EDITING

AND
PROOFREADING

Contents
An Introduction to Editing and Proofreading ......................................................................3
Answer Bubble Sheets ............................................................................................................7
Focus Lessons 1 and 2: Answer Keys......................................................................................9
Focus Lessons 3 and 4: Answer Keys......................................................................................10
Cumulative Review 1: Answer Key ........................................................................................11
Focus Lessons 5 and 6: Answer Keys......................................................................................12
Focus Lessons 7 and 8: Answer Keys......................................................................................13
Cumulative Review 2: Answer Key ........................................................................................14
Focus Lessons 9 and 10: Answer Keys....................................................................................15
Focus Lessons 11 and 12: Answer Keys..................................................................................16
Cumulative Review 3: Answer Key ........................................................................................17
Final Review: Answer Key ......................................................................................................18
Multiple Choice Exercises: Answer Key ................................................................................19
Focus Lessons 1–4....................................................................................................................20
Cumulative Review 1 ..............................................................................................................24
Focus Lessons 5–8....................................................................................................................25
Cumulative Review 2 ..............................................................................................................29
Focus Lessons 9–12..................................................................................................................30
Cumulative Review 3 ..............................................................................................................34
Final Review ............................................................................................................................35
Multiple Choice Exercises 1–14..............................................................................................36
 This booklet was written by The Princeton Review, the nation’s leader in test
preparation. The Princeton Review helps millions of students every year prepare for
standardized assessments of all kinds. Through its association with
Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, The Princeton Review offers the best way to help students
excel on the North Carolina English End-of-Course Test.
The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University or Educational Testing Service.

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 An Introduction to Editing and Proofreading
Overview of the North Carolina English I End-of-Course Test
The English I exam is an End-of-Course test administered to North Carolina students
within ten days of completing the English I curriculum. End-of-Course tests, which
students first encounter in grade 9, take the place of End-of-Grade tests, which are
administered in grades 3 through 8.
For students in grades 6 though 8, the English End-of-Grade tests assess only
mathematics and reading comprehension. The material presented in this book
reviews grammar and usage, the subject of the English I test. These lessons and
exercises help students begin to prepare for the English I exam that they will take at
the end of grade 9.
The English I exam consists of 72 questions. Students will have 95 minutes to take
the exam. Students must pass the exam in order to proceed to English II.

How Is the English I End-of-Course Test Scored?

Students’ test scores are based on the number of questions they answer correctly.
Answers left blank count the same as incorrect answers, so you should encourage
students to answer every question on the test. The number of correct answers
students record makes up their raw scores on the exam.
In order to determine students’ final scores, the DPI Division of Accountability
Services converts students’ raw score to scaled scores. This is done by plotting
students’ raw scores on a curve and setting a mean score for the test. The state uses
scaled scores, rather than raw scores, because scaled scores are easier to interpret.
For example, a student who scored 70 outperformed a student who scored 60 by
exactly the same amount that the student who scored 60 outperformed a student who
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

scored 50. Such comparisons are much more difficult to make when comparing raw
scores because each question has a different statistical value.
The state reports students’ scores in two other formats: percentile and achievement
level. The percentile score shows a student’s relative rank among all North Carolina
students, normalized to eliminate differences among different test administration
years. A 75th percentile rank in 2000, for example, has been normalized to reflect
that this student would have received the same grade had he or she taken the exam
in any other year.

Introduction to Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7 3

Achievement-level scores rank students in one of four levels: Level I, Level II, Level III, and
Level IV. Their meanings are as follows:
• Level I: Insufficient mastery of the material
• Level II: Inconsistent, minimally sufficient mastery of the material
• Level III: Consistent mastery of the material
• Level IV: Superior mastery of the material
The state of North Carolina defines only Levels III and IV as indicating grade-level or
better mastery. Only students achieving these scores are allowed to proceed to
English II. Students receiving lower scores have several options, including remedial
work, an appeal, and multiple opportunities to retake the exam.
Students must earn at least a 52 scale score on the English I exam to attain Level III
status.

Types of Items and Errors Found on the English I End-of-Course Test

The English I End-of-Course exam tests grammar and spelling by requiring students
to review short reading passages. These passages resemble first drafts of essays that
students might have written for their English I classes. Throughout each passage,
words and phrases are underlined. Students must determine whether these
underlined portions are correct as written. For each underlined word or phrase, there
is an accompanying multiple-choice item. The item provides the student with three
possible revisions of the underlined word or phrase, plus a fourth option, “Make no
change.”
The errors that appear most frequently on the English I test fall into a few basic
categories. The drills and exercises included in this workbook help students prepare
to identify and correct these errors. The materials that follow use the English I End-

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

of-Course exam style in a grade-appropriate manner. Use the materials here as a way
to acquaint students with the format and timing of the test, while reviewing and
reinforcing essential grammar and usage concepts.

Using Focus Lessons, Transparencies, Cumulative Reviews, and Final

Reviews
Focus lessons are one-page sheets designed to assist you in reviewing fundamental
grammatical principles with your students. Each lesson focuses on a single type of
error and follows a standard format. First, a grammatical principle is introduced.
Students then review some sample sentences. Finally, students complete a drill by
reading a brief passage and using standard proofreading marks (see page 6) to correct
the errors contained within it.

4 Introduction to Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7

 Transparencies complement the focus lessons. They repeat the introductory text
from the focus lesson but include different examples and drills. A layover
transparency allows you to reveal correct answers to students at the end of the
lesson.
Cumulative and final reviews are passages that mirror the style and content of the
English I End-of-Course passages. Each contains numerous errors that students must
correct. Cumulative reviews test the preceding four focus lessons. The final review
tests all twelve focus lessons. Again, students should use standard proofreading
marks (see page 6) to correct any errors they find.
Focus lessons and transparencies can be used in a number of different ways. You may
want to use them in conjunction with the textbook, as part of your regular test
preparation program, or as a refresher/review of grammar concepts. Transparencies
can be used on their own or as a supplement to the focus lessons.
Cumulative and final reviews are designed for students to work on independently.
You may wish to assign them as homework or to administer them as in-class pop
quizzes.
Remember, students need to know standard proofreading marks in order to complete
the focus lessons and the reviews. The following page contains a review of these
marks. Photocopy this page and hand it out to students before you begin working on
this book.

How to Use the Exercises

The exercises consist of passages and questions written in the style of the English I
End-of-Course test. They have been adjusted for the appropriate grade level.
Students can begin preparing for the English I test by answering questions that are
in the same format as the ones on the actual test.
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

The exercises are designed for students to work on independently. You may wish to
assign them as homework or to administer them as timed, in-class drills. Allow
students 10 minutes to complete each passage and question set. Answer bubble
sheets for these exercises are included on pages 7 and 8.

The Process of Elimination

The process of elimination is a key to success on all multiple-choice tests. This is
particularly true for the English I End-of-Course exam, where there is no penalty for
guessing (see How Is the English I End-of-Course Test Scored? on page 3).
Encourage students to eliminate incorrect answer choices aggressively and
to guess whenever necassary. Remind students that eliminating even one
incorrect choice greatly increases the chances of guessing correctly.

Introduction to Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7 5

Proofreading Marks
Proofreading marks are used to edit written material. These marks indicate the
changes that need to be made to a piece of writing.
In order to complete some of the lessons and reviews that your teacher will assign you
this year, you need to be familiar with proofreading marks. This sheet contains all of
the proofreading marks you will use to complete the focus lessons, cumulative
reviews, and final reviews.

Insert comma
, After the game,let’s go get a snack.

Insert period . It’s time to go home .

Insert semicolon ; People used to think that the world was

flat ; however, we now know the world is
oval-shaped.

Insert colon : The success of a retail business depends

on one thing : a good location.

Insert question mark ? Are you tired?

Insert exclamation mark ! Go Panthers!

Insert hyphen = I lift ten=pound weights.

,

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Insert apostrophe Halley ’s Comet

Insert quotes “” She shouted,“ Look over here! ”

Change from uppercase to lowercase I love Bananas.

Change from lowercase to uppercase north Carolina

Delete Romance movies make me sad sad.

very
Insert new text Romance movies make me sad.

