module
WEEKS 4 – 6 MODULE: EDITING AND REVISION
EDITING AND REVISION: A CLOSER LOOK
For Weeks 4-6 we will take a detailed look at exactly what revising and editing mean as part of the writing process and how to do them well. The aim at the end of this is for you to do an extensive rewrite by revising and editing your "I believe" essay from discussion post as Essay 2.
Read 5 Tips to Enhance Your Close Reading Skills
RHETORICAL CONTEXT
Writing Process: Prewriting
Any piece of writing is shaped by external factors before the first word is ever set down on the page. These factors are referred to as the rhetorical situation, or rhetorical context, and are often presented in the form of a pyramid.
The three key factors–purpose, author, and audience–all work together to influence what the text itself says, and how it says it. Let’s examine each of the three in more detail.
Purpose
Any time you are preparing to write, you should first ask yourself, “Why am I writing?” All writing, no matter the type, has a purpose. Purpose will sometimes be given to you (by a teacher, for example), while other times, you will decide for yourself. As the author, it’s up to you to make sure that purpose is clear not only for yourself, but also–especially–for your audience. If your purpose is not clear, your audience is not likely to receive your intended message.
There are, of course, many different reasons to write (e.g., to inform, to entertain, to persuade, to ask questions), and you may find that some writing has more than one purpose. When this happens, be sure to consider any conflict between purposes, and remember that you will usually focus on one main purpose as primary.
Bottom line: Thinking about your purpose before you begin to write can help you create a more effective piece of writing.
Why Purpose Matters
· If you’ve ever listened to a lecture or read an essay and wondered “so what” or “what is this person talking about,” then you know how frustrating it can be when an author’s purpose is not clear. By clearly defining your purpose before you begin writing, it’s less likely you’ll be that author who leaves the audience wondering.
· If readers can’t identify the purpose in a text, they usually quit reading. You can’t deliver a message to an audience who quits reading.
· If a teacher can’t identify the purpose in your text, they will likely assume you didn’t understand the assignment and, chances are, you won’t receive a good grade.
Useful Questions
Consider how the answers to the following questions may affect your writing:
· What is my primary purpose for writing? How do I want my audience to think, feel, or respond after they read my writing?
· Do my audience’s expectations affect my purpose? Should they?
· How can I best get my point across (e.g., tell a story, argue, cite other sources)?
· Do I have any secondary or tertiary purposes? Do any of these purposes conflict with one another or with my primary purpose?
Audience
In order for your writing to be maximally effective, you have to think about the audience you’re writing for and adapt your writing approach to their needs, expectations, backgrounds, and interests. Being aware of your audience helps you make better decisions about what to say and how to say it. For example, you have a better idea if you will need to define or explain any terms, and you can make a more conscious effort not to say or do anything that would offend your audience.
Sometimes you know who will read your writing – for example, if you are writing an email to your boss. Other times you will have to guess who is likely to read your writing – for example, if you are writing a newspaper editorial. You will often write with a primary audience in mind, but there may be secondary and tertiary audiences to consider as well.
What to Think About
When analyzing your audience, consider these points. Doing this should make it easier to create a profile of your audience, which can help guide your writing choices.
Background-knowledge or Experience — In general, you don’t want to merely repeat what your audience already knows about the topic you’re writing about; you want to build on it. On the other hand, you don’t want to talk over their heads. Anticipate their amount of previous knowledge or experience based on elements like their age, profession, or level of education.
Expectations and Interests — Your audience may expect to find specific points or writing approaches, especially if you are writing for a teacher or a boss. Consider not only what they do want to read about, but also what they do not want to read about.
Attitudes and Biases — Your audience may have predetermined feelings about you or your topic, which can affect how hard you have to work to win them over or appeal to them. The audience’s attitudes and biases also affect their expectations – for example, if they expect to disagree with you, they will likely look for evidence that you have considered their side as well as your own.
Demographics — Consider what else you know about your audience, such as their age, gender, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, political preferences, religious affiliations, job or professional background, and area of residence. Think about how these demographics may affect how much background your audience has about your topic, what types of expectations or interests they have, and what attitudes or biases they may have.
Applying Your Analysis to Your Writing
Here are some general rules about writing, each followed by an explanation of how audience might affect it. Consider how you might adapt these guidelines to your specific situation and audience. (Note: This is not an exhaustive list. Furthermore, you need not follow the order set up here, and you likely will not address all of these approaches.) [1]
Add information readers need to understand your document / omit information readers don’t need. Part of your audience may know a lot about your topic, while others don’t know much at all. When this happens, you have to decide if you should provide explanation or not. If you don’t offer explanation, you risk alienating or confusing those who lack the information. If you offer explanation, you create more work for yourself and you risk boring those who already know the information, which may negatively affect the larger view those readers have of you and your work. In the end, you may want to consider how many people need an explanation, whether those people are in your primary audience (rather than a secondary audience), how much time you have to complete your writing, and any length limitations placed on you.
Change the level of the information you currently have. Even if you have the right information, you might be explaining it in a way that doesn’t make sense to your audience. For example, you wouldn’t want to use highly advanced or technical vocabulary in a document for first-grade students or even in a document for a general audience, such as the audience of a daily newspaper, because most likely some (or even all) of the audience wouldn’t understand you.
Add examples to help readers understand. Sometimes just changing the level of information you have isn’t enough to get your point across, so you might try adding an example. If you are trying to explain a complex or abstract issue to an audience with a low education level, you might offer a metaphor or an analogy to something they are more familiar with to help them understand. Or, if you are writing for an audience that disagrees with your stance, you might offer examples that create common ground and/or help them see your perspective.
Change the level of your examples. Once you’ve decided to include examples, you should make sure you aren’t offering examples your audience finds unacceptable or confusing. For example, some teachers find personal stories unacceptable in academic writing, so you might use a metaphor instead.
Change the organization of your information. Again, you might have the correct information, but you might be presenting it in a confusing or illogical order. If you are writing a paper about physics for a physics professor who has his or her PhD, chances are you won’t need to begin your paper with a lot of background. However, you probably would want to include background information in the beginning of your paper if you were writing for a fellow student in an introductory physics class.
Strengthen transitions. You might make decisions about transitions based on your audience’s expectations. For example, most teachers expect to find topic sentences, which serve as transitions between paragraphs. In a shorter piece of writing such as a memo to co-workers, however, you would probably be less concerned with topic sentences and more concerned with transition words. In general, if you feel your readers may have a hard time making connections, providing transition words (e.g., “therefore” or “on the other hand”) can help lead them.
Write stronger introductions – both for the whole document and for major sections. In general, readers like to get the big picture up front. You can offer this in your introduction and thesis statement, or in smaller introductions to major sections within your document. However, you should also consider how much time your audience will have to read your document. If you are writing for a boss who already works long hours and has little or no free time, you wouldn’t want to write an introduction that rambles on for two and a half pages before getting into the information your boss is looking for.
Create topic sentences for paragraphs and paragraph groups. A topic sentence (the first sentence of a paragraph) functions much the same way an introduction does – it offers readers a preview of what’s coming and how that information relates to the overall document or your overall purpose. As mentioned earlier, some readers will expect topic sentences. However, even if your audience isn’t expecting them, topic sentences can make it easier for readers to skim your document while still getting the main idea and the connections between smaller ideas.
Change sentence style and length. Using the same types and lengths of sentences can become boring after awhile. If you already worry that your audience may lose interest in your issue, you might want to work on varying the types of sentences you use.
Use graphics, or use different graphics. Graphics can be another way to help your audience visualize an abstract or complex topic. Sometimes a graphic might be more effective than a metaphor or step-by-step explanation. Graphics may also be an effective choice if you know your audience is going to skim your writing quickly; a graphic can be used to draw the reader’s eye to information you want to highlight. However, keep in mind that some audiences may see graphics as inappropriate.
Author
The final unique aspect of anything written down is who it is, exactly, that does the writing. In some sense, this is the part you have the most control over–it’s you who’s writing, after all! You can harness the aspects of yourself that will make the text most effective to its audience, for its purpose.
Analyzing yourself as an author allows you to make explicit why your audience should pay attention to what you have to say, and why they should listen to you on the particular subject at hand.
Questions for Consideration
· What personal motivations do you have for writing about this topic?
· What background knowledge do you have on this subject matter?
· What personal experiences directly relate to this subject? How do those personal experiences influence your perspectives on the issue?
· What formal training or professional experience do you have related to this subject?
· What skills do you have as a communicator? How can you harness those in this project?
· What should audience members know about you, in order to trust what you have to tell them? How will you convey that in your writing?
1. (Rules adapted from David McMurrey’s online text, Power Tools for Technical Communication) ↵
WORKING THESIS STATEMENTS
Thesis Statement Basics
The following video offers a writing instructor’s perspective about how fundamental a thesis statement is to organizing an effective persuasive, researched essay. While he talks about many aspects of a thesis, it particularly stresses the flexibility you’re allowed while writing, revising, and revisiting a thesis many times as you build an essay.
Thesis Analysis
The Writing Center at The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill offers these questions to consider as you examine the effectiveness of a thesis statement. It’s effective strategy to revisit these questions several times throughout the writing process, to measure how well your thesis serves your project as it continues to grow and evolve.
· What is your general topic or what problem area are you interested in? How would you express it in a few words?
· What central question are you trying to answer about your topic?
· What do you think is the best answer to your central question? From your research so far, what have you concluded? What is your main point about your topic?
· In one sentence, how would you describe your findings to someone who asked you about your research?
· How does your idea differ from other views you have read? What do you have to say about your topic that is new?
