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English Grammar: Concord/Agreement

Concord-Agreement

CONCORD/AGREEMENT


The word concord means an agreement or harmony between people or groups. It is a state and assertion of agreement.

In English grammar, the term concord is used for the same purposes. It is the harmony or agreement between different parts of a sentence, specially the subject and the verb. The Subject of a sentence has a close association to what is being said in the Predicate. The form of the verb should be in straight relation to the number and person of the Subject. Concord is also called Subject-Verb Agreement. The verb must agree with its subject with respect to its number and person.


Important Rules:

Subjects and Verbs must agree in number.
Examples:
  • The tiger roars when he is angry.
  • The tigers roar when they are angry.
  • Those boys play cricket every day on the ground.
  • That boy plays cricket every day on the ground.
  • They are very humble people.
  • He is a very humble person.
  • Girls are too much sensitive by nature.
  • A girl is too much sensitive by nature.
  • We go to the cinema every weekend.
  • He goes to the cinema every weekend.
  • These flowers still look fresh.
  • This flower still looks fresh.
  • John and Robert have been working here since 2001.
  • David has been working here since 2001.
  • They were busy then.
  • She was busy then.
  • Mary and Jane always support each other as true friends.
  • Mary supports Jane as a true friend.

When the subject is singular, the verb should also be singular.
Examples:
  • She is a clever girl.
  • He has a better knowledge.
  • John is a very hard-working man.
  • He acts in the movies.
  • Tom goes to church every Saturday.
  • She often makes things complicated.
  • It hurts when someone betrays your trust.
  • A dog is an honest animal.
  • He pretends to be happy, but he is not, indeed.
  • Clara works in the finance company.

When the subject is plural, the verb should also be plural.
Examples:
  • They are brilliant students.
  • Students have written a poem.
  • We are going to Mumbai tomorrow.
  • They were not interested in the matter.
  • Such a fool you are!
  • They make a perfect couple.
  • Both of them are really funny.
  • We meet on Sundays.
  • Those days were different, indeed.
  • Books are our true friends.

When two subjects are connected with conjunction, plural verb is used.
Examples:
  • Smith and John are reading stories.
  • Henry and his friends have written a letter.
  • Jane and Elizabeth do not like each other.
  • He and his friends were so helpful to me.
  • Maria and I study together in the school.
  • Joe and Paul play in the cricket team.
  • Tom and Jerry always fight with each other.
  • Both Sam and his wife do jobs in the same company.
  • Mango and water-melon are my favourite fruits.
  • She and her husband were separated legally.

When two singular nouns assign to the same person or thing, the verb should be singular.
Examples:
  • My friend and customer has bought two dresses.
  • Honesty and kindness is my mother’s real identity.
  • Integrity and devotion makes his character.
  • The accountant and treasurer was arrested red-handed.
  • Bread and butter is favourite of many people.
  • Time and tide waits for none.
  • Milk and fruit is very nutritious.
  • My close friend and neighbour was living here.
  • Fish and curry is so dear to me.
  • Chocolate and sweet is not good for teeth.

When one subject is singular and the other is plural, the verb should be plural.
Examples:
  • Either the coach or the players have practised today.
  • Neither the teacher nor the students are feeling well.
  • Either he or his friends are at guilt.
  • Neither the employer nor the employees feel safe in the company.
  • Either my aunt or my cousins are going to visit our place.
  • Neither the bowl nor the plates were on the dining table.
  • Either the principal or the coordinators take the decision in this college.
  • Neither the teacher nor the students oppose the defective system.
  • Either Emma or her sisters bring vegetables from the market.
  • Neither Jane nor her parents like Robert.

When one subject is plural and the other is singular, the verb should be singular.
Examples:

  • Either the players or the captain has played well.
  • Neither the doctors nor the patient is wearing a mask.
  • Either they or she is coming with us for the party.
  • Neither cakes nor chocolate tempts me.
  • Either we or he goes to family functions.
  • Neither his parents nor Michael is feeling well today.
  • Neither the Bennets nor Elizabeth stays there now.
  • Either his uncles or he looks after the farmhouse.
  • Neither these papers nor that one is authentic.
  • Either we or he makes fun of our cousins.

