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WORD GRAMMAR
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Verb
- Conjugation in indicative
- Person and number
- Tenses
- Voice
- Mood
- Verb categories
- Valency
- Semantic categories of verbs
- Finite / non-finite verb forms
- Noun
- Adjective
- Adverb
- Article
- Pronoun
- Preposition
- Conjunction
- Particle
- Interjection
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Verb
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SENTENCE GRAMMAR
- Clause types
- Complex clauses
- Constituents of a sentence
- Sentence structure
- Word order in a sentence
- Negation
Difficulties in agreement (concord)
CA49
In some cases, difficulties arise in the agreement between the finite verb and the subject. This occurs mainly when the subject consists of more than one words. Some of these difficulties are presented below:
Multiple subjects, where both the 1st and the 2nd person are present
subject | connected with | person of the finite verb form |
1. person + 2. person (singular or plural) | und, sowohl...als auch, sowie, weder...noch | 1. person plural |
Example | ||
Du und ich haben die besten Noten in Mathematik. |
CA49A
subject | connected with | person of the finite verb form |
1. person + 3. person (singular or plural) | und, sowohl...als auch, sowie, weder...noch | 1.person plural |
Example | ||
Ich und meine Freunde gehen jeden Sonntag ins Fußballstadion. |
CA49B
subject | connected with | person of the finite verb form |
2. person + 3. person (singular or plural) | und, sowohl...als auch, sowie, weder...noch | 2. person plural |
Example | ||
Du und deine Eltern esst sehr gern chinesisch. |
CA49C
subject | connected with | person of the finite verb form |
two different persons (singular or plural) | oder, entweder...oder, beziehungsweise | the one that the verb stands the closest to |
Example | ||
Ihr oder euer Vater muss das Geld zurückgeben. |
CA49D
Multiple subjects, where the 3rd person is present
subject | connected with | person of the finite verb form |
various persons in the 3rd person (singular or plural) | und | 3.person plural * |
Example | ||
Die Arbeiter und der Personalleiter klagen über die schlechten Arbeitsbedingungen. |
* also in singular, when the multiple subject consists of infinitives or if the parts of the multiple subject are in the singular number and closely linked with a common attribute.
Examples | ||
Tanzen und Singen trainieren / trainiert Körper und Seele. | ||
Ihre atemberaubende Ausstrahlung und Schönheit zauberten / zauberte das Publikum. |
CA49E
subject | connected with | person of the finite verb form |
various persons in the 3rd person (singular) accompanied by jeder, kein, mancher | und | 3. person singular |
Example | ||
Jeder Mann und jede Frau muss für die Gleichberechtigung kämpfen. |
CA49F
subject | connected with | person of the finite verb form |
two different persons in the 3rd person (singular or plural) | sowohl...als auch | 3. person plural * |
Example | ||
Sowohl die Arbeiter als auch der Personalleiter wurden entlassen. |
* also in singular, when the multiple subject consists of infinitives or when its parts are identical and are, therefore, not mentioned twice.
Examples | ||
Sowohl Tanzen als auch Singen trainieren / trainiert Körper und Seele. | ||
Sowohl ihr neues als auch ihr altes Buch kamen / kam gut an. |
CA49G
subject | connected with | person of the finite verb form |
two different persons in the 3. person (singular) | sowie, wie | 3. person plural (or singular) |
Example | ||
Der Restaurantbesitzer sowie der Chefkoch kommen aus China. |
CA49H
subject | connected with | person of the finite verb form |
two different persons in the 3. person (singular or plural) | weder...noch | 3. person plural * or singular |
Example | ||
Weder die Eltern noch der Lehrer erkannte / erkannten die Lernschwierigkeiten des Kindes. |
* when the subject in plural stands closer to the verb, then the finite verb can only be in plural.
Example |
Weder der Lehrer noch die Eltern erkannten die Lernschwierigkeiten des Kindes. |
CA49I
subject | connected with | person of the finite verb form |
various persons in the 3. person (singular) | oder, entweder...oder, beziehungsweise | singular |
various persons in the 3. person (singular and plural) | singular or plural* | |
Example | ||
Dein Vater oder deine Mutter wird das entscheiden. | ||
Deine Geschwister oder dein Freund wird / werden dir helfen. |
* when the subject in plural stands closer to the verb, then the finite verb can only be in plural.
Example |
Dein Freund oder deine Geschwister werden dir helfen. |
CA49J
Subject and predicative expression that differ in number
subject | person of the finite verb form | |
subject and predicative expression that differ in number | 3. person plural | |
Example | ||
Mein größtes Problem sind meine Schulden. |
CA49K
Subjects that indicate quantity
subject | person of the finite verb form | |
amount/currency in plural | 3. person plural | |
Example | ||
300 Euro genügen zum Kauf eines Fahrrads. |
CA49L
subject | person of the finite verb form | |
quantity in singular with nouns in singular | 3. person singular | |
Example | ||
Ein Viertel des Gahalts wird für Mietkosten ausgegeben. |
CA49M
subject | person of the finite verb form | |
quantity in plural with nouns in plural | 3. person plural | |
Example | ||
60% der Befragten sprachen sich für die Reform aus. |
CA49N
subject | person of the finite verb form | |
quantity in singular with nouns in plural | 3. person singular | |
Example | ||
Die Hälfte der Befragten sprach sich für die Reform aus. |
CA49O
subject | person of the finite verb form | |
quantity in plural with nouns in singular | 3. person plural | |
Example | ||
100 Gramm Käse sind für die Zubereitung dieses Essens nötig. |