Subject-verb agreement is an essential aspect of grammar that is often overlooked in writing. As a professional, I have come across many instances where subject-verb agreement is not followed, leading to a negative impact on a website`s search engine rankings. Therefore, it is essential to pay attention to this particular grammar rule to ensure your writing is clear, concise, and of high-quality.
Subject-verb agreement refers to the agreement between the subject of a sentence and the verb that follows it. In simple terms, it means that the verb must match the subject in number and person. For example, if the subject is singular, the verb must be singular too, and if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural as well. The same applies to the use of first, second, or third-person subjects.
To ensure the correct subject-verb agreement is used, one must pay attention to the following:
1. Identify the subject: Before selecting a verb, you need to identify the subject of the sentence. The subject is usually the person, place, or thing that is performing the action in the sentence. In some cases, it can also be an idea or concept.
2. Determine the number of the subject: The number of the subject is essential in deciding the correct verb to use. If the subject is singular, you should use a singular verb, and if the subject is plural, you should use a plural verb.
3. Be careful with compound subjects: Compound subjects are made up of two or more nouns or pronouns that are joined by “and.” In such cases, you should use a plural verb.
4. Be mindful of collective nouns: A collective noun is a noun that refers to a group of people or things. Examples include family, team, or committee. Depending on the context, you may use a singular or plural verb with a collective noun.
5. Don`t be fooled by intervening words: Intervening words are words that come between the subject and verb, such as prepositional phrases or clauses. They do not affect subject-verb agreement, so be careful not to be led astray by them.
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is crucial in ensuring that your writing is clear, concise, and of high-quality. As a professional, I recommend paying attention to this rule to ensure that your writing is search engine optimized and free of any grammatical errors.