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Khoshtip Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

grammar

Does the word "agree" correct here!?

....it's important that everyone agree on what and each...

Apparently "everyone" is third singular person. Or it means "all" here!?
  

Top answer

"agree" here is subjunctive (expressing a supposed or imagined event). (At least, I imagine that is the intention. ) Normal indicative mood would be "everyone agree s ".

— GPY

  • "agree" here is subjunctive (expressing a supposed or imagined event).
  • (At least, I imagine that is the intention.
  • ) Normal indicative mood would be "everyone agree s ".
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11 Answers
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"agree" here is subjunctive (expressing a supposed or imagined event). (At least, I imagine that is the intention. Depending on how likely it seems that the source would use this form, it may alternatively be a typo.)

Normal indicative mood would be "everyone agrees".
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khoshtipDoes the word "agree" correct here!?
Is the word "agree" correct here?
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What about when it means "all"?
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khoshtip What about when it means "all"?
It always means "all" (more or less).

"all" (in the relevant meaning of "all people") is grammatically plural. "everyone", although it appears to refer to a similar plural entity, is grammatically singular.
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khoshtipDoes Is the word "agree" correct here!?
Yes, it is.
khoshtipApparently "everyone" is third singular person.
It is. Therefore, you're expecting It's important that everyone agrees ...

But It is important (that) takes a mandativ
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CalifJimThe plain infinitive form of the verb (agree) is used
Are you sure it's an infinitive? I thought it was a subjunctive ...
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GPYAre you sure it's an infinitive? I thought it was a subjunctive ...
The two are identical in form in the mandative construction, and I prefer to teach that grammatical pattern without using the word 'subjunctive' wherever possible. That one word causes more confusion than enlightenment, tending to release a torrent of questions from nervous students that o
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CalifJim"Plain form" is probably better than "plain infinitive"
I would agree, simply because I have quite a lot of difficulty getting my head round how an infinitive would grammatically fit into that position.
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GPY CalifJim"Plain form" is probably better than "plain infinitive"I would agree, simply because I have quite a lot of difficulty getting my head round how an infinitive would grammatically fit into that position.
Just curious. How does the term "imperative" strike you in that context? I have heard of teaching the mandative construction by saying it contains
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CalifJimJust curious. How does the term "imperative" strike you in that context?
To me it seems wrong. I view "everyone agree" as just a mood-adjusted version of "everyone agrees", i.e. basically just subject + verb. This is based on gut feeling rather than any sophisticated grammatical theory though.
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