6 Introduction to Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7

 Practice Exercise Answer Sheet

Name ____________________________________________ Date ______________________________________________

Exercise 1 Exercise 2 Exercise 3

1 A B C D 1 A B C D 1 A B C D

2 A B C D 2 A B C D 2 A B C D

3 A B C D 3 A B C D 3 A B C D

4 A B C D 4 A B C D 4 A B C D

5 A B C D 5 A B C D 5 A B C D

6 A B C D 6 A B C D 6 A B C D

7 A B C D 7 A B C D 7 A B C D

8 A B C D 8 A B C D 8 A B C D

Exercise 4 Exercise 5 Exercise 6

1 A B C D 1 A B C D 1 A B C D

2 A B C D 2 A B C D 2 A B C D

3 A B C D 3 A B C D 3 A B C D

4 A B C D 4 A B C D 4 A B C D

5 A B C D 5 A B C D 5 A B C D

6 A B C D 6 A B C D 6 A B C D

7 A B C D 7 A B C D 7 A B C D

8 A B C D 8 A B C D 8 A B C D

Exercise 7

1 A B C D

2 A B C D

3 A B C D

4 A B C D

5 A B C D

6 A B C D

7 A B C D

8 A B C D

Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7 7

 Practice Exercise Answer Sheet

Name ____________________________________________ Date ______________________________________________

Exercise 8 Exercise 9 Exercise 10

1 A B C D 1 A B C D 1 A B C D

2 A B C D 2 A B C D 2 A B C D

3 A B C D 3 A B C D 3 A B C D

4 A B C D 4 A B C D 4 A B C D

5 A B C D 5 A B C D 5 A B C D

6 A B C D 6 A B C D 6 A B C D

7 A B C D 7 A B C D 7 A B C D

8 A B C D 8 A B C D 8 A B C D

Exercise 11 Exercise 12 Exercise 13

1 A B C D 1 A B C D 1 A B C D

2 A B C D 2 A B C D 2 A B C D

3 A B C D 3 A B C D 3 A B C D

4 A B C D 4 A B C D 4 A B C D

5 A B C D 5 A B C D 5 A B C D

6 A B C D 6 A B C D 6 A B C D

7 A B C D 7 A B C D 7 A B C D

8 A B C D 8 A B C D 8 A B C D

Exercise 14
1 A B C D

2 A B C D

3 A B C D

4 A B C D

5 A B C D

6 A B C D

7 A B C D

8 A B C D

8 Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7

 Name






































































Date

Lesson 1: Answer Key

Dear Superintendent Bell,

I am writing to tell you that I think a longer school day is a bad idea for several reasons.

First, many students. Participate in sports and other extracurricular activities after

school. Extending the school day would eat into the time set aside for sports practices,

play rehearsals, and other activities. Many people. Think that extracurricular activities

and sports are good for students’ self-esteem. Students who don’t excel academically. May

grow to like school by participating in after-school activities.

Second, teachers would not have enough time to prepare for their classes. Grading

papers is time-consuming, and teachers use afternoons and evenings for this purpose.

With less time, the quality of classes. Would go downhill. I think this would defeat the

purpose of having a longer school day.

Sincerely,

Joseph Gravek

Lesson 2: Answer Key

Loose change adds up to fight hunger.

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During the week of March 17. The seventh graders want you to bring in your
,
loose change. Collect the pennies. On your dresser. Bring in the

nickels from underneath the sofa cushions. Dig out the coins. From your pockets.

Think about it. If every student brought in 17¢, which is not enough to buy a candy

bar, we could donate $187 to the Downtown Food Cupboard.

We will host a pizza party for the homeroom. With the most students

adding their spare change to the battle against hunger.

Questions? Contact your homeroom representative.

Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7 9

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Lesson 3: Answer Key

My earliest memory is eating at a Chinese restaurant in the town next to ours. It’s so
told
strange. I remember that my mother tells me that we were going to eat the kind of food
was
that my mimi (grandmother) cooked at home. I am very excited because I loved my

mimi’s cooking. The restaurant was very dark, with thick velvet curtains hanging in front

of all the windows. A very old man was our waiter. He spoke to my parents in Mandarin,
brought
their native language. He disappeared, but a few minutes later, he started bring platter

after platter of food: fish in black bean sauce, lightly cooked snow peas, mounds of sticky

rice, sweet and sour soup, and duck with crispy skin and paper-thin pancakes. By the time
stuffed
the dessert of lychee nuts was served, I had stuff myself and couldn’t eat another bite.

Lesson 4: Answer Key

The Write Stuff

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Are you a talented writer? Would you like to have your stories, poems, and essays
has
read by others? Then, The Write Stuff is the Web site for you. The Write Stuff have

published writing by teenagers on its Internet site. All you have to do is put on your
are
creativity cap, write a masterpiece, and send it to us via e-mail. We is looking for pieces

that vividly create imaginary worlds or realistically depict teenagers’ experiences. We

is
haved published stories by writers of all ages. If our staff be impressed with your work,

we will publish your writing on our Web site! If you are talented, The Write Stuff is the

right place for you!

10 Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7

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Date

Cumulative Review 1: Answer Key

Every morning, I ride to school with my mother in her car. She drops me off at school

on her way to work.

has
My mother’s car is a blue sedan. With four doors. It had chrome strips on both sides

and a chrome grille in front. The outside mirror on the right side is neat. It is actually

two mirrors, one of which has a curved surface. That lets her see cars that are driving

right beside her.

ed
Inside, the car is very comfortable. I have often enjoying sitting in its cushioned

leather seats. Of course, I always am wear my seat belt whenever I ride in a moving car.

The seat belt is snug and makes me feel safe. As I stare out the window and watch the

houses and trees raced by.

The floor of my mother’s car. Is very cluttered because she is a furniture salesperson.
was
The back seat is filled with all sorts of catalogs and fabric samples. When I am younger, I

used to like to sit in the back and play with all the different pieces of cloth. Now I am
prefer
preferring talking with my mother or listening to the radio as we take our morning ride.
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Except for the clutter, my mother’s car is very fancy. The dashboard is all digital, and

the stereo plays cassettes and CDs. As well as the radio. Mom says having a fancy car

makes her happy because she has to spend so much time in it. Come take a ride with us

some day!

Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7 11

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Date

Lesson 5: Answer Key

I opened my locker and suddenly turned to my best friend, Sheryl. “What’s that?” I asked.
She
They peered into my locker, which I have to admit was messy.

“What’s what?” Sheryl asked.

I pointed to the certificate that had been taped over the picture of my favorite basketball

players. The certificate said, “You’re the greatest.”

you
“Maybe the principal decided to give them an award for having such a clean locker.”

“Very funny! Seriously, who could possibly have my locker combination?”

he
“Your father,” Sheryl answered. “Maybe him just wanted to congratulate you on getting

such a good grade on the English test.”

“He doesn’t have it,” I answered. Just then, I noticed that Sheryl was having trouble

keeping a straight face. “It was you!” I wagged my finger at her.

you
“Okay, it was me,” she answered. “I just wanted to tell he what a great friend you are!”

Lesson 6: Answer Key

My utopia would be a peaceful, fair, and beautiful place. It would be a peaceful place

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

because countries would not invade each other. Instead, there would be a central council

where all the countries would deal with their differences. Towns would also have a

council where people could discuss their problems and calmly solve their disagreements.

It would be a fair place because work would be shared equally by everyone. Instead of

some people making lots of money and others making little, everyone would be paid the

same amount of money, no matter what they did. Everyone in my utopia would be

color-blind so that terrible problems like racism would not exist.

It would be a beautiful world because people would respect the environment. Instead

of carelessly destroying the land, they would recognize that natural beauty is important

to our happiness as human beings.

12 Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7

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Lesson 7: Answer Key

Because she always remembers the punchlines—even for the really bad jokes—Leilani

is the funniest student.

Taller than half the boys and shorter than the rest, Juan gets the most average award.

(No offense, Juan! It’s just mathematical.)

Fast on the track and quicker than a roadrunner during cross-country races, Ignacio is

the most athletic in the school.

Rosa, also known as “the human calculator,” gets the most mathematical award

because of her ability to multiply and divide numbers—without using a pencil and paper.

The meanest student in the school is Ralph—but since there’s no Ralph in the seventh

grade, no one has to worry about receiving this dubious award.

Lesson 8: Answer Key

Many great people have come from humble beginnings. One such person was

Andrew Johnson, the seventeenth president of the United States. Johnson was born in
.
1808 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Both of his parents worked at an inn, when his father
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

died, fourteen-year-old Johnson was forced to start training to become a tailor. While

he worked, Johnson taught himself to read.

In 1826, Johnson moved to Greenville, Tennessee, married Eliza McCardle, and set
.
up shop, Eliza helped him improve his reading and arithmetic skills. Soon, he became

involved in politics. Johnson was one of the few southerners who thought the South
.
should not secede during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln admired him for

this. When Lincoln ran for re-election, he chose Johnson to be his vice president. After
.
Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, Johnson became president, he continued to work

toward Lincoln’s goals of reuniting the war-torn country.

Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7 13

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Cumulative Review 2: Answer Key

.
Last month, our entire class went on a trip to the state capital, Raleigh, the trip,

which was sponsored by the social studies department, lasted an entire day. It was a
ly
fun and fascinating day that went by too quick.

Our visit began at the visitor center, where we saw a short film about the history of

the city. After that, we went right to the governor’s mansion, where the governor of
fancy
the state lives with his family. It is a fanciest house that is more than 100 years old! We
.
learned that the governor not only lives in the mansion, but also works there, we did
he
not get to see the office where him signs our state’s laws.
.
Next we went to the general assembly, there we watched the North Carolina Senate

pass a law. Before the legislators voted, several members rose and gave speeches. It was
angrily
hard to tell exactly what they were talking about, but some spoke very angry and
their
pounded they fists on the table.

After we left the general assembly, we walked across the street to the North Carolina

Museum of History. We saw several exhibits, including a very interestingly one about

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

life in North Carolina during the Reconstruction period. Facing the history museum is
nicest
the new Museum of Natural Sciences, the nicer of all the places we visited. We ended

our day with a tour there. It was fun to learn about all the plants and animals that are
.
found in our home state, I hope our teachers will take us back to Raleigh next year.

14 Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7

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Date

Lesson 9: Answer Key

.
Bath was the first official town in North Carolina, and it was established in 1705.

Located near the Atlantic Ocean and the Pamlico River, Bath was first settled by French
.
Protestants from Virginia. The town was an important center of trade, and this trade
.
included naval equipment, furs, and tobacco, and it was also the North Carolina

colony’s first seaport.

Although there were only twelve houses and a population of 50 in Bath in 1708, in

many ways it was the center of the colony. It boasted North Carolina’s first library and

shipyard and was quickly becoming a center of political affairs. By 1746, people
.
considered Bath the capital of the colony, but this honor was short-lived for by 1785, a

new town called Washington was formed farther up the Pamlico River, and it was

considered the new government capital. Today, Bath is a small, beautiful village where

tourists can visit many historic sites.

Lesson 10: Answer Key

Good morning! Today is Monday, November 21.

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

plays
The girls basketball team, which has won its last five games, play Running Rock

Junior High after school in the gym at 4:00 P.M.

The History Club is selling pizza today at lunch to raise money for the holiday
cost
banquet. Slices costs only $1.50.

Students who are interested in environmental issues should meet in Room 401

during the morning break for a brief meeting. Representatives from our local park

district will be in attendance.

are
There is only five more days until the Harvest Dance. Buy your tickets today!

Do you need extra credit in your science class? Volunteering in the greenhouse or
earns
community garden earn you ten bonus points. Contact Mr. Diego for more information.

Have a great day!

Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7 15

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Date

Lesson 11: Answer Key

Every august, the carnival came to the town where Antonia lived. This year she

planned to spend her hard-earned allowance on a game in which players try to pop

balloons with darts. She had good aim, and she was sure she would pop enough

balloons to win a giant stuffed bear. Once she had the giant bear, she was sure she

would catch the eye of gabriel, a classmate that she really liked. when he saw her with

the prized stuffed animal, Antonia felt sure he’d recognize her hidden talents, invite

her to the movies, and catapult her into popularity.

When the carnival finally arrived, Antonia immediately went to the balloon game

and plunked down five dollars for twenty darts. Much to her surprise, her aim was

wobbly, her arm was weak, and she only popped two balloons.

“here’s your prize,” said the carney, handing her a key chain with a small plastic

bear attached to it.

Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.

Lesson 12: Answer Key

Tanzania, located in eastern Africa, was founded in 1964 from a union between

Tanganyika and Zanzibar. Neighboring countries include Uganda and Kenya to the

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

north and Zaire, Rwanda and Burundi to the west. Other nearby nations are Zambia,
,
Malawi and Mozambique.
,
The landscape of Tanzania is spectacular, ranging from the flat coastal lands of the

Indian Ocean to very steep mountains. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain on the

African continent, towers at 19,340 feet. The Serengeti Plain is home to hundreds of

different animals, including gazelles zebras, and buffalo.

,
The local economy revolves around agriculture, but mining, manufacturing,

transportation and tourism are also very important. Each year, more and more people
,
visit Tanzania to see the wildlife and experience the challenge of climbing the highest

mountain in Africa.

16 Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7

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Cumulative Review 3: Answer Key

Many politicians debates about whether or not to raise the speed limit in our state to

75 miles per hour. I believe that it would be a bad idea to raise the speed limit. Our

current speed limit of 65 miles per hour is fast enough.

Common sense tells you that the faster a car goes, the more difficult it is for the driver

to control, react steer, and stop if necessary. At a faster speed, the driver has less time to
,
.
react to danger and it takes longer to stop the car, and it is easier for the car to skid and spin
proves
out when the car is traveling quickly. I see accidents on the highway every day. This prove

that the speed limit is already too high, and it should not be raised.
.
Another thing to remember is that most people drive faster than the speed limit, this
.
law is rarely enforced, and with the current speed limit, most people drive between 70 and

75 miles per hour. If the speed limit were raised to 75 miles per hour, those people would
is
probably drive 85 miles per hour. That type of speed are simply too fast.

Maybe if our highways were mostly empty, it might not be too dangerous to increase
.
the speed limit. our roads, however, are very crowded, and they have lots of curves, and

the hills also make it hard for drivers to see into the distance. These are dangerous
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

conditions at any speed, but the faster cars drive, the more dangerous they becomes.

Everyone, let’s just slow down! It may take longer to get where you’re going, but

everyone will arrive safely, and that’s more important.

The road is not a video game, such as speed demons, where you can drive recklessly

without hurting anyone. The road is a public route to be shared by cars, trucks and
,
motorcycles. If we all follows the current speed limit, we’ll all be safer.

Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7 17

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Final Review: Answer Key

My favorite place to go when I want to hang out is the shopping mall. It’s a great

place to shop ,eat a snack ,or meet up with some friends.

best is
I like the mall goodest because it is never dull. There was always something new to

look at there. It could be a new display window in one of the Department Stores, or

maybe a brand new store that has just opened. Perhaps it is a new line of summer

clothing or a new computer program. No matter when you go, things are always

changing at the mall.

There is usually something interesting to do. At the mall, too. One day, my mother

and I went to the bookstore to hear a famously author read some of his poetry.
we
Another time, us went to helped out with a charity fund-raiser that was held in the

food court. There are always video games and restaurants to enjoy. Sometimes, I just

like taking a long walk at a place where I know it won’t rain on me!

I probably enjoy the mall so much because, outside of school, it is the place where I

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

.
see my friends most often, within ten minutes of arriving at the mall, I usually. Hear

someone yell, “hey There!” and, when I turn, I see one of my best friends running
go
toward me. My mother says, “Meet me back here in an hour,” and then off I goes with

my friends. Someday, I hope I can work at the mall!

18 Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7

 Multiple Choice Exercises: Answer Key
Exercise 1 Exercise 8
1 C 5 A 1 A 5 B
2 B 6 D 2 B 6 C
3 D 7 B 3 C 7 A
4 A 8 C 4 D 8 C
Exercise 2 Exercise 9
1 D 5 A 1 C 5 A
2 C 6 B 2 D 6 A
3 A 7 C 3 B 7 C
4 B 8 B 4 B 8 A
Exercise 3 Exercise 10
1 B 5 B 1 D 5 A
2 D 6 A 2 D 6 D
3 A 7 C 3 C 7 A
4 D 8 C 4 B 8 C
Exercise 4 Exercise 11
1 B 5 B 1 B 5 C
2 C 6 A 2 A 6 C
3 D 7 D 3 D 7 D
4 C 8 A 4 D 8 B
Exercise 5 Exercise 12
1 D 5 B 1 B 5 C
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2 C 6 A 2 A 6 A
3 A 7 D 3 D 7 C
4 B 8 D 4 A 8 B
Exercise 6 Exercise 13
1 D 5 B 1 B 5 C
2 A 6 A 2 C 6 A
3 C 7 D 3 B 7 D
4 C 8 C 4 D 8 A
Exercise 7 Exercise 14
1 D 5 B 1 C 5 B
2 C 6 C 2 A 6 B
3 B 7 C 3 C 7 D
4 D 8 B 4 D 8 A

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Lesson 1: Sentence Fragments

A complete sentence consists of a complete subject and a complete predicate. A complete
subject includes all the words in a sentence that name whom or what the sentence is about. A
complete predicate tells what the subject does or has. It can also describe the subject.
complete subject complete predicate
The Robinsons’ carpenter nailed shingles to the roof of their house.

