As a copy editor, it’s important to have a keen eye for subject-verb agreement. This rule is one of the fundamental aspects of English grammar and can greatly impact the readability and SEO optimization of your content. In this article, we’ll provide you with a general rule of subject-verb agreement and tips on how to apply it effectively.

Subject-verb agreement refers to the relationship between the subject and the verb in a sentence. The subject is the noun or pronoun that performs the action in the sentence, while the verb is the word that shows the action being performed.

The general rule of subject-verb agreement is that the verb must agree with the subject in both number and person. In other words, if the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular. If the subject is plural, the verb must be plural as well.

For example, let’s take the following sentences:

- She walks to the store.

- They walk to the store.

In the first sentence, the subject is “she,” which is singular, and the verb is “walks,” which is also singular. In the second sentence, the subject is “they,” which is plural, and the verb is “walk,” which is also plural.

Now, let’s take a look at the following examples:

- The group of students is studying for their exams.

- The group of students are studying for their exams.

In the first sentence, the subject is “group,” which is singular, while the verb is “is,” which is also singular. However, in the second sentence, the verb is “are,” which is plural, even though the subject is singular. This is a common mistake in subject-verb agreement known as a number disagreement.

To avoid this mistake, always identify the subject of the sentence before selecting the appropriate verb. In the example above, the subject is “group,” not “students,” which is why the verb must be singular.

Another aspect to consider is the person of the subject. English has three persons: first person (I, we), second person (you), and third person (he, she, it, they). The verb must agree with the person of the subject in addition to its number.

For instance:

- I am going to the store.

- She is going to the store.

In the first sentence, the subject is “I,” which is first person singular, and the verb is “am,” which is also first person singular. In the second sentence, the subject is “she,” which is third person singular, and the verb is “is,” which is also third person singular.

Subject-verb agreement is vital to conveying clear and concise messages to your audience. Not only does it make your content easier to read, but it also affects SEO optimization. When search engines crawl your content, they analyze the structure and coherence of the sentences. If your sentences don’t follow subject-verb agreement, it can impact the readability score and ultimately affect your content’s ranking.

In summary, the general rule of subject-verb agreement is that the verb must agree with the subject in both number and person. To avoid mistakes, always identify the subject of the sentence before selecting the appropriate verb and remember to pay attention to the person of the subject as well. With these tips, you can ensure that your content is grammatically correct, easy to read, and SEO friendly.