As a copy editor, it is essential to understand the rules of subject-verb agreement. Correct subject-verb agreement is crucial for clear and effective communication in any type of writing, including SEO content.
Subject-verb agreement is the grammatical relationship between a subject (the noun or pronoun doing the action) and a verb (the action or state of being). The rule of subject-verb agreement states that the verb must agree with the subject in number and person.
Each subject-verb pairing must match in number, meaning singular subjects require singular verbs, and plural subjects require plural verbs. For example:
Singular subject: The cat sleeps on the couch.
Plural subject: The cats sleep on the couch.
Additionally, person refers to whether the subject is in the first person (I/we), second person (you), or third person (he/she/it/they). A verb must agree with its subject in person as well as number. For example:
First person singular subject: I am happy.
Third person plural subject: They are happy.
It is important to note that there are some exceptions to the subject-verb agreement rule. For example, some nouns that appear to be plural but are singular in meaning, such as „news“ or „mathematics,“ require singular verbs. Additionally, some collective nouns, such as „team“ or „family,“ can be either singular or plural depending on the context of the sentence.
When writing SEO content, subject-verb agreement can affect the ranking of your content on search engines. If the verb does not agree with the subject, the sentence may appear less clear, which can lower the readability score and negatively impact the SEO ranking.
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a crucial component of clear and effective communication in writing, including SEO content. As a copy editor, it is important to understand and implement the rules of subject-verb agreement in your writing to improve the quality and readability of your content.
