Subject-verb agreement is an essential aspect of the English language, and errors in this area can significantly affect the clarity and meaning of a sentence. When writing for the web, it is crucial to ensure that your content is not only grammatically correct but also optimized for search engines. In this article, we will examine some common subject-verb agreement errors that you should avoid when writing for the web.

1. Singular subject with plural verb

One of the most common subject-verb agreement errors is using a singular subject with a plural verb. For example, “The company and its employees are” should be “The company and its employees are.” In this example, the plural verb “are” should be replaced with the singular verb “is” to agree with the singular subject “the company.”

2. Plural subject with singular verb

On the other hand, using a plural subject with a singular verb is also an error that should be avoided. For instance, “The group of students was” should be “The group of students were.” In this example, the singular verb “was” should be changed to the plural verb “were” to agree with the plural subject “students.”

3. Inverted subject and verb

Another common mistake is using an inverted subject and verb. For instance, “Is the cookies fresh?” should be “Are the cookies fresh?” In this example, the subject “cookies” is plural, and therefore, the verb “are” should be used instead of “is.”

4. Collective nouns and verbs

When dealing with collective nouns, it is essential to understand the context of the sentence to determine whether to use a singular or plural verb. For example, “The family is” should be “The family are.” In this context, “the family” refers to the individual members, thus requiring a plural verb.

5. Indefinite pronoun

Using an indefinite pronoun, such as “anyone,” “someone,” or “everyone,” as a subject requires a singular verb. For example, “Anyone can” should be “Anyone can.” In this case, the singular verb “can” agrees with the singular indefinite pronoun “anyone.”

In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a crucial element in writing, and it is essential to be aware of common errors to avoid them. When writing for the web, it is crucial to ensure that your content is not only grammatically correct but also optimized for search engines. By avoiding subject-verb agreement errors, you can create clear, concise, and effective content that engages readers and ranks high on search engines.