As a professional, I know how important it is to create content that not only reads well, but also ranks well. One simple way to improve your writing is by mastering subject-verb agreement. In this article, I’ll be sharing some subject-verb agreement bell ringers that can help you improve your writing skills and SEO ranking.
What is subject-verb agreement?
Subject-verb agreement simply refers to the concordance between the subject and the verb in a sentence. It means that the verb should agree in number (singular or plural) and person (first, second, or third) with the subject.
Why is subject-verb agreement important for SEO?
In SEO, it’s important to create content that is grammatically correct and easy to read. If your content has too many grammatical errors, it can negatively impact your SEO ranking. When search engines crawl your website, they look for high-quality content that is well-written and informative. Poor grammar can also turn off readers, resulting in a high bounce rate and low engagement rate.
Subject-verb agreement bell ringers
1. Review the subject and verb in each sentence
Before you publish your content, it’s important to review each sentence and ensure that the subject and verb agree in number and person. For example:
Incorrect: The group of students was excited about their new project.
Correct: The group of students were excited about their new project.
In this sentence, the subject “group of students” is plural, so the verb “were” should also be plural.
2. Avoid using indefinite pronouns as subjects
Indefinite pronouns such as “everyone,” “nobody,” and “anyone” can be tricky when it comes to subject-verb agreement. In general, indefinite pronouns should be treated as third-person singular subjects. For example:
Incorrect: Everyone have their own opinions on the matter.
Correct: Everyone has their own opinions on the matter.
In this sentence, “everyone” is a third-person singular subject, so the verb “has” should also be third-person singular.
3. Be careful with compound subjects
Compound subjects are two or more subjects in a sentence that are joined by “and.” In general, compound subjects should be treated as plural subjects. For example:
Incorrect: The dog and cat fights over the toy.
Correct: The dog and cat fight over the toy.
In this sentence, “dog and cat” are plural subjects, so the verb “fight” should also be plural.
Conclusion
Subject-verb agreement is an important aspect of writing that can improve your SEO ranking and make your content more engaging to readers. By reviewing each sentence, avoiding indefinite pronouns as subjects, and being careful with compound subjects, you can improve your subject-verb agreement and create high-quality content that ranks well on search engines.