A sentence fragment does not express a complete thought. It may be missing a subject, predicate,
or both.
EXAMPLE:

An experienced electrician. replaced the wiring .

DIRECTIONS: The school district plans to extend the school day. Joseph, a seventh
grader, opposes the idea. He is upset and did not proofread his letter to the
superintendent, so there are several incomplete sentences. (There are four sentence
fragments.)

Dear Superintendent Bell,

I am writing to tell you that I think a longer school day is a bad idea for several reasons.

First, many students. Participate in sports and other extracurricular activities after

school. Extending the school day would eat into the time set aside for sports practices,

play rehearsals, and other activities. Many people. Think that extracurricular activities

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

and sports are good for students’ self-esteem. Students who don’t excel academically. May

grow to like school by participating in after-school activities.

Second, teachers would not have enough time to prepare for their classes. Grading

papers is time-consuming, and teachers use afternoons and evenings for this purpose.

With less time, the quality of classes. Would go downhill. I think this would defeat the

purpose of having a longer school day.

Sincerely,

Joseph Gravek

For more information on sentence fragments, see pages

306–307 of Writer’s Choice, Grade 7.

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Lesson 2: Sentence Fragments II

Another type of sentence fragment occurs when a descriptive clause is separated from the simple
sentence that it describes.
complete subject descriptive clause
The noisy rooster crowed every morning when the sun rose.
complete predicate

EXAMPLE:
My grandfather collected the hens’ eggs. After he milked the cows.

DIRECTIONS: The seventh graders are sponsoring a loose change drive to raise money
for the local food cupboard. Read through their flyer and correct all of the mistakes
that you find. (There are four sentence fragments.)

Loose change adds up to fight hunger.

During the week of March 17. The seventh graders want you to bring in your

loose change. Collect the pennies. On your dresser. Bring in the

nickels from underneath the sofa cushions. Dig out the coins. From your pockets.
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Think about it. If every student brought in 17¢, which is not enough to buy a candy

bar, we could donate $187 to the Downtown Food Cupboard.

We will host a pizza party for the homeroom. With the most students

adding their spare change to the battle against hunger.

Questions? Contact your homeroom representative.

For more information on sentence fragments, see pages

306–307 of Writer’s Choice, Grade 7.

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Lesson 3: Verb Tenses

The verb in a sentence tells what action took place and when that action took place. The form of
the verb that shows when the action occurred is called the tense of the verb. The two most common
tenses are present and past.
past present
Lila played soccer in the fall, but now that it is spring, she runs track.

Helping verbs, as the name suggests, are verbs that are used with other verbs. They include to be,
to have, and to do. Together, helping verbs and main verbs form two other important tenses:
future and perfect. All these tenses also have progressive forms.

Daryl is learning puppetry at the recreation center. present progressive

He will learn how to make a marionette next week. future tense

He has learned how to make a sock puppet. perfect tense

DIRECTIONS: In science class, Yang is studying how various people often have very
different memories of the same event. To illustrate this, students wrote about their
earliest memory. Correct the errors that you find in Yang’s essay. (There are four verb
tense errors)

My earliest memory is eating at a Chinese restaurant in the town next to ours. It’s so

strange. I remember that my mother tells me that we were going to eat the kind of food

that my mimi (grandmother) cooked at home. I am very excited because I loved my

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mimi’s cooking. The restaurant was very dark, with thick velvet curtains hanging in front

of all the windows. A very old man was our waiter. He spoke to my parents in Mandarin,

their native language. He disappeared, but a few minutes later, he started bring platter

after platter of food: fish in black bean sauce, lightly cooked snow peas, mounds of sticky

rice, sweet and sour soup, and duck with crispy skin and paper-thin pancakes. By the

time the dessert of lychee nuts was served, I had stuff myself and couldn’t eat another

bite.

For more information on verb tense, see pages

407 and 413 of Writer’s Choice, Grade 7.

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Lesson 4: Helping Verbs

A helping verb is a verb that helps the main verb tell about an action or make a statement. A
verb phrase consists of one or more helping verbs followed by a main verb. The most common
helping verbs are to be and to have. Forms of these verbs are combined with the present and past
participles of a main verb to make verb phrases.
verb phrase
The students are raising money to buy flowers for the school grounds.
helping verb present participle

verb phrase
In the past year, we have made great strides toward beautifying our school.
helping verb past participle

DIRECTIONS: Lisette and her friends are starting an Internet site where students can
publish their own work. Lisette has asked you to review their press release before they
start publicizing the site. Read it and correct any errors you find. (There are four
helping verb errors.)

The Write Stuff

Are you a talented writer? Would you like to have your stories, poems, and essays

read by others? Then, The Write Stuff is the Web site for you. The Write Stuff have

published writing by teenagers on its Internet site. All you have to do is put on your
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

creativity cap, write a masterpiece, and send it to us via e-mail. We is looking for pieces

that vividly create imaginary worlds or realistically depict teenagers’ experiences. We

haved published stories by writers of all ages. If our staff be impressed with your work,

we will publish your writing on our Web site! If you are talented, The Write Stuff is the

right place for you!

For more information on helping verbs, see

page 409 of Writer’s Choice, Grade 7.

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Cumulative Review 1
DIRECTIONS: Read the student essay below. Use the proofreading marks on page 6 to
correct any errors you see.

Every morning, I ride to school with my mother in her car. She drops me off at school

on her way to work.

My mother’s car is a blue sedan. With four doors. It had chrome strips on both sides

and a chrome grille in front. The outside mirror on the right side is neat. It is actually

two mirrors, one of which has a curved surface. That lets her see cars that are driving

right beside her.

Inside, the car is very comfortable. I have often enjoying sitting in its cushioned

leather seats. Of course, I always am wear my seat belt whenever I ride in a moving car.

The seat belt is snug and makes me feel safe. As I stare out the window and watch the

houses and trees raced by.

The floor of my mother’s car. Is very cluttered because she is a furniture salesperson.

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

The back seat is filled with all sorts of catalogs and fabric samples. When I am younger, I

used to like to sit in the back and play with all the different pieces of cloth. Now I am

preferring talking with my mother or listening to the radio as we take our morning ride.

Except for the clutter, my mother’s car is very fancy. The dashboard is all digital, and

the stereo plays cassettes and CDs. As well as the radio. Mom says having a fancy car

makes her happy because she has to spend so much time in it. Come take a ride with us

some day!

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Lesson 5: Pronoun Usage

A pronoun is a word that replaces one or more nouns and the words that describe those nouns.
There are subject, object, and possessive pronouns.
subject
He asked for a fishing pole.
possessive object possessive
His father bought him one for his birthday.
If the antecedent of a pronoun is unclear, then a sentence may be confusing. An antecedent is the
noun or words to which a pronoun refers. When the pronoun seems to refer to the wrong antecedent,
or to nothing at all, it may confuse the reader.

EXAMPLE:
They
Carlos and Joseph went snorkeling. He rented equipment at the beach.

DIRECTIONS: Mrs. Evans asked her students to write a mystery story. Ryan wrote
about something that happened to him last year. Before Ryan turns in his story, check
it to make sure it isn’t more mysterious than it needs to be. (There are four pronoun
errors.)

I opened my locker and suddenly turned to my best friend, Sheryl. “What’s that?” I asked.

They peered into my locker, which I have to admit was messy.

“What’s what?” Sheryl asked.

I pointed to the certificate that had been taped over the picture of my favorite basketball
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

players. The certificate said, “You’re the greatest.”

“Maybe the principal decided to give them an award for having such a clean locker.”

“Very funny! Seriously, who could possibly have my locker combination?”

“Your father,” Sheryl answered. “Maybe him just wanted to congratulate you on getting

such a good grade on the English test.”

“He doesn’t have it,” I answered. Just then, I noticed that Sheryl was having trouble

keeping a straight face. “It was you!” I wagged my finger at her.

“Okay, it was me,” she answered. “I just wanted to tell he what a great friend you are!”

For more information on pronouns, see pages 316–317

of Writer’s Choice, Grade 7.