· Ask why? And how? Of what seems like a thesis statement when it begins to emerge. What relationship exists between the ideas you are describing? For example, are you suggesting that one idea causes another? Contradicts another? Subsumes another?
OUTCOME: REVISING
Evaluate revision activities
To revisit our metaphor of the writing process as a journey, turning to the act of revision means a huge accomplishment: we’ve arrived at our destination! A draft is complete, and we have a solid understanding of our subject matter. The act of revision will allow us to explore what’s possible now that we’ve arrived–how we can shape our own adventure in this location.
A powerful visualization of drafting and editing can be found this video, which captures a day in a life of a painter. Painting, like writing, is a hugely creative act, and one that undergoes many drafts. You’ll see this artist rough out big ideas, and then wipe them out. These false starts are not uncommon, but note how he keeps going after it. After a series of dramatic changes to the canvas in the first few minutes, the final couple of minutes focus the changes to a smaller and smaller scale: it becomes a process of refinement towards the end.
(This video has no voice-over but does use the song “Over and Over” by Hot Chip as a soundtrack.)
By this stage in your writing process, you likely won’t be wiping your canvas clean and starting from scratch. Instead, it’s time to clarify, refine, and reorganize to make sure the big picture is exactly what you want it to be.
What You Will Learn To Do
· evaluate the process of seeking input on writing from others
· evaluate strategies for incorporating personal and external editorial comments
· evaluate methods for re-seeing a piece of writing
· evaluate higher order concerns for revision
THE ART OF RE-SEEING
Revising is the rearrangement and fine tuning of a fully developed—if not totally completed—draft so that the thesis or hypothesis is aligned with the writer’s purpose, the development of the argument and its persuasive conclusion, and the audience’s needs and characteristics.
Often, writers perform the multiple drafting, revising, and editing stages concurrently. Similarities among these writing tasks permit such concurrent task performance.
The Art of Revision
Revising a written document sometimes closely resembles the multiple drafting stage of the writing process. The main difference between drafting and revising probably lies within the completeness of the document itself. Rough drafts are characterized by varying degrees of completeness, which the writer attempts to finish in a less-than-polished manner. The overriding need to write details down on paper or record them in electronic form drives the writer during the rough draft stage. The task during the rough draft stage is to include all the features of the proposed thesis and supporting details. These rough drafts are akin to an unformed block of stone into which the artist is chiseling an image that is not yet fully recognizable to the audience.
Revised drafts are based upon a completed rough draft that now needs to be chiseled into a fully recognizable work of art. During the revising stage, the chiseled image becomes clearer, more developed according to the controlling thesis, and less defined by unnatural, awkward angles. However, the ultimate task of the revising stage is to make that recognizable but still ill-defined image into a beautiful work of art.
The writer considers the succinctness of the thesis (meaning precise and concise wording), the adequateness and relevance of the supporting details, the fluency of development, and the concluding finishing touches during the revising stage. Paragraph structure and transitions are also considered. So too are diction and rhetorical strategies examined for appropriateness to the task. Sometimes, these considerations might lead the writer to rewrite the entire piece, including the thesis or hypothesis, once the writer realizes that the purpose and the audience require a more focused or different written expression. When such rewrites occur, many writers engage in a recursive process of drafting and revising, often simultaneously. Some writers might even begin again with the pre-writing stage as they realize that this rewrite is actually a completely different writing task.
A Critical Step
Revising, for many writers and teachers of writing, is the critical step in any writing process. It is the step that often frustrates many writers because it can be tedious and tiresome to pay such close attention to details that might become lost or unrecognizable in the repeated examination of what one has written.
Many writers at this stage find it beneficial to have someone else read a document that is too close to the writer’s controlling thoughts and frayed emotions. The intellectual and emotional investment into one’s writing is typically the reason why many emotionally developing students accuse an English teacher of disliking the student when the teacher critiques or grades an assignment.
The need to revise undeniably acknowledges that one’s writing is not perfect as presented in the latest draft. One’s willingness to revise means that the writer recognizes the dynamic nature of communication, which requires revisions in order to clearly articulate ideas and meet the expectations of the audience. Effective written expression is the result of careful revisions.
A Three-Step Revision Process
The following video recommends writing 3 additional drafts (yes, after your first and working drafts are already done!) to fully revise an essay. The final stage recommended here conforms to the Proofreading stage of the process, so it’s a way of completing multiple steps at the same time, as noted above.
HIGHER ORDER CONCERNS
Introduction
Regardless of writers’ levels of experience or areas of expertise, many struggle with revision, a component of the writing process that encompasses everything from transformative changes in content and argumentation to minor corrections in grammar and punctuation. Perhaps because revision involves so many forms of modification, it is the focus of most scientific writing guides and handbooks. Revision can be daunting; how does one progress from initial drafts (called “rough drafts” for good reason) to a polished piece of scholarly writing?
Developing a process for revision can help writers produce thoughtful, polished texts and grow their written communication skills. Consider, then, a systematic approach to revision, including strategies to employ at every step of the process.
A System for Approaching Revision
Dedicating time to tweaking wording or correcting grammatical errors is unproductive if the sentence will be changed or deleted. Focusing on HOCs before LOCs allows writers to revise more effectively and efficiently.
Revision Strategies
Bearing in mind the general system of revising from HOCs to LOCs, you can employ several revision strategies.
· Begin by evaluating how your argument addresses your rhetorical situation—that is, the specific context surrounding your writing, including the audience, exigence, and constraints. [2]
· For example, you may write an article describing a new treatment. If the target journal’s audience comes from a variety of disciplines, you may need to include substantial background explanation, consider the implications for practitioners and scholars in multiple fields, and define technical terms. By contrast, if you are addressing a highly specialized audience, you may be able to dispense with many of the background explanations and definitions because of your shared knowledge base. You may consider the implications only for specialists, as they are your primary audience. Because this sort of revision affects the entire text, beginning by analyzing your rhetorical situation is effective.
· Analyze your thesis or main argument for clarity.
· Evaluate the global organization of your text by writing a reverse outline. Unlike traditional outlines, which are written before drafting, reverse outlines reflect the content of written drafts.
· In a separate document or in your text’s margins, record the main idea of each paragraph. Then, consider whether the order of your ideas is logical. This method also will help you identify ideas that are out of place or digressive. You may also evaluate organization by printing the text and cutting it up so that each paragraph appears on a separate piece of paper. You may then easily reorder the paragraphs to test different organizational schemes.
Completing a Post-Draft Outline
The reverse outline mentioned above is also known as a post-draft outline. Guidance for how to complete one for an entire essay draft, as well as for an individual problematic paragraph, are found in this presentation.
https://prezi.com/ilic1tcomvne/post-draft-outline/
1. McAndrew DA, Registad TJ. Tutoring writing: a practical guide for conferences. Portsmouth (NH): Boynton/Cook; 2001. ↵
2. Bitzer L. "The rhetorical situation." Philos Rhetoric 1968; 1 (1): 1-14. ↵
SELF CHECK: REVISING
Check Your Understanding: Revising
Check Your Understanding: Revising
Looks like you're getting it
You're ready to move on to the next section.
Question 1 — Correct
Very Sure
Lynne received four pieces of feedback from a class peer review that she thinks are wrong. Which of the following strategies should she employ to respond to these comments and eventually become a more skilled writer?
Question 2 — Correct
Very Sure
Vaughan is writing a numbered list of his essay’s paragraphs and summarizing each paragraph in a sentence on that numbered list. What is this activity helping him accomplish?
Question 3 — Correct
Very Sure
Emmanuel is ready to assess his essay’s higher order concerns. Which of these activities will help him do this, and why?
OUTCOME: PROOFREADING
Evaluate proofreading activities
Learn these rules, and if you hate them, learn to love them. In college, writing stops being about “how well did you understand fill-in-the-blank” and becomes “how professionally and strongly do you argue your point.” Professionalism, I have found, is the key to the real world, and college is, in part, preparing you for it. If you do not learn how to write in a way that projects professionalism (i.e. these rules), then expect to get, at best, Cs on your papers. — Kaethe Leonard, qtd. in Writing in College
Many students assume—or fear—that college writing is judged primarily on its grammatical correctness. Ideas, evidence, and arguments matter more than the mechanics of grammar and punctuation; however, many of the rules of formal writing exist to promote clarity and precision which writers must achieve in order to effectively convey ideas, evidence, and arguments. In addition, texts that observe the rules of formal written English tend to be more persuasive by making the author appear well informed and careful. Writing replete with errors does not make a great impression, and most educators want to help students present themselves well. Correctness, then, isn’t the most important thing, but it does matter.
Another common assumption among students is that one is either good at grammar or not good at grammar, and that such is one’s immutable fate. Not true. Once you master a particular rule or practice, it becomes second nature, and then you can focus your attention on mastering another. Even people who write formally for a living, like your professors, still look things up in a writing handbook from time to time. You can master the practices of formal written English, and college is a great time to use the feedback from your professors to identify your common errors and learn to correct them.
Quick Inspiration for Proofreading
The following video offers a set of starting guidelines for proofreading. (Note: this video has a jazzy soundtrack but no dialogue, so can be viewed without sound.)
What You Will Learn to Do
· evaluate lower order concerns for revision
· evaluate strategies for improving sentence clarity
· evaluate strategies for recognizing potential grammatical issues in a draft
· evaluate strategies for recognizing potential spelling issues in a draft
· evaluate strategies for recognizing potential punctuation issues in a draft
STYLE
The stage of proofreading is often focused solely on “correctness”: making sure that all the details are right, and that language is used according to the rules. Proofreading also offers a great opportunity to address more personal concerns, however. It’s a chance to focus on your style, and allows you to craft the final product that best represents your unique perspective.
