As a copy editor, it`s important to be familiar with the term “agreement cop.” It refers to a grammatical rule that requires subject-verb agreement in a sentence. This rule can be tricky to master, but it`s essential for clear and effective writing, especially when it comes to SEO.
In simple terms, agreement cop means that the subject and verb in a sentence must agree in number (singular or plural). For example, “The dog barks” is correct because the singular subject “dog” matches the singular verb “barks.” However, “The dog bark” is incorrect because the plural verb “bark” doesn`t agree with the singular subject “dog.”
Mastering agreement cop is especially crucial for SEO because search engines are designed to favor clear and concise writing that follows proper grammatical rules. When your writing is clear and free from errors, it`s more likely to appear at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs), leading to increased visibility and traffic for your website.
To ensure that your writing is free from agreement cop errors, follow these tips:
1. Identify the subject of your sentence. This is the person, place, thing, or idea that is performing the action in the sentence.
2. Determine the number of the subject (singular or plural).
3. Choose a verb that agrees with the subject in number.
4. Use the verb in the appropriate tense (past, present, or future).
For example, in the sentence “The dogs bark loudly,” the subject is “dogs,” which is plural, so the verb “bark” is also plural. In the sentence “The dog barked at the mailman,” the subject is “dog,” which is singular, so the verb “barked” is also singular.
By following these simple steps, you can ensure that your writing is free from agreement cop errors, resulting in clear and effective SEO content that ranks well in search engine results pages. So, the next time you`re editing your writing, remember to be an agreement cop and check for subject-verb agreement. Your website`s search engine ranking will thank you for it!