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Language Language Skills Training Skills Training

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EditingEditing“You say what you have to say. But you have to say it in such a way that the reader can see what you mean.” - Kurt Vonnegut (American Novelist)

Editing is the process of taking a piece

of text and making it shine.If language is like a window, through which a reader can see what you mean, ‘Editing’ is like polishing the window, by taking away the words that are not needed, to make it look clearer.

While Editing Remember

WW

AA

SS

PP

ordinessordiness

greementgreement

pellingpelling

unctuationunctuation

How to catch those little mistakes that How to catch those little mistakes that make a big difference?make a big difference?

WordinessWordiness

Check for . . .

Repeated Words

Redundant Expressions

Repeated WordsRepeated Words Over-using words or phrases can make writing difficult to

understand and boring to read

Replace the repeated words in the sentences with other words of similar meaning to make it sound interesting

He appeared thankful to all the staff, thankful to all of the parents, and especially thankful to his students.

E.g.:E.g.:

He appeared so thankful to all the staff, grateful to all of the parents, and especially appreciative of his students.

Redundant ExpressionsRedundant Expressions

Each and every In a wise manner Come to an agreement Red in color Am of the opinion that Long in duration Considering the fact that During the time that

A redundant expression is a sentence with two words that mean the same thing.

E.g.:E.g.:

Avoid Redundant

Expressions

The reason that we stopped for the night was because we were tired.

We stopped for the night because we were tired.

AgreementAgreement

Let’s all get along…

Check for agreement between

Subjects & Verbs

Nouns & Pronouns

Subject & Verb AgreementSubject & Verb Agreement A singular subject demands a singular verb; a plural subject demands a plural verb. This is the simple principle behind subject-verb agreement

The trick is in knowing whether the subject is singular or plural. The next trick is in recognizing a singular or plural verb.

He eats breakfast every day at nine.

They eat breakfast every day at nine.

Singular Subject

Singular Verb

Plural Subject

Plural Verb

Noun & Pronoun AgreementNoun & Pronoun Agreement A singular noun demands a singular pronoun; a plural noun demands a plural pronoun. This is the principle behind Noun-Pronoun agreement

Noun Pronoun Example

Singular Singular Everyone is bringing his or her mobile phone to the class.

Singular Singular Each of the professors knows his or her most adept fliers.

Plural Plural They have their own rules.

The trick is in knowing whether the noun is singular or plural. The next trick is in recognizing a singular or plural pronoun.

ParallelismParallelismParallelism is a balance of two or more similar words,phrases, or clauses in a sentence.

Label each item in the list: (N) Noun, (G) Gerund, (V) Verb,(A) Adjective, (P) Pronoun, etc.

Adjust the items in the series that aren’t consistent.

Click here to learn more about Parallelism

Mary likes hiking, swimming, and to ride a bicycle.

Not Parallel

ParallelMary likes hiking, swimming, and riding a bicycle.

Position of ModifiersPosition of Modifiers

Check for . . .

Misplaced Modifiers

Dangling Modifiers

…and correct them

Click here to learn more about Misplaced Modifiers

Click here to learn more about Dangling Modifiers

SpellingSpelling Check for . . .

Frequently Misspelled Words

Words that spell-check won’t find

Words that are informal

Frequently Misspelled WordsFrequently Misspelled Words

Look out for commonly misspelled words

Incorrect Correct

Arguement Argument

Dissappoint Disappoint

Necesary Necessary

Posess, Posses Possess

Priviledge, Privalege

Privilege

Click here to know themost common misspelled words

Words that Spell Check Won’t FindWords that Spell Check Won’t FindAlways reed thru you’re pauper two check four spelling errs. If the words are spelled write butt knot the words ewe wanted too use, spell check won’t altar it.

Catching Spell Check Errors

Highlight words that you tend to misspell for future reference

Look for homonyms (two, too, to; there, their, they’re; it, it’s; your, you’re)

All these words are spelt out correctly, but are not meaningful in this context. Your brain can understand this not your computer!

Informal WordsInformal Words

Check for slang words or those we usually only hear in informal speech like,

• Irregardless• Anyways • Scientifical• Should of etc.

If in doubt, search for the word in the dictionary

““Minding the Mind”Minding the Mind”

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. And tihs porerpty of our brian makes us cmmoit mroe mitsakes, in iidnetfiyng the spllenig erorrs we cmmoit.

Check for . . .

Commas

Semi-colons

Colons

Apostrophes

PunctuationsPunctuations

Comma Comma • Place commas inside the quotes

• Commas separate two complete sentences joined by a coordinating conjunction:

For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So

Tom Cruise can take my breath away, but I had the time of my life with Patrick Swayze.

“When I think of the early days at Microsoft, were all the programming was done

on DOS, it simply amazes me how far we’ve come,” Bill Gates said.

• Commas separate introductory clauses

Before he went to New York, he had spent a year in Australia.

• Commas on both sides of interrupting words or phrases

I do, however, realize that some prefer Windows XP.

Semicolons & ColonsSemicolons & ColonsSemicolons

Set apart a sentence from an example or list

He checked out three books: Jurassic Park, Timeline, and Airframe.

Separate two complete sentences (second sentence NOT capitalized)

Used in lists where there are two commas within the items ofthe list

Colons

;

:

It marks the omission of one or more letters (doesn't for does not), and it assists in marking the possessives of nouns (Delilah’s book).

ApostrophesApostrophes _’_

Do not use Apostrophes with:

Time eras - the 1970s)

Plural last names - the Smiths

Possessive pronouns - its, his, hers, etc.

“The difficulty of literature is not to write, but to write what you mean; not to affect your reader, but to affect him precisely as you wish.”

- Robert Louis Stevenson (Scottish Essayist, Poet and Author of fiction and travel books, 1850-1894)