When both subjects are singular, the verb should be singular.
Examples:

  • Every boy and girl is allowed to use calculator.
  • Each man and woman is instructed to wear a mask.
  • Just a chocolate or a card is enough.
  • Neither the measurement nor the calculation seems right.
  • Every person and every vote is valuable for the country.
  • Water-melon and musk-melon is good in summer.
  • Shirt and tie is matching with each other very much.
  • Either John or Jane prepares meal on the weekend.
  • Neither Peter nor Paul studies well.
  • Either she or he is stubborn.

When both subjects are plural, the verb should be plural.
Examples:

  • Not only books but also magazines are displayed here.
  • Neither teachers nor students have found the answer.
  • Boys and girls are equal these days.
  • Neither those nor these flowers look fresh.
  • Either a coffee or a tea is good for now.
  • Not only cakes but other sweet items are also available in this shop.
  • Neither these colours nor those are bright and pleasant.
  • Not only boys but girls also play cricket nowadays on international level.

When two infinitives are separated by ‘and’, the verb should be plural.
Examples:
  • To read and to write are two different skills.
  • To dance and to act require practice.
  • To have knowledge and to present it efficiently are two different things.
  • To sympathize and empathize with someone are not identical.
  • To cook and to attend the meetings online need a lot of tact.
  • To speak fluently and to listen actively are basic language kills.
  • To chat on the messenger and to make video-calls are much in the vogue.
  • To eat, to drink, and to enjoy were his life only.
  • To like and to love are not one and the same.
  • To meet someone actually and to see someone virtually are not similar.

When gerunds are used as the subject, the verb should be singular.
Examples:
  • Playing without helmet is quite dangerous.
  • Dancing without practice was a bad idea.
  • Plaguing on anyone’s mind is really bad.
  • Writing is one of the basic language skills.
  • Playing cricket is his hobby.
  • Walking is a very good exercise.
  • Being a successful lawyer is not a child’s play.
  • Getting up early in the morning makes one healthy.
  • Talking too much is a bad habit.
  • Learning is a never-ending process.

When gerunds are linked by ‘and’, the verb should be plural.
Examples:
  • Swimming and singing are his hobbies.
  • Eating and sleeping were his bad habits.
  • Back-biting and eavesdropping are bad things.
  • Speaking and writing are essential skills for lawyers.
  • Jogging and walking have been my favourite work-outs.
  • Eating and drinking are essential to life.
  • Smoking and drinking are injurious to health.
  • Dancing and singing are his passions.
  • Daydreaming and sleepwalking were her habits.

When the subject is Indefinite Pronoun, the verb may be singular.
Examples:
  • Everybody wants to be participated.
  • Much has happened since we met.
  • Somebody is knocking on the door.
  • None of them was interested in the game.
  • Everyone is blessed with some skill or other.
  • Anybody is able to dance.
  • Every problem has a solution.
  • Everything is so uncertain at present.
  • Each student is wearing a uniform.

When the subject is Collective Noun, the verb should be singular.
Examples:
  • An average family consists of four people.
  • A herd  was grazing in the meadows.
  • The class of first year is so active.
  • My family supports me every time.
  • This organization is very good.
  • A pack of wolfs was running in the forest.
  • The staff is having a meeting right now.
  • Our cricket team plays excellently.
  • The committee was going to look into the matter.
  • That company is newly established.


also see:

ONLINE GRAMMAR QUIZZES with CERTIFICATES
ENGLISH GRAMMAR_1
ENGLISH GRAMMAR_2
GRAMMAR: SPOT THE ERROR
USEFUL EXPRESSIONS IN ENGLISH SPEAKING
WORD FORMATION PROCESSES
PHONETICS
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