As a professional, I realize that there are a lot of «agreement things» that writers can get wrong. These agreement errors can have a negative impact on not only the readability of the text, but also its ranking on search engines. In this article, I will be discussing some common agreement mistakes and how to avoid them.
1. Subject-Verb Agreement
Subject-verb agreement errors occur when the subject and verb of a sentence do not agree in number. For example, «The dog barks loudly» is correct because the subject (dog) is singular and the verb (barks) is singular. However, «The dogs bark loudly» is incorrect because the subject (dogs) is plural and the verb (bark) is singular. This mistake can be easily avoided by making sure the subject and verb agree in number.
2. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Pronoun-antecedent agreement errors occur when the pronoun in a sentence does not agree in number or gender with its antecedent. For example, «Each of the students should do their own homework» is incorrect because the singular antecedent (each) does not agree with the plural pronoun (their). This mistake can be avoided by using a singular pronoun or by rephrasing the sentence to avoid the issue.
3. Agreement in Lists
Agreement errors can also occur in lists when the items in the list do not agree in number or gender. For example, «The fruits in the basket were apples, bananas, and oranges» is correct because all the items in the list are plural. However, «The fruits in the basket were an apple, a banana, and an orange» is incorrect because the items in the list are singular, while the subject (fruits) is plural. To avoid this mistake, make sure all items in the list agree in number and gender.
4. Agreement Between Adjectives and Nouns
Agreement errors can also occur between adjectives and nouns when they do not agree in number or gender. For example, «The green apple tastes sweet» is correct because the singular noun (apple) agrees with the singular adjective (green). However, «The green apples taste sweet» is incorrect because the plural noun (apples) does not agree with the singular adjective (green). This mistake can be avoided by making sure the adjectives and nouns agree in number and gender.
In conclusion, agreement errors can be common in writing and can negatively affect the readability and SEO of a text. By paying attention to subject-verb agreement, pronoun-antecedent agreement, agreement in lists, and agreement between adjectives and nouns, writers can avoid these mistakes and produce high-quality content that will rank well on search engines.