Subject-Verb Agreement: Common Errors in SEO Content

When writing SEO content, ensuring grammatical accuracy is crucial for improving visibility on search engines. One common error in English writing is subject-verb agreement. This article delves into the importance of subject-verb agreement, focusing on a frequent oversight in content creation—using the wrong form of the verb when the subject is plural and the verb is singular. By understanding and correcting this error, you can enhance your content's readability and SEO performance.

Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-verb agreement refers to the requirement that the subject and the verb of a sentence must agree in number, i.e., singular subjects should have singular verbs, and plural subjects should have plural verbs. This rule seems basic but is often overlooked, especially when the subject and verb are separated by other words or phrases. Correcting such errors ensures that your content is not only grammatically sound but also matches the expectations of search engines, which prioritize well-structured and well-written content.

A Common Error: Plural Nouns Leading to Misplaced Verbs

A joint meeting with the market associations was held. Correct and grammatical.

This sentence initially appeared in an errant form, which can be confusing to readers and detrimental to SEO. The error occurred due to the proximity of a plural noun (market associations) to the verb (held), leading to a perceived plural tense. However, the subject of the sentence is "a joint meeting," which is singular. Therefore, the correct verb should be "was held."

Correcting the Error

Several meetings were held later in the month.

In this sentence, the subject is plural (meetings), thus the correct verb is "were held."

To avoid similar errors in the future, it's important to identify the true subject of the sentence and ensure that the verb agrees with it in number. In cases where the subject is plural, the verb must be plural. Conversely, if the subject is singular, the verb must be singular, even if plural nouns appear between the subject and the verb.

Practical Tips for Ensuring Subject-Verb Agreement

Here are some practical tips to ensure subject-verb agreement in your SEO content:

Identify the Subject: The first step is to clearly identify the subject of the sentence. The subject is typically located early in the sentence and is the noun or noun phrase that the sentence is about.

Check for Multiple Nouns: Be cautious of sentences containing multiple nouns. Ensure that the verb matches the number of the nearest subject, rather than the number of an intervening noun.

Review and Rewrite: If in doubt, rewrite the sentence to make the subject-verb agreement clearer. This could involve rephrasing the sentence to place the subject closer to the verb.

Conclusion

Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental aspect of English grammar that significantly impacts the clarity and SEO value of your content. By mastering this skill, you can ensure that your writing is grammatically sound and more likely to be favorably received by search engines and readers alike.