Ten Subject Verb Agreement

As a copy editor with experience in SEO, I understand the importance of proper grammar and usage in creating a successful website. One of the most common errors I see in online content is subject verb agreement. This error occurs when the subject of a sentence does not agree with the verb in terms of number, either singular or plural. To help you avoid this mistake, here are ten subject verb agreement rules to keep in mind when creating web content.

1. Singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs. For example: “The cat is sleeping” and “The cats are sleeping.”

2. Collective nouns can be singular or plural depending on whether they are acting as a unit or as separate individuals. For example: “The team is winning” and “The team are arguing.”

3. When two subjects are connected by “and,” the verb should be plural. For example: “The dog and the cat are playing.”

4. When two subjects are connected by “or” or “nor,” the verb should agree with the closest subject. For example: “Either the cat or the dog is guilty.”

5. When a singular subject is connected by “or” or “nor” to a plural subject, the verb should agree with the nearest subject. For example: “Neither the cats nor the dog is guilty” (since “dog” is singular and closer to the verb).

6. Indefinite pronouns such as “everyone,” “someone,” and “anyone” are always singular and require singular verbs. For example: “Everyone is happy.”

7. Some indefinite pronouns such as “both,” “few,” and “several” are plural and require plural verbs. For example: “Both of the cats are sleeping.”

8. Titles of books, movies, and other works are singular, even if they refer to a plural subject. For example: “The Lord of the Rings is a classic.”

9. Some words such as “news” and “mathematics” are singular and require singular verbs. For example: “The news is bad today.”

10. Some nouns such as “pants” and “scissors” are plural and require plural verbs. For example: “The scissors are sharp.”

By keeping these subject verb agreement rules in mind, you can ensure that your web content is grammatically correct and easily understood by your readers. Remember, proper grammar is an essential component of successful SEO, so take the time to review and edit your work carefully before publishing.