When it comes to effective writing, one of the most crucial aspects is ensuring that the subject and verb in a sentence are in agreement. This is essential not only for clear communication, but also for search engine optimization (SEO).
As a copy editor, I`ve had the opportunity to work on numerous projects focused solely on improving subject-verb agreement in content. Here are some insights and tips based on my experience.
Why Is Subject-Verb Agreement Important for SEO?
Search engines like Google use complex algorithms to understand and rank online content. One of the factors that Google considers is the readability of a webpage. If your content is littered with subject-verb agreement errors, it makes it harder for Google to understand what your content is about and how relevant it is to a given search query.
Moreover, if your content is poorly written, users are less likely to engage with it, which can ultimately affect your rankings.
Tips for Improving Subject-Verb Agreement
Here are some tips that I have found useful in my work as a copy editor:
1. Identify the subject and verb in each sentence.
Before you can determine whether they agree, you need to identify what they are. This may seem obvious, but it`s easier to make mistakes than you might think, especially when the sentence is complex.
2. Use a singular verb with a singular subject, and a plural verb with a plural subject.
This is the most basic rule of subject-verb agreement. A singular subject takes a singular verb (e.g., ”The cat runs”), while a plural subject takes a plural verb (e.g., ”The cats run”).
3. Be careful with compound subjects.
If a sentence has two or more subjects joined by ”and,” the verb should be plural (e.g., ”Tom and Jerry are friends”). However, if the subjects are joined by ”or” or ”nor,” the verb should agree with the closest subject (e.g., ”Neither Tom nor Jerry is hungry”).
4. Be careful with collective nouns.
A collective noun refers to a group of people or things (e.g., ”team,” ”group”). Depending on the context, the verb may be singular or plural. If you`re talking about the group as a whole, use a singular verb (e.g., ”The group is meeting tomorrow”). If you`re talking about the individuals within the group, use a plural verb (e.g., ”The group are discussing their opinions”).
5. Watch out for tricky irregular nouns.
Some nouns — such as ”media,” ”data,” and ”criteria” — are both singular and plural, depending on how they`re used. For example, you might say ”The media is biased” (referring to the collective entity) or ”The media are claiming different things” (referring to individual journalists or news outlets).
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a crucial aspect of effective writing and SEO. By following these tips and being diligent in your editing, you can create content that is clear, engaging, and easy for search engines to understand.