A writer’s style is what sets his or her writing apart. Style is the way writing is dressed up (or down) to fit the specific context, purpose, or audience. Word choice, sentence fluency, and the writer’s voice — all contribute to the style of a piece of writing. How a writer chooses words and structures sentences to achieve a certain effect is also an element of style. When Thomas Paine wrote “These are the times that try men’s souls,” he arranged his words to convey a sense of urgency and desperation. Had he written “These are bad times,” it’s likely he wouldn’t have made such an impact!
Style is usually considered to be the province of literary writers. Novelists such as Ernest Hemingway and William Faulkner and poets such as Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman are well known for their distinctive literary styles. But journalists, scientists, historians, and mathematicians also have distinctive styles, and they need to know how to vary their styles to fit different audiences. For example, the first-person narrative style of a popular magazine like National Geographic is quite different from the objective, third-person expository style of a research journal like Scientific American, even though both are written for informational purposes.
Not just right and wrong
Style is not a matter of right and wrong but of what is appropriate for a particular setting and audience. Consider the following two passages, which were written by the same author on the same topic with the same main idea, yet have very different styles:
“Experiments show that Heliconius butterflies are less likely to ovipost on host plants that possess eggs or egg-like structures. These egg mimics are an unambiguous example of a plant trait evolved in response to a host-restricted group of insect herbivores.”
“Heliconius butterflies lay their eggs on Passiflora vines. In defense the vines seem to have evolved fake eggs that make it look to the butterflies as if eggs have already been laid on them.” (Example from Myers, G. (1992). Writing biology: Texts in the social construction of scientific knowledge. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. p. 150.)
What changed was the audience. The first passage was written for a professional journal read by other biologists, so the style is authoritative and impersonal, using technical terminology suited to a professional audience. The second passage, written for a popular science magazine, uses a more dramatic style, setting up a conflict between the butterflies and the vines, and using familiar words to help readers from non-scientific backgrounds visualize the scientific concept being described. Each style is appropriate for the particular audience.
Elements of style
Many elements of writing contribute to an author’s style, but three of the most important are word choice, sentence fluency, and voice.
Word Choice
Good writers are concise and precise, weeding out unnecessary words and
choosing the exact word to convey meaning. Precise words—active verbs, concrete nouns, specific adjectives—help the reader visualize the sentence. Good writers use adjectives sparingly and adverbs rarely, letting their nouns and verbs do the work.
Good writers also choose words that contribute to the flow of a sentence. Polysyllabic words, alliteration, and consonance can be used to create sentences that roll off the tongue. Onomatopoeia and short, staccato words can be used to break up the rhythm of a sentence.
Sentence Fluency
Sentence fluency is the flow and rhythm of phrases and sentences. Good writers use a variety of sentences with different lengths and rhythms to achieve different effects. They use parallel structures within sentences and paragraphs to reflect parallel ideas, but also know how to avoid monotony by varying their sentence structures.
Good writers also arrange their ideas within a sentence for greatest effect. They avoid loose sentences, deleting extraneous words and rearranging their ideas for effect. Many students initially write with a looser oral style, adding words on to the end of a sentence in the order they come to mind. This rambling style is often described as a “word dump” where everything in a student’s mind is dumped onto the paper in no particular order. There is nothing wrong with a word dump as a starting point: the advantage of writing over speaking is that writers can return to their words, rethink them, and revise them for effect. Tighter, more readable style results when writers choose their words carefully, delete redundancies, make vague words more specific, and use subordinate clauses and phrases to rearrange their ideas for the greatest effect.
Voice
Because voice is difficult to measure reliably, it is often left out of scoring formulas for writing tests. Yet voice is an essential element of style that reveals the writer’s personality. A writer’s voice can be impersonal or chatty, authoritative or reflective, objective or passionate, serious or funny.
Strategies to Revise for Style
Read an essay draft out loud, preferably to another person. Better yet, have another person read your draft to you. Note how that person interprets your words. Does it come across as you had meant it originally? If not, revise.
Adopt a persona that’s related to your topic. Write from the perspective of this person you create: what language would a young woman who’d just spent two years in the peace corps use, for instance, if the essay were about the value of volunteer work? How would the words on the page of a project about gun control look coming from the perspective of a very conservative gun owner?
Combine (some) short sentences, or break apart (some) long sentences. Sentence length variety is an asset to your readers, as noted above. If you find a stretch of your essay that uses many sentences of approximately the same length close together, focus on combining or breaking apart there.
Punch up the word choice. Not every word in an essay can be a “special” word, nor should they be. But if your writing in an area feels a little flat, the injection of a livelier word can have strong rhetorical and emotional impact on your reader. Think of these words as jewels in the right setting. Often swapping out “to be” verbs (is, was, were, etc.) with more action-packed verbs has immediate, positive impact. Adjectives are also good candidates for updating–look for “things” and “stuff,” or “very” and “many,” to replace with more precise terminology.
Proofreading Advice
The following video features two student tutors from the Writing and Reading Center at Fresno City College. In addition to great guidance about proofreading strategies, they also offer insights about what to expect when working with Writing Center tutors.
PUNCTUATION CONCERNS
The following videos offer guidance for some of the most common punctuation issues seen in college-level student writing.
Comma Splices
Two ways to proofread your essay for comma splices
1. To spot-check suspect sentences: rewrite a sentence you think might be a comma splice as a yes/no question. Can you make just one question out of the sentence? If so, it’s probably not a comma splice. If it needs 2 or more questions to make sense, then some additional punctuation in the original sentence is needed.
· Elliot drinks four liters of water a day, he carries his water bottle with him everywhere.
· If turned into a yes/no question, we would need 2 questions in order for this to make sense: “Does Elliot drink four liters of water a day? Does he carry his water bottle with him everywhere?”
· Because it needs 2 yes/no questions, the original sentence is a comma splice, and needs to be corrected.
2. To be thorough: skim through your paper, stopping at every comma. Look at what comes before the comma, and then what comes after it. Are both sides complete sentences on their own? (In other words, could you also put a period in that spot?) If so, you’ve found a comma splice.
· D’Andre, my science lab partner, is considering running for class president, I think he’d make a wonderful candidate.
· Stopping at each of the commas, the first two don’t contain a full sentence before them. The third one, however, does have a complete thought on both sides, and so indicates we’ve found a comma splice.
Apostrophes
Correct apostrophe usage is part punctuation, part spelling. The following short videos walk through 3 of the most common sets of apostrophe “trouble words.” If you aren’t always clear which one goes where, these will serve as handy guides.
Its & It’s
There, Their, & They’re
Your & You’re
If you suspect you have issues with any of these words, try using the “Find” option on your word processing program. Search out each word, and use the tests in these videos to assess whether you’ve used the correct form in the correct way.
Semicolons and Colons
These two pieces of punctuation often get mixed up. Make sure they’re used correctly in your essay.
Again, the “Find” option in your word processing program (or web browser) to locate semicolons and colons. Do you have a full sentence before each colon? Do you have a full sentence both before and after each semicolon? If so, great. If not, time to revise.
9CHAPTER 9 – PUNCTUATION
JENIFER KURTZ
1. Commas
2. Semicolons
3. Colons
4. Quotes
5. Apostrophes
6. Parentheses
7. Dashes
8. Hyphens
1. COMMAS
One of the punctuation clues to reading you may encounter is the comma. The comma is a punctuation mark that indicates a pause in a sentence or a separation of items in a list. Commas can be used in a variety of ways. Look at some of the following sentences to see how you might use a comma when writing a sentence.
· Introductory word: Personally, I think the practice is helpful.
· Lists: The barn, the tool shed, and the back porch were destroyed by the wind.
· Coordinating adjectives: He was a tired, hungry boy.
· Conjunctions in compound sentences: The bedroom door was closed, so the children knew their mother was asleep.
· Interrupting words: I knew where it was hidden, of course, but I wanted them to find it themselves.
· Dates, addresses, greetings, and letters: The letter was postmarked December 8, 1945.
· Clarification: Let’s eat, Grandma.
Commas after an Introductory Word or Phrase
You may notice a comma that appears near the beginning of the sentence, usually after a word or phrase. This comma lets the reader know where the introductory word or phrase ends and the main sentence begins.
Without spoiling the surprise, we need to tell her to save the date.
In this sentence, without spoiling the surprise is an introductory phrase, while we need to tell her to save the date is the main sentence. Notice how they are separated by a comma. When only an introductory word appears in the sentence, a comma also follows the introductory word.
Ironically, she already had plans for that day.
Exercise 1
Look for the introductory word or phrase. On your own sheet of paper, copy the sentence and add a comma to correct the sentence.
1. Suddenly the dog ran into the house.
2. In the blink of an eye the kids were ready to go to the movies.
3. Confused he tried opening the box from the other end.
4. Every year we go camping in the woods.
5. Without a doubt green is my favorite color.
6. Hesitating she looked back at the directions before proceeding.
7. Fortunately the sleeping baby did not stir when the doorbell rang.
8. Believe it or not the criminal was able to rob the same bank three times.
Commas in a List of Items
When listing several nouns in a sentence, separate each word with a comma. This allows the reader to pause after each item and identify which words are included in the grouping. When you list items in a sentence, put a comma after each noun, then add the word and before the last item. The Oxford comma is when one adds a comma before the and that precedes the last item in the list. This is a style choice and is often optional.
We’ll need to get flour, tomatoes, and cheese at the store.
The pizza will be topped with olives, peppers and pineapple chunks.
