Agreement is an essential element of any well-written piece of text. It refers to ensuring that all the different parts of a sentence agree with each other in terms of their tense, number, and gender. Proper agreement in a sentence is crucial in ensuring that the text is clear and easy to understand, and that the meaning is accurately conveyed to the reader.
There are several different types of agreement that must be considered when writing a sentence. These include subject-verb agreement, pronoun-antecedent agreement, and noun-adjective agreement. Here are some examples of each:
Subject-Verb Agreement
Subject-verb agreement refers to the need for the subject and verb of a sentence to agree in number. For example:
– Incorrect: The dog barks loudly in the morning.
– Correct: The dogs bark loudly in the morning.
In the incorrect example, the subject “dog” is singular, but the verb “barks” is plural. In the corrected version, both subject and verb are plural, providing proper agreement between them.
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Pronoun-antecedent agreement refers to the need for a pronoun to agree with its antecedent in number and gender. For example:
– Incorrect: Each student must submit their homework on time.
– Correct: Each student must submit his or her homework on time.
In the incorrect example, the pronoun “their” does not agree with the singular antecedent “student.” In the corrected version, the singular pronoun “his or her” is used to provide proper agreement with the singular antecedent.
Noun-Adjective Agreement
Noun-adjective agreement refers to the need for the noun and adjective of a sentence to agree in gender and number. For example:
– Incorrect: The big houses are beautiful.
– Correct: The big house is beautiful.
In the incorrect example, the adjective “big” is plural, but the noun “houses” is singular. In the corrected version, the adjective is changed to singular to provide proper agreement with the noun.
When writing, it`s important to take note of these different types of agreement and ensure that they are properly applied to avoid misunderstandings in the text. Proper agreement in a sentence can greatly improve its clarity and impact, making it more effective in conveying its message to the reader.