Grammar Agreement Questions Medium
In complex sentences, agreement refers to the grammatical relationship between the subject and the verb within the sentence. It ensures that the verb agrees in number and person with the subject.
In English, agreement is primarily based on the number of the subject. If the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural as well. For example:
- The cat (singular subject) is sleeping. (singular verb)
- The cats (plural subject) are sleeping. (plural verb)
However, in complex sentences, agreement can become more complicated due to the presence of subordinate clauses or phrases. The verb in the main clause must agree with the subject of the main clause, while the verb in the subordinate clause must agree with its own subject.
For instance:
- The dog that chases squirrels (subordinate clause) is barking. (main clause)
- The dogs that chase squirrels (subordinate clause) are barking. (main clause)
In the above examples, the verb "is" agrees with the singular subject "dog" in the main clause, while the verb "are" agrees with the plural subject "dogs" in the main clause.
Additionally, agreement is also important when using pronouns in complex sentences. Pronouns must agree in number and person with the antecedent they refer to. For example:
- The girl who won the race (subordinate clause) is celebrating her victory. (main clause)
- The girls who won the race (subordinate clause) are celebrating their victory. (main clause)
In this case, the pronoun "her" agrees with the singular antecedent "girl" in the main clause, while the pronoun "their" agrees with the plural antecedent "girls" in the main clause.
Overall, agreement in complex sentences ensures that the subject and verb, as well as pronouns and their antecedents, are in harmony and grammatically correct.