As a professional, one term that you may come across during your editing process is “agreement up”. This phrase refers to the practice of matching a subject with a verb that agrees with it in number and person.
Why is “agreement up” important in writing?
Not only is “agreement up” essential for clear and effective communication, but it also plays a significant role in optimizing your content for search engine rankings. Google`s algorithm is designed to take into account the quality of content and grammar, among other factors.
When you use proper grammar and “agreement up” in your writing, you send a signal to search engines that you are a reliable and credible source of information. Your content is more likely to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), making it easier for your target audience to find you.
How to “agreement up” in your writing?
1. Know your subject-verb agreement rules
One of the essential concepts to understand when it comes to “agreement up” is subject-verb agreement. A verb must always agree with its subject in number and person. Singular subjects take singular verbs, while plural subjects take plural verbs.
For instance, “The dog barks,” uses a singular subject “dog” and a singular verb “barks.” In contrast, “The dogs bark,” uses a plural subject “dogs” and a plural verb “bark.”
2. Identify tricky subject-verb combinations
Sometimes, identifying the subject and verb to agree can be tricky, especially with complex sentences. For example, “The book, as well as its authors, is/are well-researched.” In this case, the subject is “book,” and the verb should be singular to agree with it.
3. Use consistency in your writing
Consistency is key in “agreement up” and ensures that your writing is clear, concise, and easy to understand. Avoid mixing singular and plural subjects within the same sentence or paragraph.
For instance, “The cat sits on the couch, and the dogs are running in the yard.” In this example, “cat” and “dogs” are neither in number nor person agreement, making the sentence confusing to the reader.
Conclusion
Agreement up is an essential concept that every writer needs to understand, as it is vital for effective communication and can impact your search engine rankings. By following the rules of subject-verb agreement, avoiding tricky subject-verb combinations and using consistency, you can ensure your writing is clear, grammatically correct and more likely to rank higher in search engine results.
