Variation in subject‐verb concord in Ghanaian English

ABSTRACT:  This paper offers an insight into variation in subject‐verb concord in Ghanaian English. An analysis of authentic data demonstrates that grammatical concord occurs variably in the written language of Ghanaians in the mesolectal through the acrolectal range of educated Ghanaian English. Moreover, the paper shows that the variation is not peculiar to any educational group and that the groups set up in the study differ only in the frequency of occurrence of forms of subject‐verb concord. Several types of non‐standard subject‐verb concord are identified, and each subtype is described and exemplified, and the frequency of occurrence indicated. One type of non‐standard usage is confirmed in a questionnaire administered to similar groups of subjects. Finally, the paper discusses factors that may have influenced the variable occurrence of subject‐verb concord in the writing of Ghanaians in the study.