Verb Agreement and Rules: How to Get Your Grammar Right With SEO

Copy editing requires impeccable grammar. Nothing can be a bigger turn off to readers than an article that’s filled with grammatical errors, especially if it’s being published online. In today’s digital age, search engine optimization (SEO) is key to getting your content noticed. And, the first step to achieving good SEO is making sure that your grammar and verb agreement are spot on.

Verb agreement is essential in conveying the right message to your audience. Here are some ways you can ensure that your verbs and nouns agree, and also some tips to use them effectively in your content.

Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-verb agreement is a crucial aspect of grammar. The subject of the sentence determines the verb tense and form that should be used. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

– Singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs. For example, “She walks” is correct, but “She walk” is incorrect since “she” is singular.

– Collective nouns are singular, but they refer to a group of people or things. The verb must agree with the noun. For instance, “The team is playing” is correct, but “The team are playing” is wrong.

– Compound subjects that are joined by “and” need a plural verb. For example, “John and Jane are dancing” is correct.

– Singular subjects that are connected by “or” or “nor” take a singular verb. For instance, “Either John or his sister is the winner” is right.

Verbs in Tense

The tense of a verb is essential to express the time of an action. The three main verb tenses are past, present, and future.

– Use the present tense when something is happening now, or it’s a general fact. For example, “The sun rises in the east” is a general fact.

– Use the past tense when describing something that already happened. For example, “Yesterday, the team won the match” describes that the team won the match in the past.

– Use the future tense when something will happen in the future. For instance, “The team will play tomorrow” indicates that the match is scheduled for tomorrow.

– Perfect tenses are used to describe an action that has already happened or will happen. For example, “I have eaten breakfast” indicates that the speaker had breakfast, while “I will have eaten breakfast” means that the speaker will have breakfast.

Active and Passive Voice

Verbs in the active voice emphasize the doer of an action, while verbs in the passive voice emphasize the receiver of an action. The active voice is frequently preferred in SEO since it makes the message more straightforward and immediate.

– In the active voice, the subject performs the action of the verb. For instance, “The dog chewed the bone” is in the active voice, where “the dog” is the subject.

– The passive voice emphasizes the receiver of the action. For example, “The bone was chewed by the dog” is passive – where “the bone” is the subject.

Final Thoughts

When writing for the web, it’s essential to proofread your work for grammar mistakes. This is how you can communicate your message effectively and ensure good SEO. Always make sure that your verbs agree with your subjects, and your tense is consistent. Stick to the active voice but use the passive voice when it is needed. By following these rules, you’ll be able to produce content that is grammatically sound and ideal for SEO.