Chapter 18 Concord Or Agreement
Concord or agreement usually means the agreement between the Subject and the Verb.
1. A verb must agree with its subject in number and person; such as He is ill; I am happy; They were happy.
2. The Error of Proximity-The verb is sometimes made, through mistake, to agree in number with a noun or pronoun near it, instead of with its subject.
This should be guarded against অনেক সময় verb-এর number তার প্রকৃত subject অনুযায়ীনা লিখে নিকটবর্তী noun বা pronoun অনুযায়ী লেখা হয়, এটা ভুল।
One of them was (not, were) present there. The best of the boys has (not, have) got a prize. The presence of so many men is encouraging. Each of the girls is clever.
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3. The Common Noun following one of them should be in the plural number.
He is one of the best boys (not, a boy). One of the men (not, a man) gave me the book. Lend me one of the pens.
One of, followed by a plural noun or pronoun and relative clause, often leads to error because it encourages a singular verb:
He is one of those people who is never satisfied with his job. This is one of the buildings that was destroyed in the earthquake. The antecedent of who and that is not one, but persons and buildings respectively.
It is therefore plural. The corrected sentence would be He is one of those people who are never satisfied with their job.
This is one of the buildings that were destroyed in the earthquake.
One in ten boys is in default. Two in ten boys are in default. When an Infinitive, a Gerund, a Verbal Noun, a Clause, or a Phrase is the subject, the verb is in the third person singular.
To err is human. Swimming is a good exercise. Writing letters well is not easy. That he is ill is known to all. Success at any cost was his aim. What he says is not right.
4. When a Collective number is meant, the noun, though plural in form, has a singular verb: Fifty rupees is enough for me: Hundred cents make one dollar.
5. Three miles is a long distance. Eight rupees was the price of the thing. But “Twice two is four” and “Twice two are four” are equally correct-MEU under is, sec.
“In the type, five times five is/are twenty-five, either is or are is correct”-MEU.
6. The name of a thing or a country, though plural in form, takes a singular verb: The United States of America is a rich country. The Folk Tales of Bengal is a good book.
7. Use of “there is” / “there are”.
Care should be taken about the use of the number in sentences beginning with the introductory “there’.
‘There is used when referring to something singular; as There is a big tree near my house. When referring to something plural, use there are; as There are many good schools in the town.
Errors sometimes occur in longer sentences; such as, There is my friend Rakesh, my parents, and Uncle Subhas helped me. What is being referred to here is plural (friend Rakesh, parents, and uncle Subhas) and the sentence should start with there are.
8. Two or more singular subjects joined by and, expressed or understood, take a verb and a pronoun in the plural. একাধিক singular subject যদি and দ্বারা যুক্ত হয় তবে তাদের verb ও pronoun plural village.
Ram and Shyam were there, but they did nothing. She and her father have gone to their.
Exceptions: If the subjects denote the same person or thing (and গুলি যদি একই ব্যক্তি বা বস্তুকে বোঝায়।) the verb and the pronoun should be singular: Subject-
“The Secretary and Treasurer have come”-Here the same man is both Secretary and Treasurer.
If two different persons were meant, the article would have been repeated before “Treasurer” and the verb would have been having.
When the subjects express a single idea (and দ্বারা যুক্ত noun-গুলির সমন্বয় যদি একটি মাত্র ) the verb and the pronoun are singular:
The long and the short of the story is this. A hue and cry was raised.
Slow and steady wins the race. Bread and milk is his only food. All coming and going was forbidden.
When each, every, or no is put before each noun (and n-গুলির প্রত্যেকটির noun- each, every no ), the pronoun and the verb should be singular: “Each man and each woman gets a shilling’, ‘Every star and every planet is the handiwork of God’. ‘No friend and no relative care for me.’
Even when each or everyone is not repeated, the verb is singular.
Every man, woman, and child was killed-MEU. p. 24. “Every Tom, Dick, and Harry plays golf nowadays.”-Good English by G. H. Vallins.