Commas and Coordinating Adjectives
You can use commas to list both adjectives and nouns. A string of adjectives that describe a noun are called coordinating adjectives. These adjectives come before the noun they modify and are most often separated by commas. One important thing to note, however, is that unlike listing nouns, the word and does not always need to be before the last adjective.
It was a bright, windy, clear day. (a list of coordinating adjectives–no and needed)
Our kite glowed red, yellow, and blue in the morning sunlight. (a list of nouns–and needed)
Not all uses of two adjectives require a comma, though.
The class was made up of dedicated medical students. (both dedicated and medical describe students, but medical is essential to confirm what type of students so no comma is needed.)
Exercise 2
On your own sheet of paper, use what you have learned so far about comma use to add commas to the following sentences.
1. Monday Tuesday and Wednesday are all booked with meetings.
2. It was a quiet uneventful unproductive day.
3. We’ll need to prepare statements for the Franks Todds and Smiths before their portfolio
reviews next week.
4. Michael Nita and Desmond finished their report last Tuesday.
5. With cold wet aching fingers he was able to secure the sails before the storm.
6. He wrote his name on the board in clear precise delicate letters.
Commas before Conjunctions in Compound Sentences
Commas are sometimes used to separate two independent clauses that are included in the same sentence. The comma comes after the first independent clause and is followed by a conjunction, such as for, and, or but. For a full list of conjunctions, see “Writing Basics: What Makes a Good Sentence?”.
He missed class today, and he thinks he will be out tomorrow, too.
He says his fever is gone, but he is still very tired.
Exercise 3
On your own sheet of paper, create a compound sentence by combining the two independent clauses with a comma and a coordinating conjunction.
1. The presentation was scheduled for Monday. The weather delayed the presentation for four days.
2. He wanted a snack before bedtime. He ate some fruit.
3. The patient is in the next room. I can hardly hear anything.
4. We could go camping for vacation. We could go to the beach for vacation.
5. I want to get a better job. I am taking courses at night.
6. I cannot move forward on this project. I cannot afford to stop on this project.
7. Patrice wants to stop for lunch. We will take the next exit to look for a restaurant.
8. I’ve got to get this paper done. I have class in ten minutes.The weather was clear yesterday. We decided to go on a picnic.
9. I have never dealt with this client before. I know Leonardo has worked with them. Let’s ask Leonardo for his help.
Commas before and after Interrupting Words
In conversations, you might interrupt your train of thought by giving more details about what you are talking about. In a sentence, you might interrupt your train of thought with a word or phrase called interrupting words. Interrupting words can come at the beginning or middle of a sentence. When the interrupting words appear at the beginning of the sentence, a comma appears after the word or phrase.
If you can believe it, people once thought the sun and planets orbited around Earth.
Luckily, some people questioned that theory.
When interrupting words come in the middle of a sentence, they are separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. You can determine where the commas should go by looking for the part of the sentence that is not essential for the sentence to make sense. In other words, you can take out the interrupting words, and the sentence will still be complete and sensible.
My sister, a psychologist, lives in New York.
Her car, which has side air bags, has a higher insurance rate than her truck.
Exercise 4
On your own sheet of paper, copy the sentence and insert commas to separate the interrupting words from the rest of the sentence.
1. I asked my neighbors the retired couple from Florida to bring in my mail.
2. Without a doubt his work has improved over the last few weeks.
3. Our professor Mr. Alamut drilled the lessons into our heads.
4. The meeting is at noon unfortunately which means I will be late for lunch.
5. We came in time for the last part of dinner but most importantly we came in time for dessert.
6. All of a sudden our network crashed and we lost our files.
Collaboration
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
Commas in Dates, Addresses, and the Greetings and Closings of Letters
You also use commas when you write a date, such as in cover letters and e-mails. Commas are used when you write the date, when you include an address, and when you greet someone.
If you are writing out the full date, add a comma after the day and before the year. You do not need to add a comma when you write the month and day or when you write the month and the year. If you need to continue the sentence after you add a date that includes the day and year, add a comma after the end of the date.
The letter is postmarked May 4, 2001.
Her birthday is May 5.
He visited the country in July 2009.
I registered for the conference on March 7, 2010, so we should get our tickets soon.
Also use commas when you include addresses and locations. When you include an address in a sentence, be sure to place a comma after the street and after the city. Do not place a comma between the state and the zip code. Like a date, if you need to continue the sentence after adding the address, simply add a comma after the address.
We moved to 4542 Boxcutter Lane, Hope, Missouri 70832.
After moving to Boston, Massachusetts, Eric used public transportation to get to work.
Greetings are also separated by commas. When you write an e-mail or a letter, you add a comma after the greeting word or the person’s name. You also need to include a comma after the closing, which is the word or phrase you put before your signature.
Hello,
I would like more information about your job posting.
Thank you,
Anita Al-Sayf
Dear Mrs. Al-Sayf,
Thank you for your letter. Please read the attached document for details.
Sincerely,
Jack Fromont
Exercise 5
On your own sheet of paper, use what you have learned about using commas to edit the following letter.
March 27 2010
Alexa Marché
14 Taylor Drive Apt. 6
New Castle Maine 90342
Dear Mr. Timmons
Thank you for agreeing to meet with me. I am available on Monday the fifth. I can stop by your office at any time. Is your address still 7309 Marcourt Circle #501? Please get back to me at your earliest convenience.
Thank you
Alexa
Commas for Clarification
Sometimes no specific rule calls for a comma, yet one is needed to clarify or eliminate confusion.
Unclear: To Emily Frank was an annoying person.
Clear: To Emily, Henry was an annoying person.
Unclear: The room was full of crying babies and mothers.
Clear: The room was fully of crying babies, and mothers.
Exercise 6
On your own sheet of paper, use what you have learned about comma usage to edit the following paragraphs.
1. My brother Nathaniel is a collector of many rare unusual things. He has collected lunch boxes limited edition books and hatpins at various points of his life. His current collection of unusual bottles has over fifty pieces. Usually he sells one collection before starting another.
2. Our meeting is scheduled for Thursday March 20. In that time we need to gather all our documents together. Alice is in charge of the timetables and schedules. Tom is in charge of updating the guidelines. I am in charge of the presentation. To prepare for this meeting please print out any e-mails faxes or documents you have referred to when writing your sample.
3. It was a cool crisp autumn day when the group set out. They needed to cover several miles before they made camp so they walked at a brisk pace. The leader of the group Garth kept checking his watch and their GPS location. Isabelle Raoul and Maggie took turns carrying the equipment while Carrie took notes about the wildlife they saw. As a result no one noticed the darkening sky until the first drops of rain splattered on their faces.
4. Please have your report complete and filed by April 15 2010. In your submission letter please include your contact information the position you are applying for and two people we can contact as references. We will not be available for consultation after April 10 but you may contact the office if you have any questions. Thank you HR Department.
Key Takeaways
· Punctuation marks provide visual cues to readers to tell them how to read a sentence and convey meaning.
· A comma should be used after an introductory word to separate this word from the main sentence.
· A comma comes after every coordinating adjective except for the last adjective.
· Commas can be used to separate the two independent clauses in compound sentences as long as a conjunction follows the comma.
· Commas are used to separate interrupting words from the rest of the sentence.
· When you write the date, you add a comma between the day and the year. You also add a comma after the year if the sentence continues after the date.
· When they are used in a sentence, addresses have commas after the street address, and the city. If a sentence continues after the address, a comma comes after the zip code.
· When you write a letter, you use commas in your greeting at the beginning and in your closing at the end of your letter.
2. SEMICOLONS
Another punctuation mark that you will encounter is the semicolon (;). Like most punctuation marks, the semicolon can be used in a variety of ways. The semicolon indicates a break in the flow of a sentence but functions differently than a period or a comma. When you encounter a semicolon while reading aloud, this represents a good place to pause and take a breath.
Semicolons to Join Two Independent Clauses
Use a semicolon to combine two closely related independent clauses. Relying on a period to separate the related clauses into two shorter sentences could lead to choppy writing. Using a comma would create an awkward run-on sentence.
Correct: Be sure to wear clean, well-pressed clothes to the interview; appearances are important.
Choppy: Be sure to wear clean, well-pressed clothes to the interview. Appearances are important.
Incorrect: Be sure to wear clean, well-pressed clothes to the interview, appearances are important.
In this case, writing the independent clauses as two sentences separated by a period is correct. However, using a semicolon to combine the clauses can make your writing more interesting by creating a variety of sentence lengths and structures while preserving the flow of ideas.
Semicolons to Join Items in a List
You can also use a semicolon to join items in a list when the items in the list already require commas. Semicolons help the reader distinguish between items in the list.
Correct: The color combinations we can choose from are black, white, and grey; green, brown, and black; or red, green, and brown.
Incorrect: The color combinations we can choose from are black, white, and grey, green, brown, and black, or red, green, and brown.
By using semicolons in this sentence, the reader can easily distinguish between the three sets of colors.
Tip
Use semicolons to join two main clauses. Do not use semicolons with coordinating conjunctions such as and, or, and but.
Exercise 7
On your own sheet of paper, correct the following sentences by adding semicolons. If the sentence is correct as it is, write OK.
1. I did not notice that you were in the office I was behind the front desk all day.
2. Do you want turkey, spinach, and cheese roast beef, lettuce, and cheese or ham, tomato, and cheese?
3. Please close the blinds there is a glare on the screen.
4. Unbelievably, no one was hurt in the accident.
5. I cannot decide if I want my room to be green, brown, and purple green, black, and brown or green, brown, and dark red.
