a signed agreement

Meanings

1. 1phrasecountable

   A written deal that has been made official by the signatures of the people or groups involved.

   Grammar: Countable phrase: take a/an or the, and use a plural form with numbers: two signed agreements.

   Patterns

   • sign a signed agreement
   • a signed agreement between someone and someone
   • a signed agreement with someone
   • under a signed agreement

   The two firms finally announced a signed agreement after months of talks.

   Keep a copy of the signed agreement in case there is a dispute later.

   Under the signed agreement, the rent cannot go up for three years.

2. 2phrasebefore a noun

   Used to describe a deal that is already official, in contrast with one that is still being discussed.

   Grammar: Usually comes before the noun it describes: a signed agreement, not 'an agreement signed' in everyday speech.

   Patterns

   • a signed agreement
   • the signed agreement

   We are not working from a draft anymore; we have a signed agreement.

   Only a signed agreement counts as proof of the deal.

Common combinations

sign an agreement

Both sides will sign an agreement at the ceremony on Friday.

a legally binding agreement

Make sure it is a legally binding agreement before you pay.

reach an agreement

They reached an agreement after a long night of talks.

break an agreement

If you break an agreement, the other side may take you to court.

a written agreement

A written agreement is easier to prove than a spoken promise.

an agreement between two parties

The agreement between the two parties covers only this project.

Synonyms and how they differ

contract

A contract is a particular kind of agreement, usually about work, goods or services, and is often more formal.

deal

Deal is informal and can mean an agreement not yet written down, so it does not always suggest signatures.

settlement

Settlement is used when an argument or legal case ends with an agreed result, not for ordinary business deals.

Opposites

Word family

sign verb

to write your name on a document to show you accept it

signature noun

your name written by your own hand on a document

signatory noun

a person or organization that has signed an agreement

agreement noun

a shared decision or arrangement between people or groups

Commonly confused: a signed agreement or signed contract? a signed agreement or sign-off?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “a signed agreement”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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