they knows

USAGE SUMMARY

'they knows' is not correct and cannot be used in written English.
Instead, you should use 'they know'. For example: They know the truth about what happened yesterday.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Authorised officers can ask for information from someone they knows or reasonably suspects are a non-citizen.

The Guardian

Be sure to look your confronter in their eyes when standing up to them so they knows how much nerve you have.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

They knew?

The New York Times - Sports

They know".

The New York Times - Sports

They know they can.

The New York Times - Sports

"If they know it, they know it".

The New York Times

They know they can survive".

The New York Times

They know they're gay".

The New York Times

And they knew that.

The New York Times - Sports

They know full well.

Independent

They know me there.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the correct form "they know" to ensure grammatical accuracy in your writing. Subject-verb agreement is crucial for clear communication.

Common error

Ensure that the verb form agrees with the subject pronoun. Using "they knows" instead of "they know" can confuse readers and undermine your credibility. Proofread carefully to catch these errors.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "they knows" functions as a subject and verb, but demonstrates incorrect subject-verb agreement. As Ludwig AI points out, the correct form is "they know". The examples provided by Ludwig illustrate instances where this error occurs, but these are not grammatically sound.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "they knows" is a grammatically incorrect phrase due to a subject-verb agreement error; the correct form is "they know". Ludwig AI confirms this, emphasizing the need for the base form of the verb with the pronoun "they". While Ludwig provides examples where "they knows" appears, these are not considered standard English. It's crucial to use "they know" in both formal and informal contexts to ensure clear and effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

they know

Corrects the subject-verb agreement error; the standard and grammatically correct form.

they are aware

Replaces "knows" with a synonymous phrase using "are aware", indicating understanding or consciousness of something.

they understand

Substitutes "knows" with "understand", emphasizing comprehension.

they realize

Uses "realize" instead of "knows", suggesting a dawning of awareness or understanding.

they recognize

Employs "recognize" in place of "knows", highlighting the identification of something previously known or understood.

they perceive

Replaces "knows" with "perceive", implying awareness through the senses or intuition.

they are informed

Uses "are informed" to indicate that they have been given knowledge or information.

they have knowledge

Substitutes "knows" with a more formal phrase, "have knowledge", emphasizing the possession of information.

they are conscious of

Replaces "knows" with "are conscious of", stressing a state of awareness or attentiveness.

they are familiar with

Uses "are familiar with" instead of "knows", indicating a level of acquaintance or understanding derived from experience.

FAQs

What is the correct way to conjugate the verb "know" with the pronoun "they"?

The correct conjugation is "they know". The form "they knows" is grammatically incorrect.

Is "they knows" ever considered acceptable in English?

No, "they knows" is not considered acceptable in standard English. The correct form is always "they know".

What can I say instead of "they knows"?

Since "they knows" is incorrect, use the correct form, "they know". Alternatively, you could use phrases like "they are aware" or "they understand".

Why is "they knows" grammatically incorrect?

In English, the third-person plural pronoun "they" requires the base form of the verb, which is "know". The "-s" ending is typically used with third-person singular pronouns (he, she, it).