When the right words team up in a sentence, it just sounds right. But when words clash, your ears tell you something’s off. That’s where the rules of concord swoop in to match up words properly. Concord makes sure your subjects and verbs, pronouns, and antecedents all get along. While it may seem nitpicky, concord creates smooth, natural sentences your readers can glide through effortlessly. In this article, we’ll break down the essential rules of concord and look at examples to help you get your words working in harmony.
What is Concord?
Concord is all about making sure your subjects and verbs agree with each other. It’s a grammar rule that helps your sentences sound smooth and natural. When the subject (the noun doing the action) is singular, the verb has to be singular, too. The same goes for plural; plural subjects need plural verbs. For example, “The cat runs” has concord, but “The cats run” doesn’t.
Following concord makes your writing clear and easy to understand. It shows you have a good grasp of the language. Plus, it just sounds better! Sentences without concord can be jarring and confusing.
What Are the Rules of Concord?
The rules of concord refer to the principles that ensure subjects and verbs agree in number (singular or plural). Mastering these rules is key for clear, error-free writing and speech.
Following the rules of concord makes your communication sound natural and fluent. Lack of agreement can confuse the reader or listener; breaking these rules sounds jarring and unprofessional.
These are some essential rules of Concord to know to ensure effective writing and communication:
Countable nouns are nouns that can be quantified in units and numbers
You know those things you can count with numbers? Like apples, cars, or people? Those are called countable nouns. They can be pluralized and have a singular and plural form.
Some Countable Examples
- Pencils (one pencil, two pencils)
- Chairs (a chair, several chairs)
- Phones (my phone, their phones)
- Cookies (a delicious cookie, too many cookies!)
- Bottles (an empty bottle, multiple bottles)
The Uncountable Ones
On the flip side, there are uncountable nouns, things you can’t quantify with numbers. Things like air, rice, and happiness. You can’t really say “one air” or “three happinesses,” can you? Those are the uncountables.
Pluralia tantum are nouns that come in plural forms
Pluralia tantum are nouns that only exist in plural form. They don’t have a singular counterpart. In English, we use plural verbs with these nouns.
Examples of Pluralia Tantum
- Scissors – We say, “The scissors are sharp,” not “The scissor is sharp.”
- Pants – You wear a pair of pants, not a pant.
- Glasses – For vision correction, we put on glasses, not a glass.
- Binoculars – These always come in pairs to view distant objects.
- Tweezers – A tool with two arms used for plucking, never a “tweezer.”
Many pluralia tantum words refer to objects made of two parts. But some just don’t have singulars by convention. Understanding these quirky nouns enhances your English mastery.
When two subjects are joined together by “and,” but the two subjects refer to only one person or thing, a singular verb should be used
When two singular subjects refer to the same person or thing, use a singular verb even if they are joined by “and.”
Examples
- Bread and butter is a classic combination.
- The needle and thread was lost in the clutter.
- Her major and minor was challenging but rewarding.
Less Obvious Cases
- My friend and confidante encourages me daily.
- The book and its cover were judged too quickly.
- The company’s profit and reputation depend on quality products.
With this rule, the two subjects act as one singular unit. So, match the verb to that united subject. I hope these examples make the concept clear!
When “who,” “whose,” “which,” and “that” refers to a previously mentioned noun or pronoun, such noun is a Relative noun
Relative nouns refer back to a previously mentioned noun or pronoun. They are introduced by relative pronouns like who, whose, which, and that.
Examples of Relative Nouns
- The book, which is on the table, is mine. (‘which’ refers to ‘the book’)
- The girl who won the race is my sister. (‘who’ refers to ‘the girl’)
- I met the doctor whose clinic is nearby. (‘whose’ refers to ‘the doctor’)
- The car that broke down was very expensive. (‘that’ refers to ‘the car’)
- The restaurant which serves delicious food just opened. (‘which’ refers to ‘the restaurant’)
In each example, the relative pronoun connects the additional information to the noun it refers to. The noun that the pronoun refers back to is the relative noun. Identifying these will help you construct grammatically correct sentences with clear pronoun references.
