Sentence to Subject-Verb Agreement: A Crucial Element in Effective Writing
As a copy editor experienced in search engine optimization (SEO), I can tell you that having well-written content is critical to any website`s success. One aspect of writing that often goes overlooked is the sentence to subject-verb agreement. This element is crucial in making your writing effective and easily understandable.
So, what is sentence to subject-verb agreement? It refers to the agreement between the subject and the verb in a sentence. In other words, the verb must agree in number with the subject. For example, if the subject is singular, then the verb must be singular, and if the subject is plural, then the verb must be plural.
Let`s take a look at an example: « The dog barked loudly. » In this sentence, the subject is « dog, » which is singular, and the verb is « barked, » which is also singular. This sentence has proper sentence to subject-verb agreement.
However, if we were to change the subject to a plural form, such as « dogs, » then the verb would need to be plural as well. The sentence would then be, « The dogs barked loudly. » This sentence has proper sentence to subject-verb agreement.
When a writer fails to use proper sentence to subject-verb agreement, it can lead to confusion and make the writing difficult to understand. For example, « The team were excited to play » is incorrect because « team » is a collective noun, which means it is a singular entity. Therefore, it should be written as, « The team was excited to play. »
Using proper sentence to subject-verb agreement is particularly important in SEO because search engines favor well-written content. If a search engine detects poor grammar, it may reduce the visibility of the website or page in search results.
So, how can you ensure proper sentence to subject-verb agreement in your writing? Here are some tips:
1. Identify the subject of the sentence.
2. Determine whether the subject is singular or plural.
3. Ensure that the verb agrees in number with the subject.
4. Read your writing aloud to see if it sounds correct and makes sense.
5. Use grammar tools, such as Grammarly, to check for errors.
In short, sentence to subject-verb agreement is a crucial element in effective writing. By following these simple tips, you can ensure that your writing is well-written and appealing to both readers and search engines.