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The sentence

  • In the play the incantations of the the witches completely accentuate/ accentuates the overall gloomy settings.

My question is should I use the "S" at the end of the word accentuate. Whilst I know as per the the sub + verb rules the correct form should be "accentuate" but I still have confusion regarding this as the sentence doesn't really sound correct to my ear when I elide the "s" at the end. Please guide.

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    Accentuate is correct, as you say. If it was, for example 'the noise made by the witches', accentuates would be correct because noise is singular.
    – Kate Bunting
    Feb 22 at 9:48
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    The jarring effect I pick up is from 'completely accentuate/s', not the choice of verb form. I'd use the modifier 'greatly'.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Feb 22 at 11:15
  • Why doesn't it sound correct?
    – Joachim
    Feb 22 at 11:25
  • @EdwinAshworth Right! The adverb "completely" would seem greatly unflattering before the word accentuate.
    – Jinti Neog
    Feb 22 at 12:12
  • @Joachim Mayhap , I am used to using sibilants a lot .
    – Jinti Neog
    Feb 22 at 12:19

1 Answer 1

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correct: accentuate

incantations- plural

The incantations accentuate

an incantation accentuates (-s for the third person singular)

The incantation accentuates (-s for the third person singular)

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  • Hello, Mohammed. This is not a question at a suitable level for ELU.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Feb 22 at 14:25
  • @ Edwin Ashworth What does ELU stand for ?
    – Jinti Neog
    Feb 22 at 14:33

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