6. Let’s go for a walk the air is so refreshing.
Key Takeaways
· Use a semicolon to join two independent clauses.
· Use a semicolon to separate items in a list when those items already require a comma.
3. COLONS
The colon (:) is another punctuation mark used to indicate a full stop. Use a colon to introduce lists, quotes, examples, and explanations. You can also use a colon after the greeting in business letters and memos.
Dear Hiring Manager:
To: Human Resources
From: Deanna Dean
Colons to Introduce a List
Use a colon to introduce a list of items. Introduce the list with an independent clause.
The team will tour three states: New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.
I have to take four classes this semester: Composition, Statistics, Ethics, and Italian.
Colons to Introduce a Quote
You can use a colon to introduce a quote.
Mark Twain said it best: “When in doubt, tell the truth.”
If a quote is longer than forty words, skip a line after the colon and indent the left margin of the quote five spaces. Because quotations longer than forty words use line spacing and indentation to indicate a quote, quotation marks are not necessary.
My father always loved Mark Twain’s words:
There are basically two types of people. People who accomplish things, and people who claim
to have accomplished things. The first group is less crowded.
Tip
Long quotations, which are more than four typed lines, are called block quotations. Block quotations frequently appear in longer essays and research papers. For more information about block quotations, see this resource (https://tinyurl.com/nwzhlbk).
Colons to Introduce Examples or Explanations
Use a colon to introduce an example or to further explain an idea presented in the first part of a sentence. The first part of the sentence must always be an independent clause; that is, it must stand alone as a complete thought with a subject and verb. Do not use a colon after phrases like such as or for example.
Correct: Our company offers many publishing services: writing, editing, and reviewing.
Incorrect: Our company offers many publishing services, such as: writing, editing, and reviewing.
Also, do not use a colon after introductory verbs.
Correct: My favorite things to eat are dark chocolate, taffy, and french fries.
Incorrect: My favorite things to eat are: dark chocolate, taffy, and french fries.
Tip
Capitalize the first letter following a colon for a proper noun, the beginning of a quote, or the first letter of another independent clause. Do NOT capitalize if the information following the colon is not a complete sentence.
Proper noun: We visited three countries: Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador.
Beginning of a quote: My mother loved this line from Hamlet: “To thine own self be true.”
Two independent clauses: There are drawbacks to modern technology: My brother’s cell phone died and he lost a lot of phone numbers.
Incorrect: The recipe is simple: Tomato, basil, and avocado.
Exercise 8
On your own sheet of paper, correct the following sentences by adding semicolons or colons where needed. If the sentence does not need a semicolon or colon, write OK.
1. Don’t give up you never know what tomorrow brings.
2. Our records show that the patient was admitted on March 9, 2010 January 13, 2010 and November 16, 2009.
3. Allow me to introduce myself I am the greatest ice-carver in the world.
4. Where I come from there are three ways to get to the grocery store by car, by bus, and by foot.
5. Listen closely you will want to remember this speech.
6. I have lived in Sedona, Arizona Baltimore, Maryland and Knoxville, Tennessee.
7. The boss’s message was clear Lateness would not be tolerated.
8. Next semester, we will read some more contemporary authors, such as Vonnegut, Miller, and Orwell.
9. My little sister said what we were all thinking “We should have stayed home.”
10. Trust me I have done this before.
Key Takeaways
· Use a colon to introduce a list, quote, or example.
· Use a colon after a greeting in business letters and memos.
4. QUOTES
Quotation marks (“ ”) set off a group of words from the rest of the text. Use quotation marks to indicate direct quotations of another person’s words or to indicate a title. Quotation marks always appear in pairs.
Direct Quotations
A direct quotation is an exact account of what someone said or wrote. To include a direct quotation in your writing, enclose the words in quotation marks. An indirect quotation is a restatement of what someone said or wrote. An indirect quotation does not use the person’s exact words. You do not need to use quotation marks for indirect quotations.
Direct quotation: Carly said, “I’m not ever going back there again.”
Indirect quotation: Carly said that she would never go back there.
Writing at Work
Most word processing software is designed to catch errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. While this can be a useful tool, it is better to be well acquainted with the rules of punctuation than to leave the thinking to a computer. Properly punctuated writing will convey your meaning clearly. Consider the subtle shifts in meaning in the following sentences:
· The client said he thought our manuscript was garbage.
· The client said, “He thought our manuscript was garbage.”
The first sentence reads as an indirect quote in which the client does not like the manuscript. But did he actually use the word “garbage”? (This would be alarming!) Or has the speaker paraphrased (and exaggerated) the client’s words?
The second sentence reads as a direct quote from the client. But who is “he” in this sentence? Is it a third party?
Word processing software would not catch this because the sentences are not grammatically incorrect. However, the meanings of the sentences are not the same. Understanding puntcuation will help you write what you mean, and in this case, could save a lot of confusion around the office!
Punctuating Direct Quotations
Quotation marks show readers another person’s exact words. Often, you should identify who is speaking. You can do this at the beginning, middle, or end of the quote. Notice the use of commas and capitalized words.
Beginning: Madison said, “Let’s stop at the farmers’ market to buy some fresh vegetables for dinner.”
Middle: “Let’s stop at the farmers’ market,” Madison said, “to buy some fresh vegetables for dinner.”
End: “Let’s stop at the farmers’ market to buy some fresh vegetables for dinner,” Madison said.
Speaker not identified: “Let’s stop at the farmers’ market to buy some fresh vegetables for dinner.”
Always capitalize the first letter of a quote even if it is not the beginning of the sentence. When using identifying words in the middle of the quote, the beginning of the second part of the quote does not need to be capitalized.
Use commas between identifying words and quotes. Quotation marks must be placed after commas and periods. Place quotation marks after question marks and exclamation points only if the question or exclamation is part of the quoted text.
Question is part of quoted text: The new employee asked, “When is lunch?”
Question is not part of quoted text: Did you hear her say you were “the next Picasso”?
Exclamation is part of quoted text: My supervisor beamed, “Thanks for all of your hard work!”
Exclamation is not part of quoted text: He said I “single-handedly saved the company thousands of dollars”!
Quotations within Quotations
Use single quotation marks (‘ ’) to show a quotation within in a quotation.
Theresa said, “I wanted to take my dog to the festival, but the man at the gate said, ‘No dogs allowed.’”
“When you say, ‘I can’t help it,’ what exactly does that mean?”
“The instructions say, ‘Tighten the screws one at a time.’”
Titles
Use quotation marks around titles of short works of writing, such as essays, songs, poems, short stories, articles in periodicals, and chapters in books. Usually, titles of longer works, such as books, magazines, albums, newspapers, and novels, are italicized.
“Annabelle Lee” is one of my favorite romantic poems.
The New York Times has been in publication since 1851.
Writing at Work
In many businesses, the difference between exact wording and a paraphrase is extremely important. For legal purposes, or for the purposes of doing a job correctly, it can be important to know exactly what the client, customer, or supervisor said. Sometimes, important details can be lost when instructions are paraphrased. Use quotes to indicate exact words where needed, and let your coworkers know the source of the quotation (client, customer, peer, etc.).
Exercise 9
Copy the following sentences onto your own sheet of paper, and correct them by adding quotation marks where necessary. If the sentence does not need any quotation marks, write OK.
1. Yasmin said, I don’t feel like cooking. Let’s go out to eat.
2. Where should we go? said Russell.
3. Yasmin said it didn’t matter to her.
4. I know, said Russell, let’s go to the Two Roads Juice Bar.
5. Perfect! said Yasmin.
6. Did you know that the name of the Juice Bar is a reference to a poem? asked Russell.
7. I didn’t! exclaimed Yasmin. Which poem?
8. The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost Russell explained.
9. Oh! said Yasmin, Is that the one that starts with the line, Two roads diverged in a yellow wood?
10. That’s the one said Russell.
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
· Use quotation marks to enclose direct quotes and titles of short works.
· Use single quotation marks to enclose a quote within a quote.
· Do not use any quotation marks for indirect quotations.
5. APOSTROPHES
An apostrophe (’) is a punctuation mark that is used with a noun to show possession or to indicate where a letter has been left out to form a contraction.
Possession
An apostrophe and the letter s indicate who or what owns something. To show possession with a singular noun, add ’s.
Jen’s dance routine mesmerized everyone in the room.
The dog’s leash is hanging on the hook beside the door.
Jess’s sister is also coming to the party.
Notice that singular nouns that end in s still take the apostrophe s (’s) ending to show possession.
To show possession with a plural noun that ends in s, just add an apostrophe (’). If the plural noun does not end in s, add an apostrophe and an s (’s).
Plural noun that ends in s: The drummers’ sticks all moved in the same rhythm, like a machine.
Plural noun that does not end in s: The people’s votes clearly showed that no one supported the management decision.
Tip
Do not use apostrophes for plurals. It is a common mistake and easy to find in signs and even newspapers.
Correct: The 1980s were when neon colors came into their own in the world of fashion.
Incorrect: The 1980’s were when neon color’s came into their own in the world of fashion.
Contractions
A contraction is a word that is formed by combining two words. In a contraction, an apostrophe shows where one or more letters have been left out. Contractions are commonly used in informal writing but not in formal writing.
I do not like ice cream.
I don’t like ice cream.
Notice how the words do and not have been combined to form the contraction don’t. The apostrophe shows where the o in not has been left out.
We will see you later.
We’ll see you later.
Look at the chart for some examples of commonly used contractions.
Figure 0.1 “Commonly Used Contractions”
Tip
Be careful not to confuse it’s with its. It’s is a contraction of the words it and is. Its is a possessive pronoun.
