Editing focuses on sentence-level choices, including phrasing, grammar, mechanics, and wording. The aim is to make each sentence clear and effective for its intended audience.
A useful strategy is to read the draft aloud, or use a device’s text-to-speech feature. Listening can reveal awkward phrasing or sentences that do not sound quite right. When you notice a problem, revise that section and then read the sentence again to check that the change works.
All flashcards
Editing
Revising sentence-level phrasing, grammar, mechanics, and wording to make sentences clear and effective.
Proofreading
Checking a draft for small details such as typing mistakes, spelling, punctuation, and required formatting.
Verb tense
A verb form that indicates when an action or description occurs.
Purposeful tense shift
A change in tense that clarifies a real difference in the time being discussed.
Reading aloud during editing
A review strategy that can help reveal awkward phrasing or sentences that sound unclear.
Quiz questions
A writer describes two actions that both happened during the same past time frame. Which sentence keeps the tense consistent?Answer: I lost a glove on my walk, but I found it later.
A writer describes an artist’s current paintings, then recounts what attracted the artist as a child. Why can the verbs appropriately shift tense?Answer: The writing moves between the artist’s present work and an earlier period.
In MLA style, what tense is commonly used to refer to the contents of literary works?Answer: Present tense, even when the works were written earlier.
A writing tool suggests changing a verb, but the writer is unsure whether the change preserves the intended meaning. What should the writer do?Answer: Review the suggestion and accept it only if it fits the meaning and context.
Why might a writer proofread sentences individually, starting at the bottom of a draft?Answer: It can help focus attention on spelling and punctuation in each sentence.
Based on Writing Guide with Handbook by Michelle Bachelor Robinson, Maria Jerskey, featuring Toby Fulwiler (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.