Subject and verb disagreement is a common mistake that many writers make. It occurs when the subject and verb in a sentence do not agree in number, causing confusion and potentially misleading the reader. In this article, we will discuss what subject and verb disagreement is, why it matters, and how to avoid it.
What is Subject and Verb Disagreement?
Subject and verb disagreement is a grammatical error that occurs when the subject and verb in a sentence do not agree in number. In simple terms, the subject is singular, but the verb is plural, or vice versa. For example, “The dog`s barking are annoying” is a sentence where the subject, “the dog`s barking,” is plural, while the verb, “are,” is plural. This disagreement creates confusion and makes the sentence grammatically incorrect.
Why Does it Matter?
Subject and verb disagreement is an important error to avoid because it can make your writing confusing and difficult to read. It can also negatively impact your SEO efforts as search engines prefer well-written, grammatically correct content. If a search engine crawls your site and finds multiple instances of subject and verb disagreement, it may rank your content lower in search results. This, in turn, can impact the visibility of your website, making it harder for readers to find your content.
How to Avoid Subject and Verb Disagreement
To avoid subject and verb disagreement, it is essential to ensure that the subject and verb in a sentence agree in number. Here are some tips to help you avoid this error:
1. Identify the subject: Make sure you identify the subject of the sentence correctly. Once you know the subject, it will be easier to determine whether the verb agrees with it.
2. Pay attention to the number: Check the number of the subject and verb in the sentence. If the subject is singular, the verb should be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb should be plural.
3. Be careful with compound subjects: When the subject of the sentence is a compound subject (two or more subjects joined by “and”), the verb should be plural. For example, “Mary and John are going to the movies.”
4. Review your work: Before submitting your work, proofread it carefully, paying close attention to subject-verb agreement.
In conclusion, subject and verb disagreement is a common mistake that writers make, which can negatively impact their SEO efforts. However, by following the tips provided in this article, you can avoid this error and produce well-written, grammatically correct content that is sure to rank highly in search results.