Editing & Revising — Answer Key
Part A: Fix the Sentence
Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.
1. Fix the sentence:
the students went too the libary and checked out they're favorite books.
Corrected: The students went to the library and checked out their favorite books.
The corrected sentence is: "The students went to the library and checked out their favorite books.". The original sentence "the students went too the libary and checked out they're favorite books." contained an error that needed to be fixed.
2. Fix the sentence:
Maria and Jake plays soccer every tuesday after school lets out.
Corrected: Maria and Jake play soccer every Tuesday after school lets out.
The corrected sentence is: "Maria and Jake play soccer every Tuesday after school lets out.". The original sentence "Maria and Jake plays soccer every tuesday after school lets out." contained an error that needed to be fixed.
3. Fix the sentence:
We visited washington d.c. last summer it was amazing.
Corrected: We visited Washington, D.C. last summer. It was amazing.
The corrected sentence is: "We visited Washington, D.C. last summer. It was amazing.". The original sentence "We visited washington d.c. last summer it was amazing." contained an error that needed to be fixed.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. Fixing a run-on sentence by adding a period is an example of editing.
Adding a period to fix a run-on corrects a surface error — this is editing.
2. The words "their," "there," and "they're" are commonly confused words.
Homophones like their/there/they're are commonly confused and require careful editing.
3. Every sentence must begin with a capital letter.
Capitalizing the first letter of every sentence is a basic editing rule.
4. An apostrophe shows ownership, as in "the dog's bone."
An apostrophe is used to show possession (dog's) or to form contractions.
Part C: Short Answer
Answer each question in one or two complete sentences.
1. Name three things a writer should check for when editing a paragraph.
Sample answer: A writer should check for correct spelling, proper punctuation like commas and periods, and capitalization of proper nouns and sentence beginnings.
Editing checklist includes: spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and correct word usage.
2. What is a run-on sentence, and how can you fix one?
Sample answer: A run-on sentence is two complete thoughts joined without correct punctuation. You can fix it by adding a period, a comma with a conjunction, or a semicolon between the two ideas.
Run-ons can be fixed by: separating into two sentences, adding a comma + conjunction, or adding a semicolon.