Agreement

Definition

Agreement refers to the grammatical relationship between different elements in a sentence, ensuring that they correspond in terms of number, gender, or case. This concept is vital for achieving clarity and coherence in communication, as it ensures that subjects and verbs, as well as nouns and pronouns, are correctly matched. When elements agree, it helps the reader or listener understand who or what is being discussed without confusion.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Agreement is crucial for ensuring that sentences make sense; without proper agreement, sentences can become confusing or misleading.
2. In English, the most common form of agreement occurs between subjects and verbs, as well as between nouns and their corresponding pronouns.
3. Collective nouns can be tricky since they may take either singular or plural verbs depending on whether the group is acting as a single unit or as individual members.
4. When using compound subjects connected by 'and,' the verb should be plural, but when connected by 'or' or 'nor,' the verb agrees with the closest subject.
5. In certain contexts, especially with indefinite pronouns like 'everyone' or 'some,' maintaining agreement may require careful attention to singular versus plural forms.

Review Questions

• How does subject-verb agreement function within a sentence, and why is it important for clarity?
  • Subject-verb agreement ensures that the subject and verb in a sentence match in number, which is crucial for clarity. For example, saying 'The cat runs' is clear because both the subject 'cat' and the verb 'runs' are singular. If you were to say 'The cat run,' it becomes confusing and grammatically incorrect. This agreement helps readers quickly understand the action being described.
• Discuss how collective nouns can affect agreement in sentences and provide examples to illustrate your point.
  • Collective nouns can create ambiguity regarding agreement because they can be treated as either singular or plural based on context. For instance, in 'The team wins,' the collective noun 'team' is treated as a singular unit taking a singular verb. However, if we say 'The team are arguing among themselves,' we treat 'team' as individual members acting separately, leading to a plural verb. Recognizing how to apply agreement correctly with collective nouns enhances grammatical precision.
• Evaluate the implications of incorrect pronoun antecedent agreement in writing and how it can impact reader comprehension.
  • Incorrect pronoun antecedent agreement can significantly hinder reader comprehension by creating confusion about which noun the pronoun refers to. For instance, if someone writes 'Each student should submit their paper on time,' it may lead readers to question whether 'their' refers to multiple students or a single student. Properly ensuring that pronouns agree with their antecedents not only maintains grammatical correctness but also aids clarity in communication, making it easier for readers to follow the intended meaning.

Related terms

Subject-Verb Agreement: The rule that a subject must match its verb in number; singular subjects take singular verbs, while plural subjects take plural verbs.

Pronoun Antecedent Agreement:

The requirement that a pronoun must agree in number and gender with its antecedent, which is the noun the pronoun replaces.

Noun Phrase: A group of words that functions as the subject or object in a sentence, usually consisting of a noun and its modifiers.