Subject-verb agreement is an essential grammatical rule in the English language. It is vital in ensuring that your writing is clear, concise, and understandable. As a professional, I have come across thousands of articles with subject-verb agreement errors. Such mistakes can negatively affect your SEO ranking, making your content less visible and less credible. Therefore, it`s important to know and apply subject-verb agreement rules.
Subject-verb agreement simply means that the subject and the verb in a sentence should agree in number. For instance, if the subject is singular, the verb should also be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb should be plural. Below are subject-verb agreement rules that you should follow to write grammatically correct sentences:
1. Singular subjects require singular verbs: When the subject of a sentence is singular, the verb that follows should also be singular, regardless of the object of the sentence. For example, “The cat runs around the house.”
2. Plural subjects require plural verbs: Similarly, when the subject of a sentence is plural, the verb that follows should also be plural. For example, “The cats run around the house.”
3. Compound subjects joined by “and” require plural verbs: When two or more subjects are connected by “and,” they form a compound subject that requires a plural verb. For example, “Mary and John are running around the house.”
4. Compound subjects joined by “or” or “nor” require singular verbs: When a sentence has two or more subjects separated by “or” or “nor,” the verb should agree with the subject nearest to it. For example, “Neither the cat nor the dog likes being in the house.”
5. Indefinite pronouns like “everyone,” “anybody,” “someone,” and “everyone” require singular verbs: Indefinite pronouns are singular, so the verbs that follow them should also be singular. For example, “Everyone wants to succeed in life.”
6. Collective nouns like “team,” “family,” and “group” can use either singular or plural verbs: Collective nouns refer to a group of individuals, and the verb can agree with the group as a whole or the members of the group. For example, “The team is playing well” or “The team are ready to win the game.”
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a fundamental grammar rule that should be observed in all types of writing. These six rules are easy to follow and will ensure that your writing is grammatically correct. By applying these rules, you can produce content that is not only SEO-friendly but also professional and easy to read. Remember, consistent application of grammar rules is key to effective communication.
