Agrees is the verb form meaning to share the same opinion or to consent to a proposal, typically used when a speaker aligns with another’s view or decision. In common usage, it functions as a third‑person singular present tense form, with the base verb “agree” carrying the same sense of assent or concurrence. The word often appears in declarative statements and collaborative discussions.
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- Common phonetic challenges: (1) Underpronunciation of the first syllable’s schwa leading to a clipped, incorrect pronunciation. (2) Final /z/ not voiced or blended, producing an /s/ sound or a mumbled ending. (3) Sloppy linking with following words, causing the word to lose its prominence. Corrections: (1) Emphasize a quick, neutral /ə/ in the first syllable; keep it shorter than the stressed vowel, but not silent. (2) Ensure the final /z/ is fully voiced and released with a small burst of air; avoid voiceless /s/. (3) Practice in sentence frames to secure a natural, audible conclusion. - Style: you’ll want to maintain clarity in the final consonant for intelligibility, especially in phrases like “agrees with” where the /z/ links to /wɪð/. - Mental cues: think “uh-GREES,” with the emphasis on GREES, and keep the mouth rounded for the /ɡr/ cluster. - Practice tips: use slow-to-fast drills; record and compare; use minimal pairs like “agree” vs “agrees” to internalize the final z.”
- US: /əˈɡriːz/ with a rhotacized but not strongly rhotic onset; keep the schwa light. Emphasize the /riː/ and a clean /z/. - UK: /əˈɡriːz/ with crisper /ɡr/ cluster and slightly more precise vowel duration; avoid lenition of the /r/ in non-rhotic contexts by ensuring a subtle but present r when linking. - AU: /əˈɡriːz/ similar to US but with a flatter intonation in connected speech; maintain a steady, relaxed first syllable and a voiced final /z/ even in fast speech. - Practical IPA references: focus on /ə/ (schwa) in the first syllable, /ɡ/-/r/ blend, /iː/ long vowel in stressed syllable, and final /z/ as a voiced alveolar fricative. - Tips: use ambient context to guide intonation and avoid over-enunciating, especially in casual speech where the word often blends with surrounding function words.
"She agrees with the plan after reviewing the details."
"The committee agrees to postpone the meeting until next week."
"He agrees to help if they provide the necessary resources."
"They both agree that the project will benefit the community."
Agree comes from Old French agréer, which itself derives from Latin ad– and gratus ‘pleasing, agreeable.’ The Latin form adgratus indicated something pleasing to someone, a sense that evolved into the English verb ‘agree’ by the late Old English period. Over time, the sense expanded from ‘to be pleasing to’ or ‘to accept’ a proposal to the modern meaning of sharing opinion or consenting. In Middle English, forms like agreen appeared with the sense of harmony or accord among people, and by Early Modern English the modern spelling and pronunciation had stabilized as agree and its inflected forms. The third-person singular agrees follows standard English grammar, with the final -s marking present tense for he/she/it. The word’s semantic field has remained stable around notions of concurrence, assent, and alignment of views, even as usage broadened into idiomatic expressions like “agrees with,” “agrees to,” or “agree to disagree.”
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "agrees" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "agrees" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "agrees"
-ees sounds
-eas sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Pronounce it as /əˈɡriːz/. The first syllable is a schwa, unstressed, so it sounds like a quick, relaxed /ə/. The second syllable carries the primary stress with /riː/. End with a voiced z. Tip: connect the /ɡ/ stop to the /r/ smoothly and avoid an extra vowel after /riː/. Listen for a clean, single syllable after the stem: ə-GREEZ.
Two common errors are misplacing stress or mispronouncing the final consonant. Some speakers overemphasize the first syllable, saying /ˈæɡriːz/ instead of /əˈɡriːz/. Others voice the final consonant as a voiceless /s/ (agrees) instead of the voiced /z/. Correct by using a light, quick schwa in the first syllable and ensuring the final consonant is a voiced z, not a voiceless s; finish with a crisp but gentle vowel-to-z transition.
In US, UK, and AU, the core /əˈɡriːz/ stays intact, with primary stress on the second syllable. US/is less rhotic in some contexts but here rhoticity doesn’t alter the vowel; the /ɹ/ is more retroflex in many American speakers. UK often features crisper /ɡr/ clustering and sharper vowel length, with less vowel reduction in rapid speech. AU tends toward a similar value to US but with slight vowel height differences in /iː/ and a softer /ɹ/ transition. Overall, the difference is mainly in rhythm and the strength of the rhotics and vowel rounding, not the core phonemes.
Two key challenges are the unstressed initial schwa and the final voiced /z/. The unstressed /ə/ can blur in casual speech, causing a weaker onset that makes the word feel too short or rushed. The final /z/ often blends with the preceding vowel, risking a voiceless /s/ or a muffled final sound. Practice maintaining a crisp, short schwa on the first syllable and a clearly voiced /z/ at the end, ensuring a smooth hinge from /riː/ into /z/. IPA cues: /əˈɡriːz/.
The unique focus is the transition from the stressed /riː/ to the final /z/. The /riː/ must be held slightly longer than a typical unstressed vowel and then immediately release into the voiced alveolar fricative /z/. Avoid allowing the /iː/ to lengthen or be overtly tense—keep a relaxed jaw and a short schwa before it. Practice with minimal pairs to keep the rhythm clean, such as ‘greed’ vs ‘agree’ and then add the final /z/ to form /rəˈriːz/.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "agrees"!
- Shadowing: listen to native speakers say sentences containing ‘agrees’ and repeat with the same timing; target 60–90 seconds per session. - Minimal pairs: compare ‘agree’ /əˈɡriː/ vs ‘agrees’ /əˈɡriːz/ to feel the final /z/. Add words like ‘greed’ to sense vowel length differences. - Rhythm and stress: practice with sentences that place ‘agrees’ in stressed and unstressed positions, like “She agrees with the proposal” vs “If she agrees, we’ll proceed.” - Syllable drills: alternate between “a- agrees” to perfect the schwa onset and the transition to /ɡriːz/. - Speed progression: slow (pronounce each phoneme), normal (natural pace), fast (linked speech). - Context sentences: “He agrees to the terms, and she agrees to follow through.” “They agree that changes are needed, and she agrees to lead.” - Recording: use a phone or recorder to compare with native samples and track improvements. - Feedback: use a mirror to monitor lip rounding and jaw position when saying /ɡr/. - Muscle memory: repeat daily, focusing on the move from /ə/ to /ɡr/ to /iː/ to /z/.”,
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