Agreement Scale: Understanding the Importance of Agreement in Writing
When it comes to writing, agreement is an essential aspect that cannot be overlooked. Agreement refers to the consistency of grammatical, tense, and number forms between two or more words or expressions in a sentence. Proper agreement helps to ensure clarity, coherence, and credibility in communication. One of the most significant ways to achieve proper agreement in writing is by using the agreement scale.
The agreement scale is a tool used to help writers determine the level of agreement between two or more elements in a sentence. It categorizes agreement into five levels, from strong agreement to strong disagreement. The five levels of agreement are:
1. Strong Agreement: This level of agreement occurs when two or more elements in a sentence are in complete harmony. They share the same grammatical, tense, and number forms. Example: The team has won three consecutive matches.
2. General Agreement: This level of agreement occurs when two or more elements in a sentence are in agreement, but not as strongly as in the strong agreement level. Example: The committee members agree that the proposal needs more work.
3. Partial Agreement: This level of agreement occurs when some elements in a sentence agree, while others do not. Example: The company’s profits have increased, but its sales have declined.
4. Disagreement: This level of agreement occurs when two or more elements in a sentence contradict each other. Example: The article claims that social media is harmful, but research shows it can also have a positive impact.
5. Strong Disagreement: This level of agreement occurs when two or more elements in a sentence are in complete contradiction. Example: The teacher said the student scored the highest grade, but the report card shows a failing grade.
Understanding the different levels of agreement is crucial when it comes to effective writing. Proper agreement helps to eliminate ambiguity and confusion in communication. It also helps to establish the writer`s credibility by showing attention to detail and language proficiency.
To achieve proper agreement, writers need to pay attention to the subject-verb agreement, verb tense consistency, pronoun-antecedent agreement, and number agreement. For instance, the subject and verb must agree in number and person. If the subject is singular, the verb should also be singular. If the subject is plural, the verb should also be plural.
In conclusion, the agreement scale is an essential tool for writers who want to achieve clear, coherent, and credible communication. Understanding the five levels of agreement and applying them appropriately in writing can make a significant difference in how the message is received. Proper agreement helps to eliminate confusion, ambiguity, and miscommunication in writing. Therefore, writers should always pay attention to proper agreement in their writing.