Minor sentences have become part of our everyday conversations. We use them so often that we may not realize we are using one. Many of the minor sentences we use, like “agreed,” are considered polite expressions.
It is correct to say “agreed” alone as a minor sentence or as the past participle form of “agree.” As a minor sentence, “agreed” means “it is agreed.” You use the past participle form as either an adjective or a past tense verb: “The agreed terms are satisfactory” and “They agreed on it yesterday,” respectively.
This article will explain what “agreed” means and show you how to use it correctly in various contexts. We will explain other words you can use in place of “agreed” and break down other polite expressions and minor sentences we use daily. Let’s get to it.
What Does “Agreed” Mean?
“Agreed” is a condensed way of saying “the terms are acceptable.” We use this past participle of “agree” to define when two or more people reach a joint decision or share the same opinion on something (source).
While “agree” is an old word, the meaning hasn’t always been what we know today. “Agree” dates back to the 14th century and comes from the Old French word agreer, which means “to please or satisfy” (source).
Since it pleases a person when someone agrees with them, the definition changed in the mid-fifteenth century to “harmony of opinions.”
“Agreed” has two definitions today, depending on how you want to use it. The first functions as the past participle of “agree.” When you and someone else reached an agreement in the past, you would use “agreed.”
- Last week we agreed to share the car.
- She agreed to the terms a year ago, and now, she wants to make changes.
- The company agreed to the buyout last month, but they are having second thoughts.
- He agreed to sell me the bike yesterday.
“Agreed” can also function as an adjective and mean “the terms are accepted.” For example, if you and someone else have come to an agreement, you can say, “Agreed,” instead of, “It is agreed.”
For example, if you and a group of friends are trying to decide where you want to eat and someone asks, “Are we all agreed on going to Buffalo Wild Wings?” you can simply say, “Agreed.”
- “We should go to the store and pick up our supplies tonight.” “Agreed.”
How Do You Use “Agreed”?
We can use “agreed” as a minor sentence or the past participle for “agree.” As a minor sentence, “agreed” means, “It is accepted.”
“Agreed” functions as the past participle of the word “agree.” We use it this way when we want to describe a one-time agreement with someone. For example:
- I agreed with her views.
- They agreed with the terms.
- She agreed to keep the truth just between us.
- He agreed to fix the broken window.
In the above sentences, “agreed” shows there was an agreement between two or more people sometime in the past.
“Agreed” can also function as an adjective. In a complete sentence, the adjective “agreed” is likely functioning as a subject complement. A subject complement “complements” the subject.
- The jury is agreed.
Standing alone, it works as a minor sentence. A minor sentence is a word, clause, or phrase that functions as a sentence (source). While it may not be correct grammatically, it still conveys the meaning of a complete sentence thanks to the mutually understood context.
When we use “agreed” as a minor sentence, we say, “It is agreed or accepted.” For example:
- “We should get to the restaurant early.” “Agreed.”
- “They should have handled the problem better, so now we have to fix it.” “Agreed.”
But you don’t have to use it as a one-word sentence.
- “They should have handled the situation better, but now we have to fix it.”
- “Agreed, so now we need to figure out how to deal with this mess.”
Using “agreed” as a minor sentence is an informal way of speaking. We usually reserve minor sentences for text messages, informal conversations, or messaging on social media platforms.
When Can You Use “Agreed”?
You can use “agreed” in two instances: 1) you want to say you accepted someone’s terms in the past, 2) or as a minor sentence saying that something is agreeable or acceptable.
When using “agreed” as a stand-alone adjective, we use it as a minor sentence. For example, if someone proposes a set of terms that you find acceptable, you can say, “Agreed.” This tells the person you accept their terms.
When we use “agreed” as a minor sentence, we do so in an informal or semi-informal setting. For example, we usually defer minor sentences for social media posts, everyday texts, and emails where the context is unambiguous.
Additionally, we can also use “agreed” when we are talking about the past since “agreed” is also the past participle of “agree.” This means that whenever you want to talk about a time when you accepted someone’s terms, you can use “agreed.”
When Not to Use “Agreed”
Don’t use “agreed” as a minor sentence in a formal setting. While “agreed” is a polite expression, it is an informal way of speaking.
You may hear minor sentences and think there is nothing wrong with them. In a way, there isn’t. A minor sentence, while fragmented or incomplete, still conveys your meaning because the two speakers understand the context of the sentence.
For example, “like mother, like daughter” is not a complete sentence, yet it still conveys a message within context. You would use it to tell a mother that she and her daughter are just alike whenever you observe the daughter use a facial expression or action that resembles her mother.
These types of sentences are okay in informal settings, like talking to your friends over messenger or speaking to a coworker with whom you have a casual relationship. Likewise, people tend to use minor sentences on social media platforms like Twitter.
However, because minor sentences are fragments, you should not use them in formal writing. These sentences are missing subjects or verbs and do not express a complete thought. Someone could misinterpret the correct context in formal writing.
In What Context Can You Use “Agreed”?