It’s cold and rainy outside. (It is cold and rainy outside.)
The cat was chasing its tail. (Shows that the tail belongs to the cat.)
When in doubt, substitute the words it is in a sentence. If sentence still makes sense, use the contraction it’s.
Exercise 10
On your own sheet of paper, correct the following sentences by adding apostrophes. If the sentence is correct as it is, write OK.
1. “What a beautiful child! She has her mothers eyes.”
2. My brothers wife is one of my best friends.
3. I couldnt believe it when I found out that I got the job!
4. My supervisors informed me that I wouldnt be able to take the days off.
5. Each of the students responses were unique.
6. Wont you please join me for dinner tonight?
Key Takeaways
· Use apostrophes to show possession. Add ’s to singular nouns and plural nouns that do not end in s. Add ’ to plural nouns that end in s.
· Use apostrophes in contractions to show where a letter or letters have been left out.
6. PARENTHESES
Parentheses ( ) are punctuation marks that are always used in pairs and contain material that is secondary to the meaning of a sentence. Parentheses must never contain the subject or verb of a sentence. A sentence should make sense if you delete any text within parentheses and the parentheses.
Attack of the Killer Potatoes has to be the worst movie I have seen (so far).
Your spinach and garlic salad is one of the most delicious (and nutritious) foods I have ever tasted!
Exercise 11
On your own sheet of paper, clarify the following sentences by adding parentheses. If the sentence is clear as it is, write OK.
1. Are you going to the seminar this weekend I am?
2. I recommend that you try the sushi bar unless you don’t like sushi.
3. I was able to solve the puzzle after taking a few moments to think about it.
4. Please complete the questionnaire at the end of this letter.
5. Has anyone besides me read the assignment?
6. Please be sure to circle not underline the correct answers.
Key Takeaways
· Parentheses enclose information that is secondary to the meaning of a sentence.
· Parentheses are always used in pairs.
7. DASHES
A dash (—) is a punctuation mark used to set off information in a sentence for emphasis. You can enclose text between two dashes, or use just one dash. To create a dash in Microsoft Word, type two hyphens together. Do not put a space between dashes and text.
Arrive to the interview early—but not too early.
Any of the suits—except for the purple one—should be fine to wear.
Exercise 12
On your own sheet of paper, clarify the following sentences by adding dashes. If the sentence is clear as it is, write OK.
1. Which hairstyle do you prefer short or long?
2. I don’t know I hadn’t even thought about that.
3. Guess what I got the job!
4. I will be happy to work over the weekend if I can have Monday off.
5. You have all the qualities that we are looking for in a candidate intelligence, dedication, and a strong work ethic.
Key Takeaways
· Dashes indicate a pause in text.
· Dashes set off information in a sentence to show emphasis.
8. HYPHENS
A hyphen (-) looks similar to a dash but is shorter and used in different ways.
Hyphens between Two Adjectives That Work as One
Use a hyphen to combine words that work together to form a single description.
The fifty–five–year–old athlete was just as qualified for the marathon as his younger opponents.
My doctor recommended against taking the medication, since it can be habit–forming.
My study group focused on preparing for the midyear review.
Hyphens When a Word Breaks at the End of a Line
Use a hyphen to divide a word across two lines of text. You may notice that most word-processing programs will do this for you. If you have to manually insert a hyphen, place the hyphen between two syllables. If you are unsure of where to place the hyphen, consult a dictionary or move the entire word to the next line.
My supervisor was concerned that the team meet–
ing would conflict with the client meeting.
Key Takeaways
· Hyphens join words that work as one adjective.
· Hyphens break words across two lines of text.
CC Licensed Content, Shared Previously
Writing for Success , CC-BY-NC-SA.
Image Credits
Figure 9.1 “Commonly Used Contractions,” Kalyca Schultz, Virginia Western Community College, CC-0.
SELF CHECK: PROOFREADING
Check Your Understanding: Proofreading
Looks like you're getting it
You're ready to move on to the next section.
Question 1 — Correct
Very Sure
Your friend has made the following plan to help her revise for lower-order concerns: “First, proofread for grammatical errors. Second, re-evaluate my thesis statement and overall structure. Third, run the spell-checker” What piece of feedback would be the most helpful for her?
Question 2 — Correct
Very Sure
Read the student excerpt below and decide which lower-order concern this student most needs to revise for.
Pornography seriously affects studies and works. Pornography deliveries the addictive qualities of alcohol, tobacco and also of the drugs. Bensimon said “long-term exposure to pornography has an addictive effect and leads offenders to minimize the violence in the acts they commit” (101). The more that various persons watch pornography, the more that that desire to watch it is growing. Therefore, they cannot be concentrate on important things such as study and works. Furthermore, their grade will be drop and school became lesser importance. Ability to stop at watching it pornography takes a lot of effort.
Question 3 — Correct
Very Sure
Which of the following strategy is most likely to reveal spelling errors?
HELPFUL LINKS: SENTENCE SKILLS
Sentence skills is a phrase we use to cover everything pretty much on the sentence scale in writing--everything we're supposed to pay careful attention to as we edit/proofread. This includes avoiding sentence errors like run-ons, comma splices, and fragments as well as correctly using punctuation--in short, what mostly is considered "grammar."
In particular, sentence skills, when done poorly, either interfere or interrupt reading, and, because of these stoppages, we have grammar rules so that stoppages should rarely occur. Communication in writing should flow, not be a series of starts and stops.
You've seen much of this concern already as you've worked through this module.
However, many students still like extra help with these matters, and sentence skill matters are something you want to master to do well on Essay 2 since Essay 2 is a kind of revising and editing 'post-test.'
With this in mind, I'm providing these helpful links to help you with your grammar skills:
Exercises at Grammar Bytes
Point of View [POV}
Point of View
First Person
• First person is used when the paper is being told from the writer’s point of view. • Word clues: I, me, mine, my OR first person plural point of view if working in a group: we, us, our
Examples:
I went to the store.
Steve gave me a flower.
Mr. Johnson gave us the assignment.
We, the people of the United States of America, in order to...
• Unless the topic specifically lends itself to your personal point of view and is self-reflective, do not use first person in formal writing.
Second Person
• Second person is used when the writer directly addresses the reader.
• Word Clues: you, your
Examples:
When you look at the evidence, you can easily see...
Now you know what to do to make your classroom safer.
After trying on the dress, you will know for certain whether it’s sophisticated and sexy or tacky and indecent.
• DO NOT use second person in any formal writing.
Third Person
• Third person is used when both the writer and the reader are left out of the writing. • Word Clues: he, she, it, him, her, its, them, they, theirs, one, people, individual, individuals, a person, someone, anyone, no one, somebody, anybody, nobody
Examples:
He looked at the building and found it safe. She loves the flowers he gives to her. Clearly, everybody is enjoying his or her work. One does not simply walk onstage. Research has indicated vanilla is most people’s preferred ice cream flavor. • Third person is the preferred voice in academic and formal writing. • One possible fix that sometimes works is changing second person to third person by using the word “one” instead of “you.”
Examples:
Second person: As a parent, you have the right to know what your children’s online activities are. Corrected third person: As a parent, one has the right to know what his or her children’s online activities are.
Second person: Your attitude changes as you grow older and become more experienced. Corrected third person: One’s attitude changes as one grows older and becomes more experienced.
Test Your Knowledge of Point of View
1. From what point of view is the sentence below written? You cannot listen to rock music without thinking of the Beatles. Can this sentence be fixed to reflect a point of view used in academic writing? How? 2. From what point of view is the sentence below written? Although Mark roots for the Green Bay Packers, we are still close friends. Can this sentence be fixed to reflect a point of view used in academic writing? How? 3. From what point of view is the sentence below written? Recent polls have shown that if Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer were to run for governor of Minnesota, he would win. Can this sentence be fixed to reflect a point of view used in academic writing? How? 4. From what point of view is the sentence below written? Even though you might not enjoy doing homework, sometimes you have to do things you do not want to do. Can this sentence be fixed to reflect a point of view used in academic writing? How? Answers 1. The sentence is written from the second person p.o.v. Yes, it can be fixed: One cannot listen to rock music without thinking of the Beatles. 2. The sentence is written from the first person plural p.o.v. Whether it can be fixed depends on the context and the topic. If it is a self-reflective paper topic, first person is acceptable and even expected. If not the topic is NOT self-reflective, then a writer can use something like “the author” and rephrase, something like this: Although Mark roots for the Green Bay Packers, he and the author still remain close friends. 3. The sentence is written from the third person p.o.v., and there’s no need to fix it; it is already in the most accepted p.o.v. for an academic paper. 4. The sentence is written from the second person p.o.v. Yes, it can be fixed: Although doing homework is not necessarily enjoyable, sometimes one has to do things one does not want to do.
1 Comma Uses: An Overview
GENERAL USAGE
1. Commas separate THREE OR MORE items in a series: Glenda bought a bat, a ball, and a catcher’s mitt. 2. Unless it is very short, an introductory phrase is followed by a comma: By the end of December, it is very clear which teams will not make the playoffs.
3. Commas set off names of a person directly addressed: The truth is, Susan, he lied to you. 4. Commas set off appositives: Henry, their bulldog, doesn’t like strangers.
5. Commas set off inessential information in a sentence: Dwayne, by the way, is from Detroit.
6. Commas set off complete dates and multi-part addresses: Dwayne is from Detroit, Michigan, where he was born January 8, 1981, during a terrible blizzard.
NOTE: Commas are not needed when only month and year or month and day are used alone: He was born in January 1981. He was born on January 8.
