What steps can be taken to prevent syntax errors when working with associative arrays in PHP?

To prevent syntax errors when working with associative arrays in PHP, ensure that keys are properly enclosed in quotes and that commas are used to separate key-value pairs. Additionally, pay attention to opening and closing brackets to avoid mismatched pairs.

// Correct way to define an associative array in PHP
$person = array(
    "name" => "John",
    "age" => 30,
    "city" => "New York"
);