when referring to the members of the collective noun, a plural verb is used. Here are some examples:

Example

The team is getting ready for the match.

The staff write their work reports everyday.

Units of Measurement as Subject

When units of measurement of time, distance, money, etc. are the subject, the verb remains singular, even if a plural number is used with these units. Look at the examples:

Example

Five miles of dirt road is ahead of us.

Two hours is a long time to be waiting for an appointment.

Coordinated Subjects

When two or more subjects are linked to each other using "and", the verb is naturally plural. However, when two subjects are coordinated using "or"/"nor"/"but", the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. Check out the examples:

Example

Ed and Karen are coming over for dinner.

Sam or his brothers are going to fix the car.

Since the noun after "or" is plural and is closer to the verb, the auxiliary "be" agrees with it.

Neither studying abroad nor staying here makes me happy.

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Demonstrative-Noun Agreement

Demonstratives must agree with the nouns they are modifying, especially in number. In other words, plural demonstratives are used with plural nouns, and singular demonstratives are used with singular nouns.

Example

This is a Christmas tree.

These flowers are supposed to be set on the tables.

Noun-Pronoun Agreement

If a singular noun is used, the pronoun has to be singular, and if the noun is plural, the pronoun has to be plural as well. Remember, the noun and pronoun should agree in terms of person and gender as well as number. For example:

Example

My friends went to a party last night; they think it was a waste of time.

Hanna was sitting alone. She seemed sad.

The relative pronouns "who" and "which" require a different kind of agreement with the noun which is not a matter of gender or number, but a matter of being animate or inanimate. In other words, while "which" is used with inanimate nouns, "who" is used with animate nouns.

Example

The boy who was running down the street is my brother.

The house which is being renovated belongs to my friend.

Review

Agreement refers to the correspondence of different parts of a sentence. There are agreements between:

nouns and pronouns

subjects and verbs

demonstratives and nouns

Quiz:


1.

Which sentence demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement with an indefinite pronoun?

A

Each of the students have a book.

B

Everyone are excited about the trip.

C

Neither suit is appropriate for the occasion.

D

Somebody need to call the manager.

2.

Fill in each blank with the correct form of the verbs in parentheses to ensure proper subject-verb agreement.

Each of the novels

(to be) written by the same author.

Neither the principal nor the teachers

(to know) about the schedule change.

The collection of vintage coins

(cost) a lot.

Five miles of highway

(to be) under repair.

My sister and I

(to attend) the conference every year.

3.

Select all phrases or clauses that need a singular verb. (Choose five.)

Everyone

All my friends

9 hours

The team members

Whatever you decide

My family

My brother or my sisters

The teachers and the students

Neither us nor our friend

Some people

4.

Match each example sentence with the type of agreement it demonstrates

The cat chases the mouse.
These shoes are very comfortable.
My cousins came over; they had a wonderful time.
Andy or his friends are going to talk to the teacher.
Noun-Pronoun Agreement
Demonstrative-Noun Agreement
Coordinated Subject-Verb Agreenent
Subject-Verb Agreement
5.

Which sentence demonstrates correct agreement?

A

I saw your cat. They was sleeping on the porch.

B

That students are studying for exams.

C

The doctor who saved the patient received an award.

D

This is the books I borrowed from library.

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