As a professional, it`s important to understand the principles of proper subject-verb agreement in order to produce high-quality content that`s not only grammatically correct, but also optimized for search engines. In this article, we`ll go over the basics of subject-verb agreement and provide some examples of how to apply this rule in your writing.
What is subject-verb agreement?
Subject-verb agreement refers to the grammatical rule that the verb in a sentence must agree with the subject in terms of person and number. In other words, singular subjects require singular verbs, and plural subjects require plural verbs.
For example, the sentence “The cat chases the mouse” is grammatically correct because the singular subject “cat” agrees in number with the singular verb “chases”. However, the sentence “The cats chases the mouse” is incorrect because the plural subject “cats” does not agree in number with the singular verb “chases”.
How to write a sentence that shows proper subject-verb agreement
To ensure that your sentences comply with subject-verb agreement, follow these simple steps:
1. Identify the subject of your sentence. This is usually the noun or pronoun that performs the action or is described in the sentence.
2. Determine whether the subject is singular or plural. If the subject refers to one person, place or thing, it is singular. If the subject refers to more than one person, place or thing, it is plural.
3. Choose the appropriate verb that agrees in number with the subject. If the subject is singular, use a singular verb. If the subject is plural, use a plural verb.
Let`s look at some examples:
– The boy plays soccer with his friends. (singular subject “boy” agrees with singular verb “plays”)
– The boys play soccer with their friends. (plural subject “boys” agrees with plural verb “play”)
– The cat is sleeping on the couch. (singular subject “cat” agrees with singular verb “is sleeping”)
– The cats are sleeping on the couch. (plural subject “cats” agrees with plural verb “are sleeping”)
In summary, proper subject-verb agreement is an essential aspect of effective writing. By ensuring that your sentences comply with this grammatical rule, you can produce high-quality content that`s not only accurate but also optimized for search engines. So next time you`re writing, remember to double-check your subject-verb agreement to ensure that your sentences are grammatically correct and easy to read.