COORDINATION: THE COMPOUND SENTENCE
COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS: but, or, yet, for, and, nor, so
Use a comma before a COORDINATING CONJUNCTION when joining together two independent clauses. An INDEPENDENT CLAUSE is a complete sentence, including subject, complete verb, and sufficient meaning (can stand alone as an “independent” idea).
EXAMPLES:
INDEPENDENT CLAUSE 1: I telephoned you last night.
INDEPENDENT CLAUSE 2: The line was busy.
When you join two or more independent clauses with a comma and a coordinating conjunction, the resulting sentence type is called a COMPOUND SENTENCE.
EXAMPLE: I telephoned you last night, but the line was busy.
NOTICE: The comma is placed BEFORE a coordinating conjunction when the conjunction is followed by a subject, complete verb, and the word group has sufficient meaning (independent clause).
SEMICOLONS are also used to join independent clauses, and the result of such correct usage is also called a COMPOUND SENTENCE.
EXAMPLE: I telephoned you last night; the line was busy. NOTICE: When using the semicolon to join two or more independent clauses, do NOT use a coordinating conjunction (do not use but, or, yet, for, and, nor, so).
SEMICOLONS can work with CONJUNCTIVE ADVERBS (also called adverbial conjunctions, transitions, transitional expressions, or transitional words) to join independent clauses, creating yet another type of COMPOUND SENTENCE.
COMMON CONJUNCTIVE ADVERBS: accordingly, additionally, also, in addition, then, as well, besides, equally important, for example, for instance, furthermore, indeed, instead, likewise, meanwhile, therefore, in fact, as a result, hence, finally, in conclusion, however, nonetheless, nevertheless, on the other hand, consequently, moreover, thus, hence
EXAMPLE: I telephoned you last night; however, the line was busy.
NOTICE: The semicolon comes before the conjunctive adverb, and the comma comes after the conjunctive adverb in this kind of compound sentence.
CONJUNCTIVE ADVERBS can be ALSO used with a comma alone in a sentence for sentence variety according to the patterns below:
AT THE END OF A SENTENCE: The painting was magnificent, however.
AT THE BEGINNING OF A SENTENCE: Finally, I found my car keys.
IN THE MIDDLE OF A SENTENCE: It will be necessary, in fact, to mail another copy of the letter.
NOTICE: Pay careful attention to the comma use in each of the three cases above. None of the examples above use the semicolon because in every case there is only one independent clause, and there are no compound sentences.
SUBORDINATION: THE COMPLEX SENTENCE
SOME COMMON SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS:
after, although, as, as if, as long as, because, before, even if, even though, ever since, if, since, so that, than, though, unless, until, when, whenever, where, wherever, whereas, whether, which, whichever, while
A DEPENDENT CLAUSE (also called a SUBORDINATE CLAUSE) is an independent clause with a SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTION added to it. The subordination conjunction makes the clause an incomplete thought WITHOUT SUFFICIENT MEANING.
EXAMPLES:
INDEPENDENT CLAUSE: I telephoned you last night. (complete thought, sufficient meaning)
DEPENDENT CLAUSE: When I telephoned you last night. (incomplete thought, insufficient meaning)
NOTICE: The subordinating conjunction “when” makes the independent clause lack a complete meaning and leaves the reader hanging—When I telephoned you last night… What happened? Was the line busy? Did anyone answer? When using subordinating conjunctions, punctuate according to where the subordinating conjunction is in the sentence. There are only two patterns:
SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTION THAT BEGINS THE SENTENCE
When a subordinating conjunction begins the sentence use a comma at the end of the dependent clause.
EXAMPLE: When I opened the door, the dog ran out.
SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTION THAT DOES NOT BEGIN THE SENTENCE When a subordinating conjunction does not begin the sentence leave the comma out altogether.
EXAMPLE: The dog ran out when I opened the door.
Fragments, Run-ons, and Comma Splices
Avoiding Fused Sentences (Run-ons [RO] and Comma Splices [CS])
There are two types of fused sentences: A run-on is nothing but two independent clauses “run” together with NO punctuation and/or NO conjunction. Run-ons are NOT acceptable in college level writing.
Examples and Corrections
Run-on: A neighbor’s cat got accidentally locked outside and she cried all night. This is a run-on simply because of a comma mistake but a serious one. There should be a comma before the conjunction “and,” following the correct rules for coordination when joining two independent clauses:
Corrected: A neighbor’s cat got accidentally locked outside, and she cried all night.
Run-on: Betty struggles with many tragedies she has complicated relationships with her family and her boyfriends. This is clearly a run-on simply because two independent clauses are just run together without punctuation or any kind of conjunction. There are at least six different correct ways to fix this run-on: Corrected: Betty struggles with many tragedies, for she has complicated relationships with her family and her boyfriends.
Corrected: Betty struggles with many tragedies; she has complicated relationships with her family and her boyfriends.
Corrected: Betty struggles with many tragedies; indeed, she has complicated relationships with her family and her boyfriends.
Corrected: Betty struggles with many tragedies. She has complicated relationships with her family and her boyfriends.
Corrected: Betty struggles with many tragedies because she has complicated relationships with her family and her boyfriends.
Corrected: Because she has complicated relationships with her family and her boyfriends, Betty struggles with many tragedies.
Remember, run-ons are not sentences which “seem too long”; they are sentences containing independent clauses just “jammed” together. Comma splices, unlike run-ons, have punctuation—the comma—but they lack an appropriate conjunction. Simply stated, comma splices are independent clauses “spliced” together with only a comma, and a comma is not a strong enough punctuation mark to hold independent clauses together. Comma splices are also NOT acceptable in college level writing.
Example and Correction
Comma Splice: Jeanette buys lottery tickets every week, she won a thousand dollars once. This is a comma splice because two independent clauses are being joined only with a comma. A semicolon by itself can hold two independent clauses together, so using the semicolon is always the simplest fix:
Corrected: Jeanette buys lottery tickets every week; she won a thousand dollars once.
Any other of the methods of coordination or subordination would also fix a comma splice as could simply using a period and making two separate sentences. Avoiding Fragments (Frag)
A fragment is an incomplete sentence. It is a phrase or clause punctuated as if it were a complete sentence. Unlike a complete sentence, however, a fragment lacks a subject or a verb or both, or it begins with a dependent word and is not joined correctly to an independent clause. In either case, a sentence fragment fails to express a complete, independent thought and is seriously wrong.
Examples and Corrections
Fragment: The sign leaning against the wall. (Lacks a helping verb)
Fragment: Feeling sick. (Lacks both a subject and a helping verb)
Fragment: When it is time. (Contains subject and verb but begins with the subordinating conjunction ― “when”) When you are not sure whether a word group set off as a sentence is actually a complete sentence, apply the following four tests. If the word group does NOT pass all four tests, it is a fragment and needs to be revised.
TEST 1 Look for a complete verb in the group of words. If you cannot find one, the word group is a fragment, and it is wrong. Fragment: Four years of study and then graduation. (The word group contains no verb.) Corrected: Four years of study precede graduation.
TEST 2 If you find a complete verb in the word group, look for its subject by asking who or what performs the action. If there is no subject, the word group is a fragment unless it is a command.
Fragment: Closed the door quietly. (The word group lacks a subject and is not a command.)
Fragment: Closing the door quietly. (The word group still lacks a subject and is not a command.)
Corrected: He closed the door quietly. Correct—the Command Form: Close the door quietly. (always in present tense and has ― “you” as the implied subject)
TEST 3 If you find a complete verb and its subject, look at the beginning of the word group. If the first word is a subordinating conjunction, the group is a fragment if it does not include a complete, independent thought.
Fragment: As the plane lifted from the runway. (The word group contains a verb, “lifted,” and a subject, “plane.” Still, because the group begins with the subordinating conjunction “As” the thought is incomplete.)
Corrected: The plane lifted from the runway. (The subordinating conjunction “As” is removed.)
Corrected: As the plane lifted from the runway, we felt a sense of relief. (The subordinate clause is joined with an independent clause to make a complete sentence.)
TEST 4 If the word group begins with how, who, which, where, when, what, that, or why (words that may introduce either subordinate clauses or questions) the group is a fragment unless it asks a question.
Fragment: When she goes to her office. (The word group contains a verb, “goes” and a subject, “she,” but it begins with “when” and does not ask a question.)
Corrected: She goes to her office.
Corrected: When does she go to her office?
Cumulative Review: Avoiding Fused Sentences and Fragments
Select the best version of the underlined portion of the sentence. The first choice is the same as the original sentence.
1. Bradley has seen all the wondrous sites from the Grand Canyon to the Statue of Liberty, he’s decided to live in Orlando, and go to the University of Central Florida.
A. Liberty, he’s decided to live in Orlando, and go
B. Liberty; he’s decided to live in Orlando, and go
C. Liberty, yet he’s decided to live in Orlando, and he’ll go
D. Liberty; nevertheless, he’s decided to live in Orlando and he’ll go
2. When, I decided to return to my classes after a vacation in Aruba, my really nice math teacher gave me a little make-up work and some extra credit.
A. When, I decided to return to my classes after a vacation in Aruba, my
B. When I decided to return to my classes after a vacation in Aruba, my
C. When I decided to return to my classes, after a vacation in Aruba, my
D. When I decided to return to my classes. After a vacation in Aruba, my
3. We certainly made a point of visiting Tangier, but did not take the lovely ferry ride to beautiful Gibraltar, even though we wanted to go there.
