Lesson Eight: Agreement of Subject and Predicate
As a copy editor, it is important to have a good grasp of grammar rules, especially those that pertain to subject-verb agreement. This is because mistakes in subject-verb agreement can make your writing confusing and difficult to read, and can also negatively affect your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts.
So, what exactly is subject-verb agreement, and why is it important? Subject-verb agreement is when the subject of a sentence and the verb that goes with it agree in number and person. This means that if the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural. This ensures that the sentence is grammatically correct and easy to understand.
Here are some examples of correct subject-verb agreement:
– The dog barks at the mailman. (singular subject and verb)
– The dogs bark at the mailman. (plural subject and verb)
Here are some examples of incorrect subject-verb agreement:
– The dog barks at the mailmen. (singular subject with plural verb)
– The dogs barks at the mailman. (plural subject with singular verb)
As you can see, mistakes in subject-verb agreement can easily slip into your writing, and it is important to be mindful of them when editing your work. Not only do they detract from the readability of your writing, but they can also harm your SEO efforts.
Search engines like Google and Bing use complex algorithms to determine the relevance and quality of website content. Part of this algorithm includes analyzing the grammar and syntax of the content on your website. If your website contains an abundance of grammatical errors, including mistakes in subject-verb agreement, it can negatively affect your search engine rankings.
To make sure that your writing is grammatically correct and SEO-friendly, it is important to pay close attention to subject-verb agreement. Make sure that the subject and verb in each sentence agree in number and person, and avoid common mistakes such as using a singular verb with a plural subject.
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is an important aspect of grammar that every copy editor should be familiar with. By using correct subject-verb agreement, you can ensure that your writing is clear and easy to read, and also improve your search engine rankings. So the next time you’re editing your work, don’t forget about subject-verb agreement – your readers (and search engines) will thank you for it!