You can use “agreed” as a minor sentence in informal or semi-informal settings, especially in conversation or instant messaging.
Minor sentences are a more informal and conversational way of speaking. We reserve them for when we are talking to our friends or posting something on social media. For example:
- “We should hang out on Saturday.” “Agreed.”
- “We should get the gang together and party like we used to.” “Agreed.”
When we post on social media, we use condensed, straightforward communication. For instance, on Twitter, you only have a limited number of characters to work with, so minor sentences come in handy.
In some cases, minor sentences work in semi-formal settings. For example, “Agreed” is a polite, condensed way of saying, “It is agreed” or “It is accepted.” So when you want to indicate that you agree with what they are saying or their idea, you can say, “Agreed.”
There are acceptable times to use minor sentences when you are at work. For example, if you are in a meeting and someone asks whether you agree with the points being made, you can say, “Agreed.”
However, if you disagree with the proposed terms, you may use another minor sentence like “Not right now” or “Disagreed.”
- “Are you ready to take the project to the next level?” “Not right now.”
How to Use “Agreed” in a Full Sentence
As a minor sentence, “agreed” stands alone because we assume the subject and object by context. When we use “agreed” as a past participle, we can use it in a few different ways: before a noun as an adjective, linked with a past tense verb, or as a verb before the word “that.”
We use “agreed” as a minor sentence in the following examples.
- “I think you should change into more comfortable shoes, okay?” “Agreed.”
- “It’s time for the kids to go to bed.” “Agreed.”
- “We should leave the stadium before the show ends to avoid the crowd.” “Agreed.”
You can add more to the sentence if you need to explain it further.
- “You should have told me about your ankle before hiking.”
- “Agreed, but it felt fine at the time.”
- “I think we should go to the restaurant before seeing a movie.”
- “Agreed, but we should call everyone and ensure the new plan is okay.”
You should place “agreed” as an adjective before the noun it modifies or as a subject complement after a linking verb.
- The agreed terms were signed into effect today.
- The terms are agreed as of today.
While the above examples show “agreed” as an adjective, it also functions as the past participle verb for “agree.” When we use it this way, we can use it in a complete sentence in many ways.
- She agreed with her coworker but didn’t want to upset her boss.
- The two companies agreed to an employee pay raise after the merger.
- While she agreed with what he said, she didn’t like his tone.
- He agreed that the sooner he fixed his life, the sooner he could get his own place.
What Can You Use Instead of “Agreed”?
“Agreed” is a polite way to say, “I accept these terms.” But you can convey this message in other ways.
Some common alternatives to using “agreed” are:
- It is agreed.
- We are agreed.
- The terms are agreeable.
- Understood.
- It is accepted.
- I accept your terms.
- It is settled.
- It is arranged.
- I understand completely.
The above phrases are polite ways to say “agreed” and can work in an informal or semi-formal setting. If you would like a better understanding of polite expressions and how to use them correctly, read over Is It Correct to Say “Thanks for The Invite”?
Polite Expressions as Minor Sentences
Minor sentences are an integral part of our everyday conversations. A minor sentence is a word or phrase that has the characteristics of a sentence but is not grammatically complete.
These sentences do not have a subject or complete predicate, meaning they don’t have an independent clause. The subject is often implied. For example:
- “There’s a storm coming, so we should stay home tonight.” “Agreed.”
In the above example, “Agreed” means “It is agreed.” “It is” is implied by the context both speakers share. Speaker 2 only gave a one-word answer, but Speaker 1 could still understand because the answer suited the context.
Many of the polite expressions we use daily are minor sentences. Polite expressions are phrases we use when we want to be friendly and respectful toward the people we interact with.
For example, we may say, “I’m sorry,” when we aren’t actually sorry for something or, “Excuse me,” to get someone’s attention.
Alternatively, we could simply say, “Hey,” or snap our fingers to get their attention. It would work, but it would also sour their attitude toward us, which, depending on the situation, is not something we want. Let’s look at the following example of a polite expression.
- I’m sorry, can you repeat what you just said?
In the above sentence, we aren’t actually sorry for something we’ve done; we’re sorry for the inconvenience we are causing someone by asking them to repeat themselves.
Some other common polite phrases we use are:
- Pardon me…
- Thank you.
- Do you mind…
- Excuse me.
- Sorry to bother you…
- I was wondering if…
- If I may…
This article was written for strategiesforparents.com.
We use so many polite expressions in English that we can’t fit them all here. If you’d like to read about another polite expression as a minor sentence, then check out Is It Correct to Say “Apologies”?
Polite expressions help us speak with compassion and help us deal with the people around us. Talking politely to someone makes them more likely to respect and listen to you.
Final Thoughts
Polite expressions have become so ingrained in us that we often use them without thinking. Most of the polite phrases we use also function as minor sentences, sentences that do not include an independent clause.
These fragmented sentences still convey the intended message, despite missing words complete sentences contain. For example, “Agreed” is a polite way to say you have accepted someone’s terms.