Subject Verb Agreement Don`t

As a copy editor, it`s not uncommon to come across subject verb agreement errors. One particular mistake that many writers make is using „don`t“ with singular subjects. This error can hurt your website`s SEO and make your writing appear unprofessional. In this article, we`ll take a closer look at this subject verb agreement mistake and how to avoid it.

Subject verb agreement is when the subject and verb in a sentence are in agreement in terms of number. For example, „The cats jump“ is correct because „cats“ is a plural noun and „jump“ is a plural verb. However, when it comes to using „don`t,“ the same principle applies. „Don`t“ is a contraction of „do not,“ which is a plural verb. This means that it should only be used with plural subjects.

For instance, „The cats don`t like water“ is correct because „cats“ is plural. However, using „don`t“ with singular subjects is a mistake. For example, „The cat don`t like water“ is incorrect because „cat“ is a singular noun and should be paired with a singular verb, such as „doesn`t.“

It`s essential to use proper subject verb agreement in your writing because it impacts the clarity of your message. When your writing contains subject verb agreement errors, it can confuse readers, and search engines may struggle to understand your content. This can hurt your SEO because search engines want to provide users with the most relevant and informative content possible.

To avoid subject verb agreement errors with „don`t,“ you should pay close attention to the number of your subject. If it`s singular, use „doesn`t“ instead. For example, „The dog doesn`t like loud noises“ is correct because „dog“ is singular. On the other hand, „The dogs don`t like loud noises“ is correct because „dogs“ is plural.

In summary, using „don`t“ with singular subjects is a common subject verb agreement error in writing. To ensure your writing is clear, professional, and optimized for SEO, be sure to use „doesn`t“ with singular subjects and „don`t“ with plural subjects. By following these simple guidelines, you can avoid this mistake and improve the quality of your writing.