Agreement a English

Agreement in English: How to Avoid Common Mistakes

Correct agreement in English is crucial to effective communication. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most common areas where people make mistakes. To avoid these errors, it`s important to understand the different types of agreement and how they work.

Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-verb agreement is perhaps the most well-known type of agreement in English. It refers to the agreement between the subject (the noun performing the action) and the verb (the action word) in a sentence. For example:

– The cat chases the mouse.

– The dogs bark loudly.

In both of these sentences, the subject and verb agree: «cat» is singular and takes the singular verb «chases,» while «dogs» is plural and takes the plural verb «bark.»

Common mistakes in subject-verb agreement include:

– Using the wrong verb form with compound subjects (e.g., «My sister and I is going to the store»).

– Failing to use the correct tense (e.g., «He don`t like sushi»).

– Using the wrong verb form for irregular verbs (e.g., «She have a lot of friends»).

To avoid these mistakes, always double-check that your subject and verb agree in number and tense.

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Pronoun-antecedent agreement refers to the agreement between a pronoun (a word that takes the place of a noun) and its antecedent (the noun that the pronoun replaces). For example:

– The teacher gave the students their homework. («their» agrees with «students»)

– Each of the students must turn in his or her assignment. («his or her» agrees with «each student»)

Common mistakes in pronoun-antecedent agreement include:

– Using the wrong pronoun form (e.g., «Everyone should bring their own lunch»).

– Failing to use a gender-neutral pronoun (e.g., «The doctors should bring his stethoscope» instead of «their stethoscopes»).

– Using a plural pronoun with a singular antecedent or vice versa (e.g., «Everyone should bring their own lunch» instead of «Everyone should bring his or her own lunch»).

To avoid these mistakes, always make sure your pronouns agree in number, gender, and person with their antecedents.

Adjective-Noun Agreement

Adjective-noun agreement refers to the agreement between an adjective (a word that describes a noun) and its noun. For example:

– The blue car is mine.

– The beautiful flowers smell amazing.

In both of these sentences, the adjective agrees with the noun it describes in terms of number and gender.

Common mistakes in adjective-noun agreement include:

– Using the wrong adjective form (e.g., «He is a tall boy» instead of «He is a tall man»).

– Failing to use a plural adjective with a plural noun (e.g., «The childrens` toys» instead of «The children`s toys»).

To avoid these mistakes, always check that your adjectives agree in number and gender with the nouns they describe.

Conclusion

Agreement in English can be tricky, but by understanding the different types of agreement and common mistakes, you can avoid errors and communicate more effectively. Always double-check your subject-verb, pronoun-antecedent, and adjective-noun agreement to ensure that your writing is clear and correct.