Forum newsfeeds
Forum Newsfeeds


Sites for Teachers

Sites for Teachers


Go Back   UsingEnglish.com ESL Forum > Learning English > Ask a Teacher

Notices

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 27-Apr-2004, 13:58
Key Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Country: China
Posts: 2,037
Current Location: China
First Language: Chinese
Member Type: Student or Learner
Thanks: 313
Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts
jiang is an unknown quantity at this point
Default agree on and agree to

Dear teachers,
I find it difficult to distinguish 'agree on' and 'agree to' in the following sentence:

It si all a matter of vocabulary probably, for no two scholars have ever agreed on a definition of magic.

Could you please kindly explain if there is any difference I use 'agree to' instead of 'agree on' ?

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 11-Jul-2004, 21:45
RonBee's Avatar
Moderator
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Country: USA
Posts: 13,775
Current Location: North Carolina
First Language: English
Member Type: Other
Thanks: 76
Thanked 995 Times in 883 Posts
RonBee is a splendid one to beholdRonBee is a splendid one to beholdRonBee is a splendid one to beholdRonBee is a splendid one to beholdRonBee is a splendid one to beholdRonBee is a splendid one to beholdRonBee is a splendid one to beholdRonBee is a splendid one to behold
Default "Agree on" and "agree to"

Both are used. You can also agree with something or somebody. (There may be a way to help you in deciding which to use. If there is, Cas will come up with it.)

:)
__________________
~R
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 11-Jul-2004, 22:21
Editor, UsingEnglish.com
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Country: UK
Posts: 25,657
Current Location: Phnom Penh
First Language: English
Member Type: English Teacher
Thanks: 6
Thanked 534 Times in 470 Posts
Tdol has disabled reputation
Default

You would 'agree on' a policy if you were part of the group formulating it and 'agree with' it if you heard about it and thought it was a good idea.
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 13-Jul-2004, 08:03
Key Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Country: China
Posts: 2,037
Current Location: China
First Language: Chinese
Member Type: Student or Learner
Thanks: 313
Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts
jiang is an unknown quantity at this point
Default

:)
Thank you very much for your explanation. Now I see.

Jiang
Quote:
Originally Posted by tdol
You would 'agree on' a policy if you were part of the group formulating it and 'agree with' it if you heard about it and thought it was a good idea.
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 14-Jul-2004, 02:57
MikeNewYork's Avatar
VIP Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Country: USA
Posts: 6,094
Current Location: New York
First Language: American English
Member Type: Academic
Thanks: 0
Thanked 12 Times in 12 Posts
MikeNewYork is on a distinguished road
Default Re: agree on and agree to

Quote:
Originally Posted by jiang
Dear teachers,
I find it difficult to distinguish 'agree on' and 'agree to' in the following sentence:

It si all a matter of vocabulary probably, for no two scholars have ever agreed on a definition of magic.

Could you please kindly explain if there is any difference I use 'agree to' instead of 'agree on' ?

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang
IMO, "agree on" means agree with each other about something. "Agree to" means to accept some proposal.

If two people agree on something, they agree with each other.
If two people agree to something they each agree to accept something outside them. They may not have ever met.
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 14-Jul-2004, 08:27
Key Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Country: China
Posts: 2,037
Current Location: China
First Language: Chinese
Member Type: Student or Learner
Thanks: 313
Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts
jiang is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: agree on and agree to

Thank you very much for your explanation. Now I see.
Jiang
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeNewYork
Quote:
Originally Posted by jiang
Dear teachers,
I find it difficult to distinguish 'agree on' and 'agree to' in the following sentence:

It si all a matter of vocabulary probably, for no two scholars have ever agreed on a definition of magic.

Could you please kindly explain if there is any difference I use 'agree to' instead of 'agree on' ?

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang
IMO, "agree on" means agree with each other about something. "Agree to" means to accept some proposal.

If two people agree on something, they agree with each other.
If two people agree to something they each agree to accept something outside them. They may not have ever met.
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old 16-Jul-2004, 16:18
RonBee's Avatar
Moderator
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Country: USA
Posts: 13,775
Current Location: North Carolina
First Language: English
Member Type: Other
Thanks: 76
Thanked 995 Times in 883 Posts
RonBee is a splendid one to beholdRonBee is a splendid one to beholdRonBee is a splendid one to beholdRonBee is a splendid one to beholdRonBee is a splendid one to beholdRonBee is a splendid one to beholdRonBee is a splendid one to beholdRonBee is a splendid one to behold
Default

The boys agreed on a time for the game. (It was their idea.)

The boys agreed to behave themselves. (It was their teacher's idea.)

:)
__________________
~R
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old 18-Jul-2004, 02:32
zhengl_2000
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default agree to sth == agree with sth in AE, right?

Quote:
Originally Posted by RonBee
The boys agreed on a time for the game. (It was their idea.)

The boys agreed to behave themselves. (It was their teacher's idea.)

:)

I have heard that you can say " I agree with that proposal." in AE?

In some grammar book, it says you have to use "agree to" and
"agree with " can only be use like "agree with sb.".

Any comments on that?
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old 18-Jul-2004, 10:22
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,370
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Francois is an unknown quantity at this point
Default

You agree with someone/something that express an opinion (a person, a proposal...)
You agree on something that is discussed (date, action...)
You agree to do something
You agree that + clause (eg. he should be given a bonus)
They can't agree whether + clause (eg. they should raise the interest rate).

FRC
Reply With Quote
  #10 (permalink)  
Old 18-Jul-2004, 10:41
Key Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Country: China
Posts: 2,037
Current Location: China
First Language: Chinese
Member Type: Student or Learner
Thanks: 313
Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts
jiang is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Information

:)
Thank you for joining the discussion. May I ask another question which has nothing to do with English. It seems to me your name is a French name. Could you please tell whether there is a website like English Forum that helps those people who are learning French and who have questions to ask? I ask so because I am learning French.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang


Quote:
Originally Posted by Francois
You agree with someone/something that express an opinion (a person, a proposal...)
You agree on something that is discussed (date, action...)
You agree to do something
You agree that + clause (eg. he should be given a bonus)
They can't agree whether + clause (eg. they should raise the interest rate).

FRC
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Tags
agree

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
agree on and agree to jiang Ask a Teacher 24 30-Apr-2004 05:13
agree Anonymous Ask a Teacher 2 26-Nov-2003 22:15


New To Site? Need Help?

All times are GMT. The time now is 17:00.


vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.2.0
Copyright © 2002 - 2008 UsingEnglish.com