As a copy editor, one of the most important aspects of my job is to ensure that the content I am editing is optimized for search engine optimization (SEO). One key component of SEO is the use of an active voice in writing, as it is more engaging and helps to improve search engine rankings.
When it comes to writing active essays, one key factor to keep in mind is the use of agreement. This means ensuring that the subject and verb in a sentence are in agreement with each other. When these two elements are not in agreement, it can lead to confusion for the reader and ultimately harm the overall clarity of the essay.
For example, consider the sentence «The team is playing their best game tonight.» While this sentence may seem fine at first glance, it actually creates a problem with agreement. The subject of the sentence is «team,» which is singular. However, the verb «are playing» suggests a plural subject. To correct this issue, the sentence should be revised to read «The team is playing its best game tonight.»
Another common agreement error is the use of collective nouns. These are nouns that refer to a group of individuals as a single entity, such as «family,» «team,» or «staff.» When using these types of nouns as the subject of a sentence, it is important to remember that they are singular. For example, «The family is going on vacation next week» is correct, while «The family are going on vacation next week» is not.
Additionally, it is important to pay attention to subject-verb agreement when writing in the past tense. In these cases, the verb should be conjugated to match the subject in both tense and number. For example, «The team won their first game of the season» should be modified to read «The team won its first game of the season.»
By paying close attention to agreement active essay writing, you can help ensure that your content is not only optimized for SEO, but also clear and easy to understand for your readers. So, the next time you are proofreading your work, take a moment to double-check your agreement to make sure that your writing is both grammatically correct and effective.