When “many a” or “many an” is used, the verb and the noun that follows must be Singular
When it comes to the phrase “many a,” the verb and noun that follow must be singular.
Here are a few examples that illustrate this rule:
- Many a student has struggled with grammar rules. In this case, “has struggled” is the singular verb matching the singular subject “many a student.”
- Many an obstacle was overcome by the determined team. Here, “was overcome” is singular, agreeing with the singular “many an obstacle.”
- Many a historic building stands proudly in the city center. The singular verb “stands” corresponds to the singular subject “many a historic building.”
- Many an opportunity arises for those who persevere. “Arises” is appropriately singular after “many an opportunity.”
- Many a hard lesson has been learned through experience. The singular “has been learned” correctly follows “many a hard lesson.”
- Many a man has tried, but few men have succeeded.
So remember, when using “many a” or “many an,” treat the phrase as a singular subject requiring a singular verb form. This Concordia rule helps maintain proper agreement in English grammar.
When the subject in a sentence is singular, the verb should also be singular
To ensure subject-verb agreement, when the subject is singular, the verb form must also be singular.
Here are a few examples illustrating this rule:
- The dog barks loudly. (Singular subject “dog,” singular verb “barks”)
- That book on the shelf looks interesting. (Singular subject “book,” singular verb “looks”)
- My neighbor goes jogging every morning. (Singular subject “neighbor,” singular verb “goes”)
- The restaurant serves delicious pasta dishes. (Singular subject “restaurant,” singular verb “serves”)
- Her smile brightens my day. (Singular subject “smile,” singular verb “brightens”)
Remembering this simple concept, singular subject = singular verb will help you construct grammatically correct sentences. Pay close attention to the subject to determine if it is singular or plural before choosing the appropriate verb form.
When “either” or “neither” joins two singular nouns together, the following verb should be Singular
When you use “either” or “neither” to join two singular nouns, the verb that follows must be singular.
Here are a few examples:
- An apple or an orange is my favorite fruit.
- Neither the cat nor the dog was allowed on the couch.
- Either your brother or your sister has to clean their room.
- Neither a laptop nor a tablet can replace a desktop computer for programming.
- Either the red shirt or the blue one matches your pants.
In each case, the singular subjects joined by “either” or “neither” require a singular verb form. Memorizing this rule and examples like these will help ensure your subjects and verbs agree.
When “everybody” or “everyone” is used, the object must be singular, not plural
When using the pronouns “everybody” or “everyone,” the verb and any objects must be singular. Even though these words imply multiple people, they are treated as singular pronouns.
For example:
- Everybody wants their favorite snack. (Not “wants their favorite snacks”)
- Everyone brought their own lunch. (Not “brought their own lunches”)
- Everybody has submitted their assignment. (Not “have submitted”)
- Everyone loves getting mail with their name on it. (Not “names”)
- Everybody is excited for the weekend plans they made. (Not “plans they made”)
The words “everybody” and “everyone” are singular, so any associated verbs, pronouns, and objects must also be singular to maintain proper subject-verb agreement. This grammatical rule applies regardless of how many people are implied.
When “most” is used, the verb will either be singular or plural, depending on whether the referent is a countable or uncountable noun
When using “most” in a sentence, the verb agrees with the noun that follows. For countable nouns, use a plural verb. But for uncountable nouns, stick to a singular verb.
Countable Nouns = Plural Verb
- Most students were excited for summer break.
- Most apples have been picked from the orchard.
Uncountable Nouns = Singular Verb
- Most of the cake was eaten at the party.
- Most advice is well-intentioned but misguided.
The key is identifying if the noun after “most” can be pluralized or not. Countable things get plural verbs, while uncountable concepts take singular verbs. With practice, subject-verb agreement with “most” becomes simple!
