Why does my draft revision break the subject‑verb agreement rule?

You’re probably missing the “hidden” subjects that sneak into sentences when you’re focused on the main noun. In a lot of adult‑education writing, the tricky part isn’t the obvious singular‑or‑plural noun you see, but the word or phrase that actually controls the verb. For example, “The list of items is on the desk” is correct because the subject is “list,” not “items.” If you change it to “The list of items are on the desk,” the verb no longer agrees with the true subject, and a grammar checker can easily overlook it because it just sees the plural “items.” The same thing happens with phrases that start with “there is/are,” collective nouns, or sentences where the subject is a clause (“What the committee decided was…”). When you revise, try reading each sentence aloud and pause right before the verb; ask yourself, “What is the main subject here?” If the answer is a singular word, the verb should end in –s (or be a form of “was,” “has,” etc.); if it’s plural, drop the –s. Another common slip is when you have two subjects linked by “or” or “nor.” The verb must agree with the part of the subject that’s closest to it. So “Either the teachers or the principal is attending” is right, while “Either the teachers or the principal are attending” isn’t. When you’re proofreading, look for those “or/nor” constructions and make sure the verb matches the nearest noun. If you’re still getting flagged, it could be a more subtle issue like an indefinite pronoun (“everyone,” “each,” “none”) that sounds plural but is actually singular. Double‑checking those will usually clear up the remaining errors. Give these tricks a quick run‑through on the flagged sentences, and you should see why the revisions kept slipping through. If you’re unsure about any specific example, bring it to your professor or the school’s writing center—they can confirm the exact subject‑verb relationship. Keep practicing, and the agreement rule will soon feel like second nature. Good luck on your exam!