Subject and verb agreement is a key element of clear, effective writing. It ensures that your writing is grammatically correct and easy to read, which is especially important if you`re optimizing your content for search engines. In this article, we`ll explain what subject and verb agreement is and provide examples to help you understand how to use it correctly.
What Is Subject and Verb Agreement?
Subject and verb agreement refers to the relationship between the subject of a sentence and the verb that describes it. When the subject of a sentence is singular, the verb must be singular as well. The same is true if the subject is plural – the verb must also be plural.
For example:
– Correct: The dog barks at the mailman every morning.
– Incorrect: The dog bark at the mailman every morning.
In the correct sentence, the subject (dog) is singular, so the verb (barks) is also singular. In the incorrect sentence, the subject and verb don`t agree – the subject is singular but the verb is plural.
Examples of Subject and Verb Agreement
Let`s look at some more examples to clarify subject and verb agreement:
1. Singular Subject with Singular Verb
– Correct: The book is on the table.
– Incorrect: The book are on the table.
In this sentence, the subject (book) is singular, so the verb (is) must also be singular.
2. Plural Subject with Plural Verb
– Correct: The dogs chase the ball.
– Incorrect: The dogs chases the ball.
In this sentence, the subject (dogs) is plural, so the verb (chase) must also be plural.
3. Collective Nouns with Singular or Plural Verbs
A collective noun refers to a group of people or things, such as team, family, or class. Depending on the context, a collective noun can be used with a singular or plural verb.
– Correct: The team is playing well this season.
– Correct: The team are all wearing red jerseys.
– Correct: The family is going on vacation next week.
– Correct: The family have different plans for the weekend.
– Correct: The class is studying for their exams.
– Correct: The class are all talking loudly.
In these examples, the collective nouns (team, family, and class) can be used with either a singular or plural verb depending on the context.
4. Indefinite Pronouns with Singular or Plural Verbs
Indefinite pronouns refer to people or things in a general way, such as anyone, someone, everyone, or several. Like collective nouns, indefinite pronouns can be used with singular or plural verbs.
– Correct: Someone is knocking on the door.
– Correct: Several people are waiting in line.
– Incorrect: Several people is waiting in line.
In this example, the indefinite pronoun (several) is plural, so the verb (are) must also be plural.
Conclusion
Subject and verb agreement is an essential aspect of good writing, especially if you are trying to optimize your content for search engines. By following these rules, you can make your writing more precise, clear, and professional, all of which are key factors in SEO success. Remember to always check your work for subject and verb agreement to ensure that your writing is grammatically correct and easy to read.