Editing & Revising — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Read: "The volcano erupted. It was loud. Rocks went everywhere. It was scary." Which revision BEST improves this passage?
A) Add a comma after "erupted."
B) Change "scary" to "scarey."
C) Combine and revise: "The volcano erupted with a thunderous roar, launching jagged rocks across the ashy landscape."
D) Delete the last sentence.
Combining choppy sentences into one vivid sentence improves fluency and word choice — a revision improvement.
2. Read: "Dolphins are smart. My family went to the beach last summer. Dolphins use clicking sounds to communicate." Which change BEST improves this paragraph?
A) Change "smart" to "intelligent."
B) Remove the sentence about the beach trip because it is off-topic.
C) Add an exclamation point after "communicate."
D) Move the last sentence to the beginning.
The beach trip sentence is off-topic in a paragraph about dolphins — removing it is the best revision.
3. Read: "the student forgotted their homework at home, they was upset about it." Which edit corrects ALL errors in this sentence?
A) "The student forgotted their homework at home. They was upset about it."
B) "The student forgot their homework at home, and they were upset about it."
C) "the student forgot their homework at home, they were upset about it."
D) "The student forgotted their homework at home, they were upset."
Option 2 fixes all errors: capital T, 'forgotted' → 'forgot,' comma splice fixed with conjunction, 'was' → 'were.'
4. A student writes: "We should save water. Water is important. We need water." Which revision strategy would MOST improve this paragraph?
A) Edit for comma usage throughout.
B) Combine repetitive sentences and add specific reasons why saving water matters.
C) Change all periods to exclamation points for emphasis.
D) Add the word "also" before each sentence.
Combining repetitive sentences and adding specific reasons addresses both fluency and content — the most effective revision.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. Combining short, choppy sentences into longer ones improves sentence fluency.
Sentence fluency is how smoothly writing reads — combining choppy sentences improves flow.
2. When a paragraph repeats the same idea, the writer should remove the redundant sentences.
Removing redundant sentences improves focus and conciseness.
3. A strong introduction grabs the reader's attention and presents the main idea.
A good introduction hooks the reader's attention and clearly states the main idea.
4. Replacing "a lot of" with a precise word like "numerous" is a revision improvement.
Replacing vague phrases with precise vocabulary is a word-choice revision.
5. After revising and editing, the final step in the writing process is publishing.
Publishing is sharing the final, polished piece with an audience — the last step in the writing process.