CONCORD
Concord is an agreement between the subject and the verb. The fact is that English is a language that has many rules and exceptions. Hence, there is the need for every English user to know how to make right sentences to avoid grammatical blunders.
Every student must know that the subject (the doer of an action) and the verb (the action that is demonstrated) must have an agreement between each other.
There are many rules in concord; and I urge the students to read this piece intensively, meticulously and aptly.
Let's talk briefly about subject.
Subject is the doer of an action. It can either be a noun, a noun phrase, a noun clause or a pronoun.
Noun can be singular or plural. And don't forget that a noun is any name of a person, thing, place, an animal and idea.
So when you mention any name, you must know that it is a noun. A singular noun refers to one person, animal, place, thing, and idea; while a plural noun refers to two or more people, animals, places etc.
Verbs are words that also show actions or states of being. By now, you should have known that verbs are the most important parts of speech in English. Without verbs, there is nothing like a sentence. Verbs always come after the subject in the sentence. However, it can change if the structural arrangement of word classes changes due to the dexterity of the writer or speaker.
Verbs can also be singular and plural. Singular verbs always end with letter "s" as in; IS, HAS, WAS, GOES, COMES, SINGS, CARRIES, COOKS etc. While plural verbs do not end with letter "s" as in; ARE, HAVE, WERE, GO, COME, SING,CARRY, COOK etc.
Rules
1a. After a singular subject, a singular verb must follow it.
My mother (one person) cooks (singular verb) rice daily.
He (one person) is (a singular verb) very angry often.
The dog (one animal) wags (singular verb) its tail.
1b. Use a plural verb after any plural subject.
Our mothers (two or more people) cook (plural verb) rice daily.
They (two or more people) are (plural verb) very angry often.
The dogs (two or more dogs) wag (plural verb) their tails.
2. AGREEMENT WITH "EACH, EVERY".
When any of the two words above is used, make sure you use a singular noun and a singular verb.
Each girl ( singular noun) is (singular verb) here.
Every man (singular noun) knows ( singular verb) me
3. AGREEMENT WITH "EACH OF, ONE OF, NONE Of"
When any of the words above is given, it would attract a plural noun and a singular verb.
Each of the students (plural nouns) knows (singular verb) us.
One of the doctors (plural noun) has (singular verb) a house in London.
None of them (more than two persons) is (singular verb) sensitive.
4. INDEFINITE PRONOUNS
Use a singular verb after any indefinite pronoun. Examples:
Everyone, everything, everybody, everywhere
No one, nothing, nobody, nowhere
Anyone, anything, anybody, anywhere
Someone, something, somebody, somewhere
Everyone is (singular verb) in the hall
Everybody loves (singular verb) success.
5. AGREEMENT WITH "EITHER/OR" and "NEITHER/NOR"
after using "EITHER/OR" or "NEITHER/NOR", the noun or pronoun (subject) that comes after "OR/NOR" will attract the verb. Simply put, if the subject that comes after "OR as well as NOR" is singular, you must use a singular verb. And if the subject is plural, use a plural verb.
Examples: Either the students or the proprietor (singular subject) goes (singular verb) home early.
Neither the proprietor nor the students (plural subject) go ( plural verb) home early.
6. AGREEMENT OF PRAYER, RECOMMENDATION, SUGGESTION, DEMAND.
When prayer, suggestion, recommendation, or demand is expressed in a sentence, a plural verb must follow without giving any regard to the subject used. Either singular or plural subject, you must use a plural verb.
God (singular subject) bless ( plural verb) you.
He demands that HE (one person/ singular subject) go (plural verb).
7. AGREEMENT OF "EVERY with FIGURE"
If a number --- such as; two, three, four, ten, etc. --- follows EVERY immediately, the noun must be plural and the verb must also be plural.
Every five professors (plural subject) teach ( plural verb) very well.
8. AGREEMENT WITH "ALL"
"All" has two meanings when it is used as a subject. First off, it means all the people. Second, it means everything.
When "all" means all the people, it will attract a plural verb.
All ---- eating in the room
(a) is (b) are.
The answer is ARE, because all in the expression above refers to ALL THE PEOPLE.
Conversely, when ALL refers to everything, it will attract a singular verb.
All is well.
All that glitters is not gold.
9. AGREEMENT OF "MANY A"
after using MANY A, singular noun and a singular verb must follow.
Many a lady (singular subject) loves (singular verb) dancing.
10. AGREEMENT OF BODMAS.
BODMAS means Bracket, Of, Division, Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction.
Sentences that involve these Mathematical parlance/principles can attract both singular and plural verbs.
Two multiplied by ten is/are twenty.
11. AGREEMENT WITH "A NUMBER OF and THE NUMBER OF"
When A NUMBER OF is used, it always attracts a plural noun and a plural verb. Example
A number of stolen vehicles (plural noun) have (plural verb) been recovered.
However, when THE NUMBER OF is used, it will attract a singular verb.
Eg. The number of stolen vehicles (plural noun) has (singular verb) been recovered.
12. AGREEMENT WITH SIAMESE SUBJECT.
Siamese means TWO IN ONE, that is, a subject is seen like two. It is not two; it is one and it will attract a singular verb.
Example: The proprietor and English teacher
Looking at this, a person can think that there are two subjects there, that is, "the proprietor" and "English teacher". However, the subject in the expression is one. Why? Because THE PROPRIETOR is also the ENGLISH TEACHER.
If there would be two subjects at the expression above, it will be " THE PROPRIETOR and THE ENGLISH TEACHER"
Article " the" that comes before "the English teacher" makes it a subject that is different from the proprietor which is also a subject, making the subjects two. Therefore, without the article THE in " THE PROPRIETOR AND ENGLISH TEACHER" that means we have one subject and it will attract a singular verb.
The proprietor and English teacher knows me
NOTE: if article "the" comes before " English teacher", that means we have two subjects and it will attract a plural verb.
The proprietor and the English teacher know me.
13. AGREEMENT WITH BLOCK PLURAL GROUPS.
Block plural groups are adjectives that function as nouns with the use of article "the" which precede them.
Examples: the young, the aged, the helpless, the hapless, the handicapped, the brilliant, the disabled, the poor, the rich, the wise, the meek, the wealthy etc.
These can be rewritten as; the young people. The aged people, the helpless people, the hapless people etc.
So, when you have such group of nouns, it is plural and it will attract a plural verb.
"The poor" or any other can never regard to one person, but to two or more persons/people. So, block plural groups are plural; they always attract plural verbs.
The poor are ridiculed in society.
The rich also cry.
The aged possess grey hair.
Note: you must not add letter "s" to any of these nouns.
The poors ( bad English)
The poor (good English)


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