De-agreement is a common grammatical error that occurs when the verb and subject in a sentence do not agree in number. This error can have serious consequences, especially in professional writing, where credibility and clarity are critical.

In most cases, de-agreement occurs when the subject of a sentence is plural, but the verb is singular, or vice versa. For instance, sentences like “The dogs runs around the park” or “The computers is malfunctioning” contain de-agreement errors.

Not only do these errors compromise the clarity of the message, but they also affect its search engine optimization (SEO) value. Search engines such as Google use algorithms that factor in grammar and syntax when ranking websites. Therefore, de-agreement errors can result in lower search rankings and reduced traffic to your site.

The good news is that de-agreement errors are easy to avoid. Here are some tips for ensuring subject-verb agreement in your writing:

1. Identify the subject and verb in each sentence.

Before writing a sentence, make sure you know what the subject is and what the verb is. This will help you ensure that they agree in number (singular or plural).

2. Use plural verbs for plural subjects.

If the subject of the sentence is plural (e.g., dogs, computers, people), use a plural verb in your sentence. For instance, “The dogs run around the park” or “The computers are malfunctioning.”

3. Use singular verbs for singular subjects.

If the subject of the sentence is singular (e.g., dog, computer, person), use a singular verb in your sentence. For instance, “The dog runs around the park” or “The computer is malfunctioning.”

4. Be careful with indefinite pronouns.

Indefinite pronouns such as “anyone,” “everyone,” “someone,” “nobody,” and “somebody” can cause confusion in subject-verb agreement. For instance, “Everyone in the room has their own opinion” is incorrect because “everyone” is singular. The correct sentence should read, “Everyone in the room has his or her own opinion.”

In conclusion, de-agreement errors can have serious consequences, including reducing the credibility and clarity of your message and negatively affecting your SEO. To avoid these errors, make sure your subject and verb agree in number, and be particularly careful with indefinite pronouns. By paying attention to subject-verb agreement, you can create clear, effective, and optimized content that resonates with your audience.