Top 63 What Is Subject Verb Concord Update

Subject-verb concord, also known as subject-verb agreement, refers to the grammatical rule that dictates the agreement between the subject of a sentence (whether singular or plural) and the verb. This agreement remains consistent regardless of any intervening words or phrases placed between the subject and the verb. Let’s explore this concept with an example:

Consider the sentence “One of the glasses is empty.” In this case, the subject is “one,” which is singular. According to subject-verb concord rules, the verb should also be singular, resulting in “is.” Therefore, subject-verb concord ensures that the verb aligns with the number (singular or plural) of the subject, even when other words or phrases are present in the sentence.

Subject-verb agreement, also known as subject-verb concord, is a fundamental grammatical concept. It refers to the rule that dictates a singular subject must be paired with a singular verb, and a plural subject must be matched with a plural verb. In simpler terms, if the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural as well. This agreement ensures that the elements of a sentence harmonize in number, creating clear and coherent communication. For instance, “The cat (singular subject) jumps (singular verb)” and “The cats (plural subject) jump (plural verb)” demonstrate proper subject-verb agreement.

Concord, in the realm of grammar, refers to the agreement or harmony between different elements within a sentence. There are three primary types of concord that play crucial roles in constructing clear and coherent sentences: grammatical concord, proximity concord, and notional concord.

1. Grammatical Concord: This type of concord involves ensuring that various elements in a sentence, such as subjects and verbs, agree in terms of gender, number, and person. For example, in the sentence “She sings,” the subject “She” (singular) matches with the verb “sings” (singular), demonstrating grammatical concord.

2. Proximity Concord: Proximity concord emphasizes agreement based on the closeness or proximity of elements within a sentence. It means that elements that are closer to each other have a more significant influence on agreement. For instance, in the sentence “The car, along with the bikes, is parked in the garage,” the singular verb “is” agrees with the nearest subject, “car.”

3. Notional Concord: Notional concord, on the other hand, prioritizes the overall sense or meaning of a sentence rather than strict grammatical rules. It allows for flexibility in agreement, particularly in cases where the form of a word may not align precisely with the meaning. For instance, in the phrase “The team is playing well,” “team” is a collective noun referring to a group of individuals, but the verb “is” is singular, reflecting notional concord based on the idea of unity within the team.

Understanding these three types of concord is essential for constructing sentences that are both grammatically correct and convey the intended meaning clearly. It is worth noting that the information provided here is as of November 4, 2019, and developments or additional nuances in this linguistic concept may have emerged since that date.