A. Tangier, but did not take the lovely ferry ride to beautiful Gibraltar, even though
B. Tangier but did not take the lovely ferry ride to beautiful Gibraltar. Even though
C. Tangier; but did not take the lovely ferry ride to beautiful Gibraltar even though
D. Tangier but did not take the lovely ferry ride to beautiful Gibraltar even though
4. If Reggie does not make an appearance, I will have no choice but to give the job to Melody.
A. If Reggie does not make an appearance, I will have no choice but
B. If Reggie does not make an appearance, I will have no choice; but
C. If Reggie does not make an appearance. I will have no choice, but
D. If Reggie does not make an appearance, I will have no choice, but
5. Unless Bruce is guilty of perjury, the case against Tony is basically closed because I cannot see any way that a jury would be able to acquit him based on such incriminating testimony.
A. Unless Bruce is guilty of perjury, the case against Tony is basically closed
B. Unless Bruce is guilty of perjury, the case against Tony is basically closed,
C. Unless Bruce is guilty of perjury the case against Tony is basically closed,
D. Unless Bruce is guilty of perjury, the case against Tony is basically closed;
6. The dragonfly flew high up into the air, the children awestruck by its flight.
A. the air, the children
B. the air. The children
C. the air; as a result, the children
D. the air, consequently, the children were
7. Denying defeat, Sabrina kept working hard in her algebra class while she did not get an A, she did finally master exponents.
A. Denying defeat, Sabrina kept working hard in her algebra class
B. Denying defeat, Sabrina kept working hard in her algebra class and
C. Denying defeat, Sabrina kept working hard in her algebra class; and
D. Denying defeat, Sabrina kept working hard in her algebra class. While
Rewrite the sentence in your head following the directions given below. Keep in mind that your new sentence should be well written and should have essentially the same meaning as the original sentence.
8. It was an incredibly dark and violently stormy night, so it definitely was not a good night to take an evening stroll through the East End.
Rewrite beginning with
Since it was an incredibly dark and violently stormy night,
The next words will be
A. so it definitely was not a good night to take an evening stroll through the East End.
B. it was definitely not a good night to take an evening stroll, through the East End.
C. not a good night to take an evening stroll through the East End.
D. it was definitely not a good night to take an evening stroll in the East End.
9. Trisha's work for the new hospital is progressing; however, she is unaware that her husband's illness is continuing to worsen because he has not told her about his condition.
Rewrite beginning with
Unaware of her husband’s worsening illness,
The next words will be
A. Trisha makes progress in her work at the new hospital.
B. Trisha’s work at the new hospital progresses, since he hasn’t told her about his condition.
C. because he hasn’t told her about his condition. Trisha makes progress in her work at the new hospital.
D. Trisha makes progress in her work at the new hospital, however, he never told her about his condition.
10. While it is true that getting good test scores may make a difference in one's academic success, the ability to apply one's learning to real life situations is the most telling test of a student's mastery of his or her education.
Rewrite beginning with
Good test scores aren’t the best measure of a student’s learning,
The next words will be
A. students’ ability to apply their learning in real life situations is the best test of their education.
B. but a student who applies his or her education in real life situations better reveals the true extent of his or her learning.
C. rather, the best test of a student’s education is his or her application of his or her learning in real life situations.
D. since the best test of students’ education is their application of their learning in real life situations.
ANSWERS and ANALYSIS
1. Correct answer is C.
Choice A would result in a comma splice and the improper use of a comma with a conjunction.
Choice B involves improper use of a comma with a conjunction.
Choice D creates a run-on.
2. Correct answer is B.
Choice A involves improper comma usage with subordination.
Choice C involves improper comma usage with subordination.
Choice D creates a fragment.
3. Correct answer is D.
Choice A includes improper use of commas with coordinating and subordinating conjunctions.
Choice B creates a fragment.
Choice C misuses the semicolon with a coordinating conjunction.
4.Correct answer is A.
Choice B, again, improperly places the semicolon with a coordinating conjunction—always wrong.
Choice C creates a fragment.
Choice D involves improper use of a comma with a conjunction.
5. Correct answer is A.
Choice B is, yet again, another instance of incorrect comma usage with a conjunction.
Choice C leaves out a necessary comma for subordination.
Choice D uses the semicolon incorrectly—“because I cannot see any way that a jury would be able to acquit him based on such incriminating testimony” is a dependent clause, not an independent clause.
6. Correct answer is A.
Choice B creates a fragment.
Choice C involves improper punctuation for a conjunctive adverb when it is NOT joining independent clauses.
Choice D results in a comma splice.
7. Correct answer is D.
Choice A results in a run-on. Choice B results in a run-on.
Choice C improperly places the semicolon with a coordinating conjunction—always wrong.
8. Correct answer is D. 9. Correct answer is A.
Choice B is, yet again, another instance of incorrect comma usage with a subordinating conjunction.
Choice C creates a fragment.
Choice D creates a comma splice.
10. Correct answer is B.
Choices A and C create comma splices in each case.
Choice D is, yet again, another instance of incorrect comma usage with a subordinating conjunction.
Sentence Skills Refresher
Sentence Skills Refresher 1
INTRODUCTION
This booklet will begin with a brief overview of the build of the ACCUPLACER CPT Sentence Skills Test. After this, the review will begin with study information arranged in eleven chapters. Each brief chapter will help you to “refresh” yourself on the different aspects of grammar and sentence construction that the CPT asks.
Most chapters—but not every chapter—will end with a few practice items. Skills from Chapters II through V, in particular, are grouped together in a single practice. The topics for Chapters II through V belong together and should be practiced together.
This booklet ends with a full 20-item Practice Test. This Practice Test has a cross-referenced answer key, so you can review what you get wrong in correlation with the eleven chapters of this booklet.
Now you’re ready to refresh!
SENTENCE SKILLS
Sentence Skills Refresher 2
There are 20 questions of two kinds dealing with Sentence Skills on the CPT:
1. Sentence Correction Questions: These questions test your awareness and understanding of sentence structure, asking you to choose the best word or phrase, including correct punctuation, for an underlined portion of a sentence.
Example: Lynn thought about applying for another credit card. But finally decided eight cards were more than enough.
A. card. But finally decided
B. card, but finally decided
C. card, but she finally decided
D. card; but finally decided
The correct answer for the example above would be Choice C since it correctly demonstrates the writer’s ability to use coordinating conjunctions and punctuation correctly to form a sensible compound sentence. The choices other than C would result in errors like a fragment or the incorrect use of a comma or semicolon.
2. Sentence Construction Shift Questions: These questions test the depth of your writing abilities by asking you to rewrite sentences correctly according to a specific revision prompt while maintaining the logical meaning of the original sentence.
Example: Despite the fact that he’s just out of college, he demonstrates confident authority when leading the team. Rewrite, beginning with He demonstrates confident authority when leading the team, The next words will be
A. so he’s only just gotten out of college
B. however, he’s only just gotten out of college
C. for he’s only just gotten out of college
D. yet he’s only just gotten out of college
The correct answer for the example above would be Choice D because it reflects the proper relationship between the two clauses that was established in the original sentence in the phrase “Despite the fact….” Specifically, it would be remarkable that as a new member of a team he exhibits “confident authority.” Such “confident authority” would be unexpected from someone who is young and Sentence Skills Refresher 3 inexperienced. Choices A and C do not provide the sense that his “confident authority” is unexpectedly surprising. Instead, Choices A and C treat his inexperience as if it is the logical cause of his “confident authority.” Choice B’s use of “however” suggests that his “confident authority” is some kind of defect or deception as a result of completing college, and, grammatically, the punctuation in Choice B would result in a serious mistake: a comma splice!
Now that we’ve established the two types of Sentence Skills questions on the CPT, we can now turn to discussing in some detail the specific skills you should refresh yourself with before the test.
Beyond the constant issue of paying attention to the relationships and the meanings of words and sentences, you will need to be proficient in these skill areas:
I. Subject-Verb Agreement: pages 4-5
II. II. Coordination and the Use of Commas and Semicolons: pages 6-8
III. III. Subordination and the Use of Commas: pages 9-10
IV. IV. Avoiding Fused Sentences (Run-ons and Comma Splices): pages 11-12
V. V. Avoiding Fragments: pages 13-14
VI. VI. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement: pages 20-21
VII. VII. Pronoun Reference: pages 22-23
VIII. VIII. Verb Tense Consistency: pages 24-25
IX. IX. Modifiers: pages 26-27
X. X. Parallelism: pages 28-30
XI. XI. Avoiding Wordiness: pages 31-34. Each of these will have a chapter in this booklet for you to review.
REVISION and EDITING CHECKLIST
1. Is the essay in essay form? A. Does it have an intro paragraph that leads to a thesis? B. Is the thesis at the end of the intro paragraph? C. How good is the thesis? D. Does the thesis fully capture all the ideas discussed in the whole essay?
2. Does it have 2-3 body/support/development paragraphs that support a thesis?
A. Do the body paragraphs begin with topic sentences?
B. Do the topic sentences directly relate to and support the thesis?
C. Do the supporting sentences in each body paragraph support the topic sentence?
D. How good, concrete, and specific are the supporting ideas in each body paragraph?
3. Does the essay end with a conclusion paragraph?
A. Does the conclusion rephrase the thesis in different words?
B. Does the conclusion paragraph introduce any new ideas not already developed earlier in the body paragraphs?
4. Does the writing have sentence skill errors or misspellings?
A. Recognize and correct fragments.
B. Recognize and correct comma splices.
C. Recognize and correct run-on [fused] sentences.
D. Maintain agreement between subjects and verbs.
E. Use correct capitalization.
F. Use the correct versions of commonly confused words and spelling.