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Lesson 6: Adjectives and Adverbs

An adjective is a word that describes a noun.
adjective
The house is on the southwest corner.
The small, gray birds flew into the tall tree.
An adverb is a word that modifies a verb. Adverbs usually end in -ly.
adverb
The clouds drifted across the sky, and we daydreamed peacefully.
The policewoman moved quickly to apprehend the suspect.
DIRECTIONS: Tamara’s social studies class just finished a unit on utopias. Utopias are
imaginary places that are supposed to be perfect. As a final project, the social studies
teacher asked the students to write papers describing their idea of a utopia. Read
through Tamara’s paper and underline all of the adjectives and circle all of the adverbs.
(There are eleven adjectives and three adverbs.)

My utopia would be a peaceful, fair, and beautiful place. It would be a peaceful place

because countries would not invade each other. Instead, there would be a central council

where all the countries would deal with their differences. Towns would also have a

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

council where people could discuss their problems and calmly solve their disagreements.

It would be a fair place because work would be shared equally by everyone. Instead of

some people making lots of money and others making little, everyone would be paid the

same amount of money, no matter what they did. Everyone in my utopia would be

color-blind so that terrible problems like racism would not exist.

It would be a beautiful world because people would respect the environment. Instead

of carelessly destroying the land, they would recognize that natural beauty is important

to our happiness as human beings.

For more information on adjectives and adverbs, see pages

318–319, 451, and 461 of Writer’s Choice, Grade 7.

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Lesson 7: Comparatives and Superlatives

A comparative adjective is a word that is used to draw a comparison between two people,
things, events, etc. Comparative adjectives are usually formed by adding -er to adjectives and are
followed by the word than. Some comparatives are formed by adding the words more or less when
the adjective has more than one syllable.
comparative adjective comparative adjective
Reading a book is more interesting, but watching television is easier.

A superlative adjective is a word that compares three or more things. Superlatives are
usually formed by adding -est to an adjective. The word the precedes a superlative. Some
superlatives are also formed by adding the words most or least when the adjective has more than
one syllable.
superlative adjective superlative adjective
Alaska is the largest state in the nation, and China is the most populated
nation in the world.

DIRECTIONS: After reviewing a book of world records, a seventh-grade class decided

to make some distinctions of their own. Read through their collection of creative
records and underline the comparative adjectives and circle the superlative adjectives.
(There are three comparatives and five superlatives.)

Because she always remembers the punchlines—even for the really bad jokes—Leilani

is the funniest student.

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Taller than half the boys and shorter than the rest, Juan gets the most average award.

(No offense, Juan! It’s just mathematical.)

Fast on the track and quicker than a roadrunner during cross-country races, Ignacio is

the most athletic in the school.

Rosa, also known as “the human calculator,” gets the most mathematical award

because of her ability to multiply and divide numbers—without using a pencil and paper.

The meanest student in the school is Ralph—but since there’s no Ralph in the seventh

grade, no one has to worry about receiving this dubious award.

For more information about comparatives and superlatives,

see pages 444, 457, and 465 of Writer’s Choice, Grade 7.

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Lesson 8: Run-on Sentences

A run-on sentence is two or more sentences incorrectly written as one. One type of run-on
sentence contains two simple sentences joined only by a comma.

EXAMPLE:
and
The artist cleaned her brushes, she studied her watercolor painting
of the lighthouse.

DIRECTIONS: In history class, students are completing an assignment on local and

national historical figures. Norene wrote an essay about Andrew Johnson. When she got
it back, the teacher had written, “Great job, Norene, but check the length of some of
your sentences.” Read Norene’s essay and correct the mistakes that you find. (There are
four run-on sentences.)

Many great people have come from humble beginnings. One such person was

Andrew Johnson, the seventeenth president of the United States. Johnson was born in

1808 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Both of his parents worked at an inn, when his father

died, fourteen-year-old Johnson was forced to start training to become a tailor. While

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

he worked, Johnson taught himself to read.

In 1826, Johnson moved to Greenville, Tennessee, married Eliza McCardle, and set

up shop, Eliza helped him improve his reading and arithmetic skills. Soon, he became

involved in politics. Johnson was one of the few southerners who thought the South

should not secede during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln admired him for

this. When Lincoln ran for re-election, he chose Johnson to be his vice president. After

Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, Johnson became president, he continued to work

toward Lincoln’s goals of reuniting the war-torn country.

For more information about run-on sentences, see pages

308–309 of Writer’s Choice, Grade 7.

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Cumulative Review 2
DIRECTIONS: Read the student essay below. Use the proofreading marks on page 6 to
correct any errors you see.

Last month, our entire class went on a trip to the state capital, Raleigh, the trip,

which was sponsored by the social studies department, lasted an entire day. It was a

fun and fascinating day that went by too quick.

Our visit began at the visitor center, where we saw a short film about the history of

the city. After that, we went right to the governor’s mansion, where the governor of

the state lives with his family. It is a fanciest house that is more than 100 years old! We

learned that the governor not only lives in the mansion, but also works there, we did

not get to see the office where him signs our state’s laws.

Next we went to the general assembly, there we watched the North Carolina Senate

pass a law. Before the legislators voted, several members rose and gave speeches. It was

hard to tell exactly what they were talking about, but some spoke very angry and
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

pounded they fists on the table.

After we left the general assembly, we walked across the street to the North Carolina

Museum of History. We saw several exhibits, including a very interestingly one about

life in North Carolina during the Reconstruction period. Facing the history museum is

the new Museum of Natural Sciences, the nicer of all the places we visited. We ended

our day with a tour there. It was fun to learn about all the plants and animals that are

found in our home state, I hope our teachers will take us back to Raleigh next year.

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Lesson 9: Run-on Sentences II

Another type of run-on sentence is formed when too many independent clauses are strung
together with coordinating conjunctions. A coordinating conjunction is a word used to connect
parts of a sentence. The words and, but, or, for, and nor are all coordinating conjunctions.
Sometimes, independent clauses should stand alone and end with a period.

EXAMPLE:
.
For their wedding anniversary, I bought my parents candles, and my older sister
.
made a lime pie, and my younger brother sang a song, but my parents said the

best present was being all together as a family.

DIRECTIONS: In social studies class, students are completing an assignment on North

Carolina geography. Laticia chose to write about a historic town called Bath that is
located in North Carolina. Proofread her essay and correct any mistake that you find.
(There are four run-on sentences.)

Bath was the first official town in North Carolina, and it was established in 1705.

Located near the Atlantic Ocean and the Pamlico River, Bath was first settled by French

Protestants from Virginia. The town was an important center of trade, and this trade

included naval equipment, furs, and tobacco, and it was also the North Carolina

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

colony’s first seaport.

Although there were only twelve houses and a population of 50 in Bath in 1708, in

many ways it was the center of the colony. It boasted North Carolina’s first library and

shipyard and was quickly becoming a center of political affairs. By 1746, people

considered Bath the capital of the colony, but this honor was short-lived for by 1785, a

new town called Washington was formed farther up the Pamlico River, and it was

considered the new government capital. Today, Bath is a small, beautiful village where

tourists can visit many historic sites.

For more information about run-on sentences, see pages

308–309 of Writer’s Choice, Grade 7.

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Lesson 10: Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-verb agreement refers to a very simple concept. It means that singular nouns require
singular verb forms, and plural nouns require plural verb forms.
singular
Elijah rides his bicycle to school.
plural
The triathletes ride their bicycles 60 miles.
Sometimes, a clause or phrase will separate the subject of the sentence from the verb. Even in this
case, the verb should still agree with the subject. Using the correct form of the verb is called subject-
verb agreement.

EXAMPLE:
s
Laura, who loves math and science, work as an engineer.

DIRECTIONS: It is Miranda’s job to announce the week’s activities over the PA system.
Sometimes, Miranda is in such a rush that she forgets to proofread the announcements.
Help Miranda out by proofreading the announcements before she makes them over the
PA system. (There are four errors in subject-verb agreement.)

Good morning! Today is Monday, November 21.

The girls basketball team, which has won its last five games, play Running Rock

Junior High after school in the gym at 4:00 P.M.

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

The History Club is selling pizza today at lunch to raise money for the holiday

banquet. Slices costs only $1.50.

Students who are interested in environmental issues should meet in Room 401

during the morning break for a brief meeting. Representatives from our local park

district will be in attendance.

There is only five more days until the Harvest Dance. Buy your tickets today!

Do you need extra credit in your science class? Volunteering in the greenhouse or

community garden earn you ten bonus points. Contact Mr. Diego for more information.

Have a great day!

For more information on subject-verb agreement, see

pages 310–313 of Writer’s Choice, Grade 7.

