Proofreading marks are a writer's secret code, and this set helps fifth graders crack it. Students rewrite sentences riddled with errors — a homophone mix-up about "whether" and "too," a missing comma around "Mrs. Patterson," and a tangle of "Him and me builded a volcano." They name what the caret (^) signals, what a line through a word means, and what three underlines beneath a lowercase letter tell the writer.
By the end, students can read a partner's marked-up page and know exactly what to fix — a real proofreader's skill.
Style:
Editing & Revising
Part A: Fix the Sentence
Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.
1. Fix the sentence:
The whether forecast said it would rain but we still went too the park.
Rewrite: The weather forecast said it would rain, but we still went to the park.
2. Fix the sentence:
Our teacher mrs. Patterson readed the chapter aloud to the class.
Rewrite: Our teacher, Mrs. Patterson, read the chapter aloud to the class.
3. Fix the sentence:
Him and me builded a volcano for the science fair and it exploded real good.
Rewrite: He and I built a volcano for the science fair, and it erupted really well.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. The proofreading mark that looks like a small caret (^) tells you to insert a word or punctuation mark.
2. Drawing a line through a word is the proofreading mark for delete.
3. Three underlines beneath a lowercase letter mean you should capitalize that letter.
4. A spelling mark is placed above a word that is spelled incorrectly.
Part C: Short Answer
Answer each question in one or two complete sentences.
1. Name two proofreading marks and explain what each one tells the writer to do.
The caret (^) tells the writer to insert a missing word or punctuation mark. The delete mark, a line through a word, tells the writer to remove that word from the sentence.
2. Why are proofreading marks useful when editing a partner's writing?
Proofreading marks are useful because they give writers a quick, clear way to show exactly what needs to change without rewriting the whole sentence. A partner can see at a glance what to fix.
Editing & Revising
★ Part A: Fix the Sentence
Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.
1) Fix the sentence:
The whether forecast said it would rain but we still went too the park.
Rewrite: The weather forecast said it would rain, but we still went to the park.
2) Fix the sentence:
Our teacher mrs. Patterson readed the chapter aloud to the class.
Rewrite: Our teacher, Mrs. Patterson, read the chapter aloud to the class.
3) Fix the sentence:
Him and me builded a volcano for the science fair and it exploded real good.
Rewrite: He and I built a volcano for the science fair, and it erupted really well.
★ Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1) The proofreading mark that looks like a small caret (^) tells you to insert a word or punctuation mark.
2) Drawing a line through a word is the proofreading mark for delete.
3) Three underlines beneath a lowercase letter mean you should capitalize that letter.
4) A spelling mark is placed above a word that is spelled incorrectly.
★ Part C: Short Answer
Answer each question in one or two complete sentences.
1) Name two proofreading marks and explain what each one tells the writer to do.
The caret (^) tells the writer to insert a missing word or punctuation mark. The delete mark, a line through a word, tells the writer to remove that word from the sentence.
2) Why are proofreading marks useful when editing a partner's writing?
Proofreading marks are useful because they give writers a quick, clear way to show exactly what needs to change without rewriting the whole sentence. A partner can see at a glance what to fix.
Ready to Practice?
Complete each section carefully.
9 Questions
15-20 minutes
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