As a copy editor, it is imperative to ensure that every sentence in a piece of content is grammatically correct and follows the rules of agreement. Agreement in a sentence refers to the matching of the subject with its verb and pronouns. Incorrect agreement can make a sentence confusing or even unintelligible. In the era of search engine optimization (SEO), it is important to ensure that every sentence in a piece of content is not only grammatically correct but also optimized for search engines.
Subject-Verb Agreement
Subject-verb agreement is the matching of a subject with its verb. The subject is the performer of the action, while the verb is the action itself. For example, in the sentence “The cat runs,” the subject is “the cat,” and the verb is “runs.” It is crucial to ensure that the verb matches the subject in terms of number and person. For example, if the subject is singular, the verb should also be singular. If the subject is plural, the verb should also be plural. For example, in the sentence “The cats run,” the subject is “cats,” which is plural, and the verb is “run,” which is also plural.
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Pronoun-antecedent agreement is the matching of a pronoun with its antecedent. An antecedent is the noun that the pronoun refers to. For example, in the sentence “The cat sat on the mat. It was tired,” the antecedent is “cat,” and the pronoun is “it.” It is important to ensure that the pronoun matches the antecedent in terms of number, gender, and person. For example, if the antecedent is singular and masculine, the pronoun should also be singular and masculine.
SEO Considerations
In addition to ensuring grammatical correctness, copy editors must also consider SEO when editing content. SEO techniques involve using keywords and phrases that people are likely to search for in search engines. It is important to ensure that sentences are optimized for search engines by including relevant keywords and phrases. However, it is important not to sacrifice grammatical correctness for the sake of SEO. Google and other search engines can penalize websites that use keyword stuffing or other black hat SEO techniques.
Conclusion
Copy editors must ensure that every sentence in a piece of content follows the rules of agreement, whether it is subject-verb agreement or pronoun-antecedent agreement. They must also balance grammatical correctness with SEO by using relevant keywords and phrases while still maintaining grammatical accuracy. A well-written and optimized piece of content can help increase website traffic and improve search engine rankings.