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Lesson 11: Capitalization

Capitalize all proper nouns, including names, the days of the week, and the months of the year.

I would like to go to England in July to visit London and Manchester.

The first word of a sentence, including the first word of a sentence that appears in quotation marks,
should also be capitalized.

EXAMPLE:
“did you see cats?” asked my friend susan.

DIRECTIONS: In English class, Hector is studying fables. Fables are short stories, often
about animals or humans, that end with a moral. For the most recent assignment, Hector
wrote his own fable inspired by this expression: “Don’t count your chickens before they
hatch.” Proofread Hector’s fable before he turns it in. (There are four capitalization errors.)

Every august, the carnival came to the town where Antonia lived. This year she

planned to spend her hard-earned allowance on a game in which players try to pop

balloons with darts. She had good aim, and she was sure she would pop enough

balloons to win a giant stuffed bear. Once she had the giant bear, she was sure she

would catch the eye of gabriel, a classmate that she really liked. when he saw her with

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

the prized stuffed animal, Antonia felt sure he’d recognize her hidden talents, invite

her to the movies, and catapult her into popularity.

When the carnival finally arrived, Antonia immediately went to the balloon game

and plunked down five dollars for twenty darts. Much to her surprise, her aim was

wobbly, her arm was weak, and she only popped two balloons.

“here’s your prize,” said the carney, handing her a key chain with a small plastic

bear attached to it.

Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.

For more information about capitalization, see pages

325–326 of Writer’s Choice, Grade 7.

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Lesson 12: Commas in a Series

In a sentence with a series of three or more items, a comma is placed after each item except for the item
after the conjunction. Sentences that list only two items require a conjunction, but not a comma.

EXAMPLE:

Arthur and his friends spent the rainy afternoon

playing charades, watching a movie, and studying for
their history test.

DIRECTIONS: In world history, each student has to write a short report about a
country. Read through Angie’s report on Tanzania and correct any mistakes that you
find. (There are four missing commas.)

Tanzania, located in eastern Africa, was founded in 1964 from a union between

Tanganyika and Zanzibar. Neighboring countries include Uganda and Kenya to the

north and Zaire, Rwanda and Burundi to the west. Other nearby nations are Zambia,

Malawi and Mozambique.

The landscape of Tanzania is spectacular, ranging from the flat coastal lands of the
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Indian Ocean to very steep mountains. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain on the

African continent, towers at 19,340 feet. The Serengeti Plain is home to hundreds of

different animals, including gazelles zebras, and buffalo.

The local economy revolves around agriculture, but mining, manufacturing,

transportation and tourism are also very important. Each year, more and more people

visit Tanzania to see the wildlife and experience the challenge of climbing the highest

mountain in Africa.

For more information on commas, see pages 320–321 of

Writer’s Choice, Grade 7.

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Cumulative Review 3
DIRECTIONS: Read the student essay below. Use the proofreading marks on page 6 to
correct any errors you see.

Many politicians debates about whether or not to raise the speed limit in our state to

75 miles per hour. I believe that it would be a bad idea to raise the speed limit. Our

current speed limit of 65 miles per hour is fast enough.

Common sense tells you that the faster a car goes, the more difficult it is for the driver

to control, react steer, and stop if necessary. At a faster speed, the driver has less time to

react to danger and it takes longer to stop the car, and it is easier for the car to skid and spin

out when the car is traveling quickly. I see accidents on the highway every day. This prove

that the speed limit is already too high, and it should not be raised.

Another thing to remember is that most people drive faster than the speed limit, this

law is rarely enforced, and with the current speed limit, most people drive between 70 and

75 miles per hour. If the speed limit were raised to 75 miles per hour, those people would

probably drive 85 miles per hour. That type of speed are simply too fast.

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Maybe if our highways were mostly empty, it might not be too dangerous to increase

the speed limit. our roads, however, are very crowded, and they have lots of curves, and

the hills also make it hard for drivers to see into the distance. These are dangerous

conditions at any speed, but the faster cars drive, the more dangerous they becomes.

Everyone, let’s just slow down! It may take longer to get where you’re going, but

everyone will arrive safely, and that’s more important.

The road is not a video game, such as speed demons, where you can drive recklessly

without hurting anyone. The road is a public route to be shared by cars, trucks and

motorcycles. If we all follows the current speed limit, we’ll all be safer.

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Final Review
DIRECTIONS: Read the student essay below. Use the proofreading marks on page 6 to
correct any errors you see.

My favorite place to go when I want to hang out is the shopping mall. It’s a great

place to shop eat a snack or meet up with some friends.

I like the mall goodest because it is never dull. There was always something new to

look at there. It could be a new display window in one of the Department Stores, or

maybe a brand new store that has just opened. Perhaps it is a new line of summer

clothing or a new computer program. No matter when you go, things are always

changing at the mall.

There is usually something interesting to do. At the mall, too. One day, my mother

and I went to the bookstore to hear a famously author read some of his poetry.

Another time, us went to helped out with a charity fund-raiser that was held in the

food court. There are always video games and restaurants to enjoy. Sometimes, I just
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

like taking a long walk at a place where I know it won’t rain on me!

I probably enjoy the mall so much because, outside of school, it is the place where I

see my friends most often, within ten minutes of arriving at the mall, I usually. Hear

someone yell, “hey There!” and, when I turn, I see one of my best friends running

toward me. My mother says, “Meet me back here in an hour,” and then off I goes with

my friends. Someday, I hope I can work at the mall!

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Exercise 1
DIRECTIONS: Use this student essay to answer items 1 through 8 on the next page.

Like most people, I have been sick a few times in my life, but most of the time, it

has been no big deal. Like everybody else, I have had my share of colds, the flu and
1
stomach viruses. I even had chicken pox. Like a lot of other kids I know.
2
I guess the worst time I ever got sick was the time I got scarlet fever. When I first
3
started to feel bad, my mom and I thought that all I had was the flu. I had a lot of flu

symptoms, including a headache, sore throat, fever, aches, and unpleasant chills.

Then something unusual happened, something we had never seen before. My tung
4
turned a bright red, and soon afterward I had a bright red rash all over my chest and

arms. That, by the way, is why they call it “scarlet fever.” You turn red when you

have it! My parents and I were pretty scared.

Of course, my parents took me to the doctor, who knew what I had right away.

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

She prescribed an antibiotic for me, told my parents that I should get lots of rest. She
5
also warned us that my fever might get very high and that I would probably be very

uncomfortable. She also said that, after about a week, my skin would start to peel,

just as if I’d been sunburned.

The doctor wasn’t kidding about being uncomfortable. I’ve never felt so bad in
6
my whole life! it was comforting to know that what was happening to me wasn’t
7
unusual, and that the pills I was taking was helping my body beat the disease. After
8
that, I would never complain about a cold again!

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DIRECTIONS: For each underlined item in the essay, choose the correction to be made.
If there is no error, choose “Make no change.”

1. A colds the flu and stomach 5. A me, and she told

B colds the flu, and stomach B me. Told
C colds, the flu, and stomach C me: told
D Make no change. D Make no change.

2. A pox like. A lot 6. A uncomfortable I’ve never

B pox, like a lot B uncomfortable, I’ve never
C pox. like a lot C uncomfortable. I’ve, never
D Make no change. D Make no change.

3. A baddest time 7. A Life! it were

B most worst time B life! It was
C worstest time C life it was
D Make no change. D Make no change.

4. A tongue 8. A were taking were

B tonge B was took was
C tounge C was taking were
D Make no change. D Make no change.
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7 37

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Exercise 2
DIRECTIONS: Use this student essay to answer items 1 through 8 on the next page.

I believe that schools should offer bilingual education to non-English speaking

immigrants. I think that teaching new Americans in their native language is a great

way to let them know that they are welcome in our country, that we care about them
1 2
doing the very best that they can.

I’m not saying that immigrants shouldn’t be required to learn English; in fact, I

think immigrant students should spend most of their class time learning our

language. However, I also believe that school is for learning about science, math,

social studies, and other subjects. It is difficult to learn these things. And learn a new
3
language at the same time. That’s why I believe in bilingual education.

I know that some people think that the best way to deal with this issue is to offer

classes only in English. All I can say is that I don’t think this “sink or swim”

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

approach is good for newcomers or for our country, a lot of immigrant students
4
might fail simply because they can’t understood the teacher. That doesn’t mean they
5
aren’t good at science, math, art, or some other subject. Us should give these
6
students the oportunity to succeed based on their talents. Later, when they speak
7
English fluently, I’ll bet you that they’ll thank us. For making their difficult
8
adaptation to life in the United States a little bit easier.

