Editing a paragraph means knowing which sentence does not belong — like the random "I had a banana for breakfast" hiding in a passage about rainforest animals. Fifth graders also rescue a passive sentence about a science experiment, fix scrambled sequence words (First, Next, Then, Finally), and tackle a paragraph where every sentence starts with "Recycling." Fill-ins reinforce active voice, sentence variety, mechanical errors, and supporting the thesis.
These choices push students past surface fixes into the harder work of judging clarity, flow, and unity — the moves that separate a draft from a finished piece.
Style:
Editing & Revising
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Read: "The rainforest is home to many animals. Monkeys swing from vines. I had a banana for breakfast. Parrots call from the treetops." Which sentence should be removed?
A) "The rainforest is home to many animals."
B) "Monkeys swing from vines."
C) "I had a banana for breakfast."
D) "Parrots call from the treetops."
2. A student writes: "The experiment was done by the students and the results was recorded." Which correction fixes ALL errors?
A) "The experiment was done by the students and the results was recorded."
B) "The students conducted the experiment and recorded the results."
C) "The experiment was done by the students, and the results was recorded."
D) "The experiment was did by the students and the results were recorded."
3. Read: "First, gather your materials. Finally, present your findings. Next, follow the steps. Then, record your data." What is the BEST revision?
A) Delete the sentence about presenting findings.
B) Reorder to: First, gather materials; Next, follow the steps; Then, record data; Finally, present findings.
C) Change "First" to "To begin with."
D) Add more transition words between each sentence.
4. A student writes: "Recycling helps the earth. Recycling saves energy. Recycling reduces waste. Recycling is important." What revision strategy would MOST improve this paragraph?
A) Add exclamation points after each sentence.
B) Change "recycling" to "it" in every sentence.
C) Combine sentences and vary the structure to eliminate repetition.
D) Delete the last sentence because it restates the idea.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. Changing a passive sentence like "The ball was thrown by Jake" to "Jake threw the ball" uses active voice.
2. A paragraph that jumps between unrelated ideas lacks logical flow.
3. Using the same sentence opener repeatedly is a problem with sentence variety.
4. An editing change corrects mechanical errors, while a revision change improves ideas and clarity.
5. When revising, writers should check that each paragraph supports the thesis statement.
Editing & Revising
★ Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Read: "The rainforest is home to many animals. Monkeys swing from vines. I had a banana for breakfast. Parrots call from the treetops." Which sentence should be removed?
A) "The rainforest is home to many animals."
B) "Monkeys swing from vines."
C) "I had a banana for breakfast."
D) "Parrots call from the treetops."
2. A student writes: "The experiment was done by the students and the results was recorded." Which correction fixes ALL errors?
A) "The experiment was done by the students and the results was recorded."
B) "The students conducted the experiment and recorded the results."
C) "The experiment was done by the students, and the results was recorded."
D) "The experiment was did by the students and the results were recorded."
3. Read: "First, gather your materials. Finally, present your findings. Next, follow the steps. Then, record your data." What is the BEST revision?
A) Delete the sentence about presenting findings.
B) Reorder to: First, gather materials; Next, follow the steps; Then, record data; Finally, present findings.
C) Change "First" to "To begin with."
D) Add more transition words between each sentence.
4. A student writes: "Recycling helps the earth. Recycling saves energy. Recycling reduces waste. Recycling is important." What revision strategy would MOST improve this paragraph?
A) Add exclamation points after each sentence.
B) Change "recycling" to "it" in every sentence.
C) Combine sentences and vary the structure to eliminate repetition.
D) Delete the last sentence because it restates the idea.
★ Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1) Changing a passive sentence like "The ball was thrown by Jake" to "Jake threw the ball" uses active voice.
2) A paragraph that jumps between unrelated ideas lacks logical flow.
3) Using the same sentence opener repeatedly is a problem with sentence variety.
4) An editing change corrects mechanical errors, while a revision change improves ideas and clarity.
5) When revising, writers should check that each paragraph supports the thesis statement.
Ready to Practice?
Complete each section carefully.
9 Questions
12-18 minutes
Auto-graded
Retry anytime
🏆
Questions Correct
0
Correct
0
Incorrect
0
Skipped
0:00
Time
0%
Score
Review Your Answers
See what you got right, missed, or skipped.