Subject-verb agreement is a crucial aspect of English grammar that is often overlooked by many writers. The agreement between the subject and the verb plays a vital role in making a sentence grammatically correct and easy to understand.
As a professional, I have come across many mistakes in subject-verb agreement, which have a severe impact on the readability and search engine ranking of content. Here are some common mistakes and how to avoid them:
1. Singular and plural nouns:
One of the most basic rules of subject-verb agreement is that a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb. For example, “The cat jumps” (singular) and “The cats jump” (plural). However, some writers make mistakes when using collective nouns like “team,” “group,” or “jury.” Collective nouns are singular, so they take singular verbs. For example, “The team is playing well” (correct) instead of “The team are playing well” (incorrect).
2. Compound subjects:
When two or more subjects are joined by “and,” the verb should be plural. For example, “The cat and the dog are playing in the park” (correct) instead of “The cat and the dog is playing in the park” (incorrect). However, when the subjects are separated by “or” or “nor,” the verb should agree with the subject closest to it. For example, “Either the cat or the dogs are eating the food” (correct) instead of “Either the cat or the dogs is eating the food” (incorrect).
3. Indefinite pronouns:
Indefinite pronouns like “everyone,” “someone,” “anyone,” and “nobody” are singular, so they take singular verbs. For example, “Everyone is here” (correct) instead of “Everyone are here” (incorrect). However, when indefinite pronouns like “some” or “many” are used, the verb should be plural. For example, “Some cats are sleeping” (correct) instead of “Some cats is sleeping” (incorrect).
4. Titles and names:
When a title or name is the subject of a sentence, the verb should agree with the title or name, not the word “person” or “individual.” For example, “The President is giving a speech” (correct) instead of “The President are giving a speech” (incorrect).
5. Verb tense:
The tense of the verb should match the tense of the subject. For example, “The cat jumps” (present tense) instead of “The cat jumped” (past tense). However, some writers make mistakes when using compound subjects that have different verb tenses. For example, “The cat and the dog jumps” (incorrect) instead of “The cat jumps and the dog jump” (correct).
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is an essential aspect of English grammar that cannot be overlooked. By avoiding these common mistakes, writers can ensure that their content is grammatically correct and easy to understand. Proper subject-verb agreement also enhances the readability, credibility, and search engine ranking of content. So, always pay attention to subject-verb agreement when writing content that is optimized for SEO purposes.