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DIRECTIONS: For each underlined item in the essay, choose the correction to be made.
If there is no error, choose “Make no change.”

1. A welcome 5. A understand
B welcoming B understanding
C were welcomed C understands
D Make no change. D Make no change.

2. A country. That 6. A Us Americans should give

B country, but that B We should give
C country and that C He should give
D Make no change. D Make no change.

3. A things and learn 7. A oportoonity

B things, and, learn B opportunitie
C things and learn, C opportunity
D Make no change. D Make no change.

4. A country? a lot of 8. A us. for making

B country. A lot of B us for making
C country a lot of C us; for making
D Make no change. D Make no change.
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7 39

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Exercise 3
DIRECTIONS: Use this student essay to answer items 1 through 8 on the next page.

My favorite television program is not a new show. In fact, its so old that many
1
episodes are in black and white. It is called the Andy Griffith Show, and it is about the

people who live in the fictional town of Mayberry in my home state, North Carolina.
2
I like the fact that the show takes place in North Carolina, but that’s not the only

thing I like about it.

The main character of the show is Andy Taylor, a calm sheriff who doesn’t carry a

gun his deputy, the hilariously nervous Barney Fife, does carry a gun, but he doesn’t
3 4
keep it loaded. He carries a single bullet in his shirt pocket, just in case he needs it.

He rarely does, though, because the town of Mayberry is mostly a peaceful place.

The show is very funny, although the characters rarely tell jokes. Instead, the

humor come from the situations. And the ways in which the characters react to each
5 6

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

other. Barney Fife for example, overreacts to almost everything, while Andy remains
7
cool. There are a couple of characters named Gomer and Goober who are pretty

dumb, and they get into all sorts of funny trouble.

What I like best about the show, though, is that all the characters are lovable,

despite their faults, that’s why I enjoy spending a half hour with the gang from
8
Mayberry whenever I can!

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Date

DIRECTIONS: For each underlined item in the essay, choose the correction to be made.
If there is no error, choose “Make no change.”

1. A its old, so 5. A humor coming

B it’s so old B humor comes
C it’s old, C humors comes
D Make no change. D Make no change.

2. A fictionnal 6. A situations and

B fickshunal B situations? And
C fikshinal C situations. and
D Make no change. D Make no change.

3. A gun. His 7. A Fife, for, example,

B gun: his B Fife for, example
C gun, his C Fife, for example,
D Make no change. D Make no change.

4. A don’t never 8. A faults that’s

B doesn’t never B faults, That’s
C don’t C faults. That’s
D Make no change. D Make no change.
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7 41

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Exercise 4
DIRECTIONS: Use this student essay to answer items 1 through 8 on the next page.

Everybody owns something that is dear to them because it was a gift from

someone special. For me, that thing is an autographed baseball what was given to me
1
by my uncle.

The baseball is signed by nearly all the members of the atlanta Braves team of
2
1995, the year I started watching baseball games. It was the year that the Braves beat
3
Cleveland in the World Series to become the world champions. My uncle took me to

one of those World Series games. In the third inning, he cawt a foul ball that was hit
4
into the stands. After the game he took me to the Braves’ office. My uncle had a
5
friend who worked for the team. He gave the ball to his friend, who gotten all the
6
players to autograph it for us.

The ball is signed by all of my favorite players. Slugger Fred McGriff, the player

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

who hit the foul ball, signed his name largest, in red ink. My favorite

player, Marquis Grissom, signed right below McGriff. One section of the ball is
7
signed by the entire starting pitching staff, including Cy Young Award winner Greg

Maddux and Tom Glavine, who won the Most Valuable Player Award for the World

Series by winning two games.

I love the baseball because it reminds me of the great time I had at the ball game

with my uncle. Also reminds me of my uncle and other good times we have had
8
together. Because the baseball is full of happy memories, it is my favorite possession.

42 Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7

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Date

DIRECTIONS: For each underlined item in the essay, choose the correction to be made.
If there is no error, choose “Make no change.”

1. A it 5. A game. He took
B that B game, he took
C he C game he, took
D Make no change. D Make no change.

2. A atlanta braves 6. A got

B atlanta, Braves B getted
C Atlanta Braves C gets
D Make no change. D Make no change.

3. A 1995. The 7. A player Marquis Grissom

B 1995; the B player Marquis Grissom,
C 1995? the C player. Marquis Grissom
D Make no change. D Make no change.

4. A cot 8. A It also reminds

B catched B Also reminding
C caught C It also remind
D Make no change. D Make no change.
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7 43

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Exercise 5
DIRECTIONS: Use this student essay to answer items 1 through 8 on the next page.

My favorite day of the year is definitely Memorial Day. I know this is an unusual
1
choice, but I have several good reasons for my choice.

First, Memorial Day is occurring late in the spring. just when summer is about to
2 3
begin. The weather on Memorial Day is usually very warm, with trees and flowers in

full bloom. Unless it is raining, I always go swimming on Memorial Day. I usually

play some ball, too, and later our family have a barbecue. Memorial Day is like a
4
coming attraction for summer! In addition, Memorial Day means that the school

year is almost over and that the time for summer vacation is near.

Second, and more important, Memorial Day honors people who died in wars

while defending our country. Presidents’ Day, Martin Luther King’s Birthday, and

Columbus Day are all holidays that honor certain people who accomplished great

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

things, and that’s good Memorial Day, however, pays tribute to millions of heroes.
5
My father and both my grandfathers’ served in the United States Army, and each of
6
them fought in wars overseas. They all lost friends in those wars. My father taught
7
me that Memorial Day is a time to remember how grateful we are to live in America,
8
and to be thankful to those who sacrificed their lives so that we could live freely in

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Date

peace.

DIRECTIONS: For each underlined item 5. A good, Memorial Day

in the essay, choose the correction to be B good. Memorial Day
made. If there is no error, choose “Make C good and Memorial Day
no change.”
D Make no change.
1. A unnusual
6. A my grandfathers served
B unyoosual
B my grandfather’s served
C unseual
C me grandfathers’ serve
D Make no change.
D Make no change.
2. A occurred
7. A that wars
B had occurred
B them wars
C occurs
C those war
D Make no change.
D Make no change.
3. A spring, just when
8. A gratful
B Spring. just when
B graytful
C Spring. Just when
C greatfull
D Make no change.
D Make no change.
4. A family had
B family has
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

C family having
D Make no change.

Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7 45

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Exercise 6
DIRECTIONS: Use this letter to answer items 1 through 8 on the next page.

Dear State Senator Cochrane,

I am writing to you to express my opposition to the new recycling law that you

are considering in the North Carolina State Legislature. As you no doubt know, the
1
law would require all residents of the state to recycle their newspapers, cans, and

bottles.

I believe that this law will be a great inconvenience for residents of small towns,

especially in the western mountains, The proposed law requires residents to deliver
2
they recycling material to a recycling center if the town they live in chooses not to
3
collect it. Most towns in the western part of the state cannot afford the expense of

the extra trash collection, many of the same towns do not currently have recycling
4
centers. This means that many citizens will be forced to drive their recyclables several

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

miles to a collection center, perhaps twice a week. Besides being inconvenient, this

will also be bad for the enviernment because all those extra miles will result in more
5
pollution from automobiles.

I am a strong believer in most recycling programs. I applaud the efforts in

Durham, Raleigh, Charlotte, and many of our other cities to reduce needless waste

and preserve our natural resources. The legislature is currently considering, however,
6
is not practical. I urge you yourself to oppose it when it comes up for a vote.
7 8
Sincerely,

Millicent Turner

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DIRECTIONS: For each underlined item in the essay, choose the correction to be made.
If there is no error, choose “Make no change.”

1. A know the law would 5. A envihronmint

B know the law, would B environment
C know, the law, would C invarnment
D Make no change. D Make no change.

2. A mountains. The proposed 6. A The law that the legislature is

B mountains: The proposed B That the legislature is
C mountains, the proposed C Which the legislature is
D Make no change. D Make no change.

3. A them recycling 7. A ain’t

B those recycling B isn’t no
C their recycling C isn’t in no ways
D Make no change. D Make no change.

4. A collection, that many of 8. A you’re

B collecting, many of B you all
C collection, and many of C you
D Make no change. D Make no change.
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7 47

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Exercise 7
DIRECTIONS: Use this student essay to answer items 1 through 8 on the next page.

