Classifying concord, also known as grammatical or syntactic agreement, is a fundamental concept in linguistics and language studies. It involves ensuring that different elements of a sentence—such as the subject, verb, and sometimes objects or modifiers—match appropriately in number, gender, or person. Understanding and applying concord is crucial for both language learners and writers to construct grammatically correct and clear sentences.
What is Concord?
In grammatical terms, concord refers to the formal agreement between the components of a sentence. The most frequently discussed types involve agreement in number (singular/plural), person (first, second, third), and gender (masculine, feminine, neuter, in languages that have gendered nouns). Proper concord helps avoid confusing or awkward constructions in both spoken and written language. For more detailed background, visit the Britannica entry on grammatical concord.
Types of Concord
- Subject-Verb Concord
- Pronoun-Antecedent Concord
- Noun-Adjective Concord (especially in languages with grammatical gender)
1. Subject-Verb Concord
Perhaps the most common type in English, subject-verb concord means the subject and verb must agree in number and person.
- Example (Correct): The dog barks. (singular subject + singular verb)
- Example (Incorrect): The dog bark.
Reason: “dog” is singular; the verb should be “barks.” - Example (Plural): The dogs bark. (plural subject + plural verb)
Irregular verbs and compound subjects can complicate agreement. For specific rules, refer to the Purdue OWL Subject-Verb Agreement guide.
2. Pronoun-Antecedent Concord
Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in number and gender.
- Example: Each student should bring his or her textbook.
- Incorrect: Each student should bring their textbook. (In formal writing, this is often considered incorrect, although modern usage is evolving.)
Learn more about pronoun-antecedent agreement from the UNC Writing Center’s guide to pronouns.
3. Noun-Adjective Concord (Grammatical Gender)
Languages such as French, Spanish, and German require adjectives to agree with the nouns they describe in gender and number.
- French Example: Le chat noir (the black cat, masculine singular), Les chats noirs (the black cats, masculine plural)
This type of concord is less prominent in English but is key in many world languages. For more, see BBC Bitesize on adjective agreement in languages.
Steps for Classifying Concord
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Identify the relevant sentence elements.
Find all subjects, verbs, pronouns, and adjectives where agreement could be necessary. -
Determine the category for agreement.
Is the required concord based on number, gender, or person? -
Check for special rules or exceptions.
For example, collective nouns or indefinite pronouns in English can complicate agreement. -
Apply the correct form.
Adjust word forms to achieve agreement, using conjugation charts or grammar references if needed. -
Review your sentence.
Read your sentence aloud or consult a style guide to ensure proper agreement.
Common Mistakes in Concord
- Using plural verbs for singular subjects (and vice versa).
- Mismatched pronouns and antecedents in terms of number or gender.
- Failure to match adjectives with nouns in gender and number (in applicable languages).
For helpful examples and troubleshooting, check out this Grammarly blog post on agreement errors.
Why Concord Matters
Mastering concord leads to clearer and more precise communication. It prevents ambiguity and demonstrates strong command of language conventions, which is especially important in academic and professional writing.
