Verbs which involve people doing the same thing to each other: reciprocal verbs

3.69 Some verbs can describe processes which involve two people or two groups of people doing the same thing to each other. For example, 'John and Mary argued' means that John argued with Mary and Mary argued with John.

The pair of you have argued about that for years.

He came out and we hugged.

They competed furiously.

These verbs are called reciprocal verbs.

3.70 One of the structures in which you use reciprocal verbs is where the two groups are put together in a plural subject and the verb is then used intransitively.

Their faces touched.

Their children are always fighting.

They kissed.

3.71 When you want to emphasize that both participants are equally involved in the action, you put 'each other' or 'one another' after the verb group.

We embraced each other.

They kissed each other in greeting.

They fought each other desperately for it.

It was the first time they had touched one another.

Here is a list of reciprocal verbs which are used transitively with the pronouns 'each other' and 'one another':

consult cuddle embrace

engage fight hug

kiss marry match

meet touch

With some verbs you need to use a preposition, usually 'with', in from of 'each other' or 'one another'.

You've got to be able to communicate with each other.

Third World countries are competing with each other for a restricted market.

His visitors agreed with one another to proceed to the coffee-house.

Here is a list of reciprocal verbs which must be followed by 'with' before the pronouns 'each other' and 'one another':

agree alternate argue balance clash

coincide collide combine communicate conflict

consult contend contrast converse co-operate

disagree engage integrate mate merge

mix quarrel struggle

Here is a list of verbs which are used with a preposition other than 'with':

compete (against) compete (with) correspond (to)

correspond (with) fight (against) fight (with)

part (from) relate (to) separate (from)

talk (to) talk (with)

Note that 'consult, 'engage', and 'fight' can be used either transitively or with a preposition.

3.72 In the examples given above, the user of the language obviously believes that both people or groups are equally involved in the event, because both are the subject. However, the user may want to suggest that one person is responsible for the action or has started it. In this case, a noun group which refers to that person is put in subject position.

If the verb can be used transitively, a noun group referring to the other participant is used as the object of the verb.

He embraced her.

She married a young engineer.

You could meet me at a restaurant.

The Algerians were fighting the French army in their mountains.

If the verb needs a preposition after it, the other noun group is used as the object of the preposition.

Our return coincided with the arrival of bad weather.

Youths clashed with police in Belfast.

The distribution of aid corresponds to need.

3.73 People sometimes make one person or group the subject when the event is a violent or unpleasant one, in order to make them appear aggressive or responsible for the violence. For example, the headline 'Police clash with youths' might suggest that the police were response for the clash, even though the youths also clashed with the police.

Paul collided with a large man in a sweat-stained shirt.

The role of worker conflicts with the role of mother.

She liked him even when she was quarrelling with him.