The parenthesis statement is an additional statement to what has already been said before
A parenthetical statement provides extra information or clarification. It’s like a helpful aside in the middle of a sentence.
Common Uses
These little asides often:
- Define terms (the capital of France (Paris))
- Add context (she spoke French (her first language))
- Provide examples (fruits (apples, oranges, bananas))
Examples
- The meeting is at 3 PM (right after lunch).
- Samantha (my best friend) is coming over later.
- All reptiles (snakes, lizards, turtles) are cold-blooded.
- The tallest mammal (the giraffe) has an extremely long neck.
- For breakfast, I like cereal (especially the chocolate kind) with milk.
In each case, the parentheses give us bonus details about what was just stated. They add a little extra oomph to help us understand better.
When any of these following words are used, the subject of the clause would be the noun and pronoun that comes before the marker of accompaniment
When using words like “along with,” ” accompanied by, “together with, “as well as,” or “in addition to,” the subject remains the noun or pronoun before that phrase.
Simple Examples
- Femi, along with his friends, went to the park.
- The manager, accompanied by the team, attended the meeting.
Complex Examples
- My sister, together with her colleagues from work, volunteered at the soup kitchen during the holidays.
- The scientists, as well as their research assistants, published the findings in a prestigious journal.
- Our neighbors, in addition to their cute dog, adopted a new kitten last week.
In these cases, the subject is the noun before the marker of accompaniment. The words merely add extra information about who else was involved or present.
When “a pair of” is used, the verb must be singular
When you use the phrase “a pair of” before a plural noun, treat the subject as singular, the verb must agree with the singular “pair” rather than the plural noun that follows it.
A Singular Pair
“A pair of shoes is lying on the floor.” Not “A pair of shoes are lying…” Even though shoes is plural, the pair is one unit.
“A pair of scissors was left open on the table.” Not “A pair of scissors were left…” Again, the pair takes a singular verb.
More Examples
- “A pair of gloves doesn’t necessarily keep your hands warm if they’re thin.”
- “That pair of earrings is beautiful! Where did you get it?”
- “A pair of binoculars comes in handy for birdwatching.”
So remember, anytime you refer to “a pair of” something, the verb must be singular to agree with the pair as one unit. It’s an easy rule to grasp with some examples in mind.
When “more than” is used, the word or number that comes after it will determine the next verb
Singular Subject, Singular Verb
When “more than” is followed by a singular noun or pronoun, the verb must agree and be singular. For example:
- More than one cookie was left on the plate.
- More than she could handle resulted in stress.
Plural Subject, Plural Verb
When “more than” is followed by a plural noun or pronoun, the verb must be plural:
- More than two hours have passed since we started.
- More than the neighbors were invited to the party.
Number as Subject, Singular Verb
If “more than” is followed by a number, treat that number as a singular subject requiring a singular verb:
- More than 50 miles was too far to walk today.
- More than #5,000 is needed to cover the expenses.
Other Rules of Concord
Pronoun Agreement
Pronouns must also agree with their antecedents in number and gender. “Everyone brought their own lunch” uses the plural “their” to match the singular “everyone.”
Closer Subject
With compound subjects, match the verb to the part closest to it: “The laptop, not the monitors, needs replacing.”
Indefinite Pronouns
Words like “some,” “none,” and “all” take singular verbs unless the meaning is clearly plural: “Some of the students are graduating.”
Follow these basic guidelines, and your writing will be smooth and grammatically correct. Consistent subject-verb agreement makes sentences flow better.
Conclusion
And there you have it folks, the main rules of concord that you need to know. Making sure your subjects and verbs agree, keeping your pronouns and antecedents in check, and matching tenses are the keys to writing with proper concord. It may seem tricky at first, but with practice, you’ll get the hang of it. The examples we just went through will help guide you. So now it’s your turn to go out there and write with better concord. Refer back to these rules and examples anytime you need a refresher. Knowing concord will make your writing flow smoothly and sound polished.