As a copy editor, one of the most important aspects of ensuring quality content is subject-verb agreement. This becomes even more crucial when it comes to items in a series, where a single noun is followed by several other nouns that need to be in agreement with it. In this article, I will discuss the rules of subject-verb agreement in a series and how it can impact your SEO strategy.
The basic rule of subject-verb agreement is that the verb must agree with the subject in number. In other words, if the subject is singular, the verb must be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural. This is important because it ensures that the sentence is grammatically correct and easy to read.
When it comes to items in a series, the subject-verb agreement can become a bit more complex. The verb must agree with the subject of the sentence, which can be one of the following:
1. The first item in the series: In this case, the verb will be singular or plural depending on the first item in the series. For example, “The book, the pen, and the notebook are on the desk.” Here, the verb “are” agrees with the first item in the series, “book,” which is singular.
2. The last item in the series: In this case, the verb will be singular or plural depending on the last item in the series. For example, “The notebook, pen, and book is on the desk.” Here, the verb “is” agrees with the last item in the series, “book,” which is singular.
3. The entire series as a unit: In this case, the verb will be singular if the series is treated as a single unit, and plural if each item is considered separately. For example, “The book, pen, and notebook is/are on the desk.” Here, the verb can be either “is” or “are” depending on the intended meaning of the sentence.
It is important to note that subject-verb agreement in a series can impact your SEO strategy. Search engines prioritize content that is grammatically correct and easy to read, so if your content is riddled with errors, it is unlikely to rank well in search results. Additionally, if your content is difficult to read, visitors are unlikely to stay on your website for long, leading to a higher bounce rate and lower engagement metrics.
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement in a series is an important aspect of ensuring grammatically correct and readable content. By following the rules of subject-verb agreement, you can improve your SEO strategy and keep visitors engaged with your content. So, the next time you are writing a sentence with a series of items, be sure to pay attention to subject-verb agreement and make sure your content is up to par.