agree a plan

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "agree a plan" is not standard in written English; the more common expression is "agree on a plan." You can use it when discussing the process of reaching a consensus about a specific plan or course of action.
Example: "After much discussion, we were finally able to agree on a plan for the project moving forward."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

34 human-written examples

A crucial meeting is planned for Abuja next Friday (2 December) at which aid agencies will try to agree a plan of action.

The Guardian

Meanwhile the weekend brought reports that the US could fail to agree a plan to reduce its deficit by $1.2tr by 2021 by the Wednesday deadline.

The Guardian - Business

But he issued a note of caution when he said: "We will soon agree a plan for transition to the Afghan government.

The Guardian

Banks were also moving higher on hopes that Europe would agree a plan to protect the sector in the event of any default by Greece.

The Guardian - Business

The US and Assad ally Russia agree a plan to eliminate Syria's chemical weapons, averting punitive US strikes against the regime.

The Guardian

The decision to sit down with the opposition to try and agree a plan to ensure we leave the EU was not taken lightly.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

26 human-written examples

Paterson says, after he went to Somerset, he agreed a plan with the local authority.

The Guardian

Iceland's government agrees a plan to repay the UK and the Netherlands €4bn lost in the Icesave collapse.

The Guardian - Business

Dozens of international retailers agreed a plan last July to conduct inspections at factories from which their goods were sourced.

BBC

"We are committed to working with the council and are agreeing a plan with them for the next steps".

BBC

A group of 70 retailers have agreed a plan to conduct inspections of garment factories in Bangladesh in an attempt to improve safety standards.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When the plan involves more than one actor or community, consider using alternatives as "reach an agreement on" or "settle on".

Common error

Avoid using the phrase "agree a plan" in academic papers or business reports. It may be perceived as grammatically incorrect, undermining your credibility. Stick to more conventional phrasing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "agree a plan" functions as a verbal phrase indicating the action of reaching a mutual understanding or decision regarding a specific course of action. Ludwig examples show frequent usage in news and media contexts, despite its questionable grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "agree a plan" is found in various sources, especially within news and media, it's considered grammatically questionable, according to Ludwig AI. The more accepted form is "agree on a plan". Although common, favoring alternatives like "reach an agreement on a plan" or "come to a consensus on a plan" will ensure clearer communication. For academic and professional settings, prioritizing precision and adhering to standard grammar practices is recommended, making "agree on a plan" a safer bet. Frequent contexts of use are News & Media, Science and Formal & Business.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

agree on a plan

Adds the preposition "on" for better grammatical correctness.

agree to a proposal

Replaces "on" with "to" and it is a valid alternative.

reach an agreement on a plan

Replaces "agree" with "reach an agreement", making it more formal.

come to a consensus on a plan

Emphasizes the process of achieving agreement.

settle on a strategy

Uses "settle" instead of "agree" and "strategy" instead of "plan".

devise a scheme

Substitutes "agree" with "devise" and "plan" with "scheme", suggesting a more detailed plan.

formulate a proposal

Replaces "agree" with "formulate" and "plan" with "proposal", implying creation of a formal suggestion.

concur on a course of action

Emphasizes the mutual agreement and replaces "plan" with a more formal alternative.

adopt a roadmap

Replaces "agree" with "adopt" and "plan" with "roadmap", suggesting a strategic approach.

establish a framework

Emphasizes the creation of a foundational structure.

FAQs

How can I correctly use the phrase "agree a plan"?

While "agree a plan" is used, it's more grammatically sound to say "agree on a plan". This adds a necessary preposition for clarity.

What are some alternatives to "agree a plan"?

Instead of "agree a plan", consider using phrases like "reach an agreement on a plan", "come to a consensus on a plan", or simply "agree to a proposal" depending on the specific context.

Is it wrong to say "agree a plan"?

Grammatically, "agree on a plan" is more accurate. Although "agree a plan" appears in some publications, it's not universally accepted as correct. As Ludwig AI says, the standard in written English is "agree on a plan".

What's the difference between "agree a plan" and "agree on a plan"?

The addition of the preposition "on" makes "agree on a plan" grammatically correct and more widely accepted. It clarifies the relationship between the verb "agree" and the noun "plan".