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Avangi Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Agree vs. approve
Hi,
This came up in another thread, and became something of a distraction.
My father opposes/approves the plan.
My father agrees the plan.
Apparently the second example is correct, but my ear just won't buy it.
My AmHtg. lists mostly intransitive uses with "to."
We agree to disagree. (my example)
It lists one transitive example, with the caveat "used with a noun clause": He agreed that we should go.
So this is one of those things that just happens to be the way it is.
The (opposite) transitive "to oppose" works both with a noun clause and without:
I oppose your going. I oppose that you should go.
My questions:
Can anyone shed any light on this?
Are there parts of the world where "My father agrees the plan" is acceptable?
Many thanks for your help!
Best wishes, - A.
Note: My AmHtg. provides a discrete listing for "agreed" as an adjective.
ETA. Is this substantially different?? Violets are blue, which my father agrees.
This came up in another thread, and became something of a distraction.
My father opposes/approves the plan.
My father agrees the plan.
Apparently the second example is correct, but my ear just won't buy it.
My AmHtg. lists mostly intransitive uses with "to."
We agree to disagree. (my example)
It lists one transitive example, with the caveat "used with a noun clause": He agreed that we should go.
So this is one of those things that just happens to be the way it is.
The (opposite) transitive "to oppose" works both with a noun clause and without:
I oppose your going. I oppose that you should go.
My questions:
Can anyone shed any light on this?
Are there parts of the world where "My father agrees the plan" is acceptable?
Many thanks for your help!
Best wishes, - A.
Note: My AmHtg. provides a discrete listing for "agreed" as an adjective.
ETA. Is this substantially different?? Violets are blue, which my father agrees.
Top answer
Avangi Are there parts of the world where "My father agrees the plan" is acceptable? I find this type of transitive use acceptable, though your example sentence seems borderline. "We agreed a price over the phone" would be a typical example that I might use myself.
- Avangi Are there parts of the world where "My father agrees the plan" is acceptable?
- I find this type of transitive use acceptable, though your example sentence seems borderline.
- "We agreed a price over the phone" would be a typical example that I might use myself.
- org/wiki/agree says that this usage is British/Irish and that: US and Canadian English do not use the "transitive" form.
- Thus "they agreed on a price" or "they agreed to the conditions" are used in North America but not "they agreed a price" or "they agreed the conditions".
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