When and is followed by a negative word as no, not, the verb and the pronoun should be of the same number as the noun or pronoun preceding and (and-no বা not থাকে তবে verb ও pronoun-গুলি and-পূর্ববর্তী noun বা pronoun অনুযায়ী হয়)
‘A friend and not a foe, greet you.’ “Two pens only, and no book, are required.
9. When a noun or pronoun is joined with another noun or pronoun by with, together with, or as well as, the verb agrees with the noun or pronoun preceding these (with, together with বা as well as দ্বারা কোন noun বা pronoun যুক্ত হলে verb বা pronoun-টি এই কথাগুলির পূর্ববর্তী noun বা pronoun অনুযায়ী হবে) :
‘Ram, with (or together with) his friends, was punished’. “They, with their father, were punished.”
“I, with my brother, am to go’, ‘Ram as well as his friends is expected.
But it is better to avoid such constructions.
10 Singular subjects joined by or, either- or, neither-nor, take singular verbs and pronouns (or, either-or, neither-nor singular subject-4 pronoun বসে). singular verb
Ram or Shyam has to go there. Either he or his brother is guilty and must suffer for his misdeeds. Neither he nor his brother is guilty.
When subjects of different persons are joined by either-or, neither-nor, the verb agrees with the subject nearest to it (either—or, neither-nor persons-এর হয় তবে verbটি নিকটতম subject অনুযায়ী হয়।); subject Either he or I am to blame.
Neither he nor you are guilty. Either he or they are guilty.
12. When subjects are joined by not only…. but also, the verb agrees with the subject nearest to it.
Not only he but also his brothers are in trouble. Not only his books but also his money bag was stolen.
13. The Relative Pronoun agrees in number, gender, and persons with its antecedent:
I who is your leader command you. This is the lady who has lost her ring. Those who are guilty shall be punished. He was one of the best boys that were seen there.
It is useless to me who has left the world.
14. The anticipatory It is used for masculine or feminine or neuter nouns, both singular and plural; but the verb is singular :
It was I (or, you, or he or she, or they) that did it. It was these books that I wanted. Also, note :
It is I who have made this house. It is Ram who has helped me. It is they who teach the poor boys in their spare time.
15. Adjectives of different degrees cannot be joined by and:
Incorrect: He is the strongest and very tall boy in the class.
Correct: He is the strongest and tallest boy in the class.
Incorrect: This town is more populous and very prosperous.
Correct: This town is more populous and more prosperous.
This town is very populous and very prosperous.
16. When objects of the same class are compared (একই জাতীয় জিনিষের মধ্যে তুলনা ), other should he inserted after any, all or no to show the exclusion or separation.
Incorrect- Correct
- He is better than any boy in the class.- Any other boy
- No boy goes good as he.- No other boy
- The tiger is fiercer than all animals.-All other animals
- No animal is so fierce as the tiger.- No other animal
- He was wiser than all men.- all other men
- No man was so wise as he.-No another man.
- But in comparison by superlatives other is not used;
- Correct any other boy no other boy all other animals no
He is the best of all the boys (not, all the other boys). The Himalayas are the highest of all mountains.
17. Each and every are followed by a singular number. In phrases like every three hours, every group of.
Every man must do his duty. Each of the boys was given a cup.
Two Singular subjects preceded by each or every, even though connected by and, take a singular verb:
Each man and each woman was given a prize. Every student and every teacher is responsible for the good name of the class.
When the antecedent is plural, each is also plural:
The boys each have done their works; we each (they each) have done our (have done their) works.-F. T. Wood.
18. Repetition of the Article: When two or more Nouns are joined by and refer to the same thing, the Article is used only before the first; but if they refer to separate things, the Article should be repeated before each.
The Secretary and the Treasurer have done this (two separate men). The Secretary and Treasurer have done this (one and the same man).