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Prepositions after verbs

accord to or accord with?

As a verb, accord is usually followed by with. Accord to is generally not standard as a verb phrase.

Quick answer

How to use accord with

Use accord with to mean agree with or match. Do not normally use accord to as a verb phrase. However, according to is a separate and common expression meaning based on what someone says.

His account accords with the evidence
The policy does not accord with our values
according to the report sales increased

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
accord with + noun

Showing agreement or consistency

Use accord with when two things match or agree.

The results accord with earlier studies
2
accord with + pronoun

Agreeing with a person or group

Accord with can also refer to agreement with someone's views.

Your proposal accords with our strategy
3
according to + source

Reporting information from a source

According to is a separate fixed phrase, not the verb accord followed by to.

according to the survey, most users preferred the update

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
accord with
The figures accord with the official record.
Standard verb pattern meaning agree or match.
accord to
The figures accord to the official record.
Nonstandard as a verb pattern in current English.
according to
According to the official record, the figures are correct.
Fixed phrase meaning based on a source.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Confusing accord with according to

According to is not the same structure as the verb accord with.

✕ The report accords to our expectations. ✓ The report accords with our expectations.

Using accord to as a verb pattern

Modern English normally uses accord with after the verb.

✕ His story accords to the facts. ✓ His story accords with the facts.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. Her explanation accords ___ the data.
2. ___ the newspaper, the strike ended yesterday.
3. Choose the standard sentence.

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Frequently asked questions

Is accord with formal?

Yes. Accord with is more formal than agree with.

Can I say accord to in modern English?

Not usually as a verb phrase. Use accord with or according to depending on the meaning.

What does accord with mean?

It means to agree with, match, or be consistent with something.

abandon, by, abandon, in "abduct by", "abduct in" or "abduct from"? abide by, in, with, to or on? "abolish in" or "abolish by"? "abound in" or "abound with"? "absorb by", "absorb into" or "absorb in"? "accelerate by", "accelerate to" or "accelerate in"? accentuate by, with, in or under? accept by, in, as, for or into? "accommodate in", "accommodate for" or "accommodate to"? "accomplish by" or "accomplish in"? accredit by, to, with, in or as?

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