Subject-verb agreement is critical to creating clear and concise writing, and is an essential element of effective SEO. When the subject and verb in a sentence don’t agree in number, it can cause confusion for the reader and be detrimental to SEO efforts. In this article, we will provide an example of subject-verb agreement and give you tips for ensuring your writing is always grammatically correct.

Example of Subject-Verb Agreement

Let’s consider a simple sentence:

The cat purrs loudly.

In this sentence, the subject is “cat” and the verb is “purrs”. The subject is singular, so the verb must also be singular. If we were to change “cat” to “cats”, the verb would need to be changed to “purr” to maintain subject-verb agreement:

The cats purr loudly.

This example shows how easy it is to maintain subject-verb agreement when your subject is singular or plural. But what happens when your subject is a little more complicated?

Tip #1: Pay Attention to Compound Subjects

Compound subjects can be a bit trickier to master when it comes to subject-verb agreement. A compound subject is when there are two or more subjects in a sentence, and they are joined by a conjunction (such as “and”, “or”, or “nor”).

For example:

John and Mary are going to the store.

In this sentence, the compound subject is “John and Mary”. It’s important to remember that the subject is plural (because there are two subjects), so the verb must also be plural (“are”).

Tip #2: Watch Out for Tricky Nouns

Some nouns can be tricky when it comes to subject-verb agreement, because they can be singular or plural depending on their usage. For example, “data” is technically a plural noun, but it’s often treated as a singular noun in everyday usage. If you’re not sure whether a noun is singular or plural, look it up in a dictionary to be sure.

Tip #3: Be Consistent

Consistency is key when it comes to subject-verb agreement. If you start a sentence with a singular subject, make sure the verb is also singular. If you switch to a plural subject, switch the verb to a plural form as well. Keeping your writing consistent will help your readers understand your message and improve your SEO efforts.

In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a critical component of effective writing and SEO. By following the tips we’ve outlined in this article, you can ensure your writing is grammatically correct and clear, and that your SEO efforts are optimized for success.