What is a Concord?

S2-SA1-0410

Grade Level:

Class 1

NLP, Law, History, Social Sciences, Literature, Journalism, Communication

Definition

What is it?

A concord means an agreement or harmony between things. In grammar, it refers to the agreement between different parts of a sentence, like a subject and its verb, or a pronoun and its noun. It ensures that sentences sound correct and make sense.

Simple Example

Quick Example

Imagine you are buying samosas. If you ask for 'one samosas', it sounds wrong, right? You would say 'one samosa' (singular). If you ask for 'five samosa', that also sounds wrong. You would say 'five samosas' (plural). This matching of numbers (one with singular, five with plural) is a type of concord.

Worked Example

Step-by-Step

Let's make sure the subject and verb agree in this sentence: 'The student ______ (study/studies) hard.'

1. Identify the subject: The subject is 'The student'.
2. Determine if the subject is singular or plural: 'The student' is singular (only one student).
3. Look at the verb options: 'study' is used with plural subjects (e.g., 'They study'), and 'studies' is used with singular subjects (e.g., 'He studies').
4. Choose the verb that agrees with the singular subject: 'studies'.

ANSWER: The student studies hard.

Why It Matters

Understanding concord helps you write and speak clearly, whether you're writing an essay, a news report, or even a WhatsApp message. Good grammar is key for effective communication in journalism, literature, and any professional field. It helps lawyers write clear laws and journalists report accurate news.

Common Mistakes

MISTAKE: Using a plural verb with a singular subject. For example, 'The dog bark loudly.' | CORRECTION: Use a singular verb with a singular subject. 'The dog barks loudly.'

MISTAKE: Not matching pronouns with their nouns. For example, 'Each student should bring their own lunch.' | CORRECTION: Use a singular pronoun for a singular noun like 'each student'. 'Each student should bring his or her own lunch.' (Or rephrase to 'All students should bring their own lunch.')

MISTAKE: Forgetting that collective nouns (like 'team' or 'family') can be singular. For example, 'The team are playing well.' | CORRECTION: Treat collective nouns as singular if they act as one unit. 'The team is playing well.'

Practice Questions

Try It Yourself

QUESTION: Choose the correct verb: 'My brother ______ (play/plays) cricket every Sunday.' | ANSWER: plays

QUESTION: Fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb 'to be': 'The children in the park ______ (is/are) happy.' | ANSWER: are

QUESTION: Correct the sentence: 'Neither the principal nor the teachers was happy with the results.' | ANSWER: Neither the principal nor the teachers were happy with the results.

MCQ

Quick Quiz

Which sentence shows correct subject-verb concord?

The mangoes is sweet.

She run very fast.

Many students attends the class.

My friend travels by metro.

The Correct Answer Is:

Option D is correct because 'My friend' is singular, and 'travels' is the correct singular verb. Options A, B, and C have subject-verb disagreement.

Real World Connection

In the Real World

When you read news headlines or articles in newspapers like The Hindu or Times of India, editors ensure every sentence has correct concord. This makes the news clear and trustworthy. Even in apps like Google Translate, the underlying language models use rules of concord to give accurate translations between Hindi, English, and other languages.

Key Vocabulary

Key Terms

AGREEMENT: A state of being in harmony or having the same opinion | SUBJECT: The person or thing performing the action in a sentence | VERB: A word that describes an action, state, or occurrence | SINGULAR: Referring to only one person or thing | PLURAL: Referring to more than one person or thing

What's Next

What to Learn Next

Now that you understand concord, you can move on to learning about different types of sentence structures and clauses. This will help you build even more complex and grammatically perfect sentences for your essays and stories. Keep practicing!