Verbal and nominal agreement


THE verbal and nominal agreement it is the branch of syntax that analyzes the consonance established between each clause element.

THE verbal agreement analyzes the relationships between grammatical subject and verb through the conformity of number and person.

Nominal agreement seeks to agree the gender and number between the various terms of the clause, being frequent between the noun, adjective and article.

Example: You writerare you studyramat ruleat and modelyou stylisticyou together.

In this sentence there is verbal agreement when the subject (writers) agrees with the verb (studied) and nominal agreement when the nouns (rules and models) agree with the adjective (stylistic).

Check out the main rules and examples of verbal and nominal agreement.

Index

  • Verbal agreement
    • Compound subject before the verb
    • Compound subject postponed to the verb
    • Compound subject formed by different people
  • nominal agreement
    • Adjectives and a noun
    • Nouns and an adjective

Verbal agreement

Below we highlight the main occurrences of verbal agreement.

Compound subject before the verb

When the subject is composed and appear in the prayer before the verb, this verb goes to the plural.

Example:

  • the secretary and the director he arrivesram on time.

“The secretary and the director” is a composite subject, that is, a type of subject that has two cores, two main words (secretary and director).

The verb “to arrive” is in agreement with the compound subject because it is conjugated in the third person plural.

Compound subject postponed to the verb

When the compound subject appears in the sentence after the verb, this verb can go to the plural, as well as its agreement with the nearest nucleus.

Examples:

  • searchhealed about the new virus the scientist and the teachers.

The verb “to research” in this case is in the plural because it considers the two cores of the subject (scientist and teachers).

  • searcham about the new virus the scientist and the teachers.

The verb “to research” appears in the singular because it only agrees with the closest nucleus (scientist).

Compound subject formed by different people

When the compound subject is made up of different grammatical persons, the verb must be plural.

On the other hand, the verb can also agree with the person who, grammatically, prevails.

Therefore, the first person prevails over the second and third.

Examples:

  • we shoot the knife you and me.

“We shoot” is prevalent in this phrase.

  • Louis and me we photograph the stars of the night.
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“We photograph” is prevalent in this phrase.

And the second person prevails over the third.

Examples:

  • God and you you are witnesses.

“You are” is prevalent in this phrase.

  • You and Joana you will receive the reward.

“You shall receive” is prevalent in this phrase.

nominal agreement

Below we highlight the main occurrences of nominal agreement.

Adjectives and a noun

When there is more than one adjective referring to a single noun, the substantive goes to plural without repeating the article before each adjective.

Examples:

  • At populations Rio de Janeiro and Goiás participated in the political discussion.
  • You leaders Colombian and Peruvian struggled against poverty.

Or the noun is singular and the article is repeated before each adjective.

Examples:

  • THE population carioca and The Goiana participated in the political discussion.
  • O leader Colombian and O Peruvian struggled against poverty.

Nouns and an adjective

Otherwise, when a single adjective refers to more than one noun of a different gender or number, there are two ways to agree:

1 — When the adjective comes after the nouns, the adjective can go to the masculine plural.

Examples:

  • the boy and the girl in love they ran away from home.
  • the man and the sea calm they looked like poetry.

Or the adjective may agree with the closest noun.

Examples:

  • the book and the newspaper French are on my desk.
  • I decided for the way and for life quiet.

2 — When the adjective comes before the nouns, the adjective often agrees with the closest.

Examples:

You old drafts and publications were returned to the museum.

Hardened cement and lime hindered the masons.

Read more:

  • Verbal Regency
  • linking verbs

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