I think that parents should require children to do chores in order to earn their

allowance. My primary reason for feeling this way is that kids will have to work to
1
earn money someday, so we should get used to it now.

I have several chores that I must do in order to get my allowance. I have to mow

the lawn every saturday, and I also have to take the garbage to the curb twice a week.
2
On the night before garbage is collected if I forget to do these chores, then my
3
parents “forget” to give me my allowance. It’s tough, but it’s also fair.

Occasionally my parents ask me to do something extra. Last weekend, for

4
example, my father decided that it was time to clean out the basement, where our

family has stored a lot of old stuff that nobody ever uses anymore. Him asked me to
5
help, so I did. Sometimes when I help out with extra stuff, my father gives me a

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

biggest allowance the next week, but not always. Either way, I know he expect me to
6 7
help when he asks.

I believe that we’re never too young to start learning about responsibility. Chores

teach us that certain things have to be done, no matter how unpleasant they are. Or
8
how much we dislike doing them. I think it is important, though, that chores be

useful and not just “busywork.” Also, they shouldn’t take up a lot of a kid’s time,

because then they might detract from schoolwork.

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DIRECTIONS: For each underlined item in the essay, choose the correction to be made.
If there is no error, choose “Make no change.”

1. A prymary 5. A They asked

B primery B He asked
C primeary C Him ast
D Make no change. D Make no change.

2. A Every Saturday 6. A more biggest

B Every saturday B more bigger
C every Saturday C bigger
D Make no change. D Make no change.

3. A collected. If I 7. A expecting me
B collected, if I B expected me
C collected. if I C expects me
D Make no change. D Make no change.

4. A weekend for example my 8. A they are. or

B weekend, for example my B they are or
C weekend for example. My C them are nor
D Make no change. D Make no change.
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7 49

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Exercise 8
DIRECTIONS: Use this student essay to answer items 1 through 8 on the next page.

My pet is a very unusual dog. Her name is Bertie, and she is a Chinese shar-pei. To

most people, a shar-pei is a very strange-looking animal because they have lots of
1
extra skin on its head, neck, shoulders, and legs. The skin folds up into lots of

wrinkles. which is why some people call shar-peis “wrinkle dogs.” We named our dog
2
Bertie because she looks like my great-uncle Bert, who also has lots of wrinkles. We

thought it was funny, but my great-uncle didn’t!

Bertie’s light brown fur is short and coarse. She has broad shoulders and a large

head, most people think that she is a rare type of bulldog because her height and
3
proportions are similar to a bulldog’s. The Chinese-bred shar-peis to be guard dogs,
4
and Bertie certainly does a good job of guarding our home. She is always very alert.

Once you get to know her, Bertie is a loving dog. She is very friendly with

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

everyone in the family. She is especially protective of my baby brother; if someone

she doesn’t know tries to aproach him, Bertie will simply stand between my brother
5
and the stranger. Although she is not a large dog, Bertie is strong, it is very difficult
6
to get by her if she does not want you to. It takes a while for Bertie to get used to

strangers, but once she has got to know you. She treats you as if you were family.
7 8

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DIRECTIONS: For each underlined item in the essay, choose the correction to be made.
If there is no error, choose “Make no change.”

1. A it has 5. A approche
B they had B approach
C it is having C aprotch
D Make no change. D Make no change.

2. A wrinkles. Which 6. A strong, but it

B wrinkles, which B strong. And it
C wrinkles which C strong, and it
D Make no change. D Make no change.

3. A head, that’s why most 7. A gets

B head and most B have got
C head. Most C was got
D Make no change. D Make no change.

4. A bulldogs’ 8. A you, she treat

B bulldogs B you. She treat
C bulldog is C you, she treats
D Make no change. D Make no change.
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7 51

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Exercise 9
DIRECTIONS: Use this student essay to answer items 1 through 8 on the next page.

In recent years, school budget cuts has forced schools to get rid of some programs.
1
Some schools have even done away with music education. I believe this is a big

mistake. School music programs make a valuable contribution to students’ lives and
2
education.

When a student learns to play music, he or she learns a lot more than simply how

to play a few notes. Because learning to play a instrument is long, hard work. music
3 4
teaches us the importance of practice and persistence. Music classes help us to

appreciate the music that others make by showing us how difficult it is to play the

right melody in the proper key. Studies have also shown that kids who learn about

music get better grades in math and science.

Music also provides an important means of expreshun for many people. Some
5
people might argue that literature poetry, and art already provide these things. They

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

6
might say, then, that there is no need for a music program I disagree. First of all,
7
different people need different ways to express themselves. Some people can’t write

or paint, but they can play music. Second, music is unique. Art is something you

look at, while music is something you hear. Literature and poetry are made up of

words that have very specific meanings, but music is made up of notes and sounds

that can mean different things to different people.

I understand that many schools face financial difficulties, but getting rid of music

programs is not the answer to the problem. It would only create new. And perhaps
8
bigger problems.

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DIRECTIONS: For each underlined item in the essay, choose the correction to be made.
If there is no error, choose “Make no change.”

1. A cuts. Has forced 5. A expression

B cuts, have forced B expresion
C cuts have forced C exxpretion
D Make no change. D Make no change.

2. A student’s lives 6. A literature, poetry, and

B students’ lives’ B literature such as poetry and
C students life C literature poetry and
D Make no change. D Make no change.

3. A a instrumentation 7. A program, I disagree

B an instrument B program? i disagree
C the instrument C program. I disagree
D Make no change. D Make no change.

4. A long, hard work, Music 8. A new and perhaps

B long, hard work, music B new and. Perhaps
C long hard work. Music C new. And, perhaps,
D Make no change. D Make no change.
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7 53

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Exercise 10
DIRECTIONS: Use this student essay to answer items 1 through 8 on the next page.

My hero is a woman who lived in the early twentieth century. Her name was

Bessie Coleman, and she was the first African American woman to earn an airplane

pilot’s license in the United States.

At the time that Coleman lived, America was much different than it is today.

Women were expected to stay home, raise families, and take care of the children.

Only poor women worked, and they worked at low-paying jobs.

1
As bad as things were for women, they were even worse for African Americans. In
2
Texas, where Coleman was growing up, African Americans were not allowed to ride in
3
the same train car as whites, nor could they drink from the same water fountin or
4
attend the same schools. Even when Coleman moved to Chicago. things did not get
5
much better. No American pilot school would allow her to study with their instructors.

Still, Coleman never let go of her dream to become a pilot. She learned that there

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

were schools in France that would teach an African American woman to fly. While

she saved her money to travel to Europe, she taught herself French, so that she could
6
understand her teachers. Ultimately, she went to France, learned to fly, and returned

to the United States a hero. She traveled across the country, giving speeches to

encourage others not to give up on his dreams. She performed acrobatic flying
7
exhibitions to earn money for her next dream, an American flying school for

African Americans. Sadly, she died before she could make that dream a reality. Even

so, Bessie Coleman was a woman who lived life on her own terms and wouldn’t take

“no” for an answer, that is why she is my hero.

8

54 Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7

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Date

DIRECTIONS: For each underlined item in the essay, choose the correction to be made.
If there is no error, choose “Make no change.”

1. A worked they worked 5. A Chicago, things did

B worked, they worked B Chicago. Then things did
C worked, when they worked C chicago. Things did
D Make no change. D Make no change.

2. A worser 6. A in europe
B much more worse B at europe
C even more bad C within europe
D Make no change. D Make no change.

3. A was grown 7. A their dreams

B growed B its dream
C grew C his dream
D Make no change. D Make no change.

4. A fountun 8. A answer, that’s

B fountain B answer and that is
C foundtin C answer, and that is
D Make no change. D Make no change.
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7 55

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Exercise 11
DIRECTIONS: Use this student essay to answer items 1 through 8 on the next page.

My family and I recently had an unusual experience. When we had dinner at an

1
African restaurant. The first unusual thing occurred when the host showed us to our

table. We thought she must have made a mistake, because her took us to a strange-
2
shaped wicker “basket” surrounded by short wooden stools. She explained to us that

this “basket” was called a mesab, and that it is the table traditionally used to serve an

Ethiopian meal. We took our seats around the mesab and immediately noticed that

it had a cone-shaped surface. None of us could figure how we could possibly eat off a
3
table that wasn’t flat.

The menu described a delicious array of stews, many containing exotic

4
ingredients, such as okra, chickpeas, and lentils. We asked for four main dishes: two

made from vegetables, one from chicken, and one from beef. The server a very
5
helpful gentleman warned us that Ethiopian food can be very spicy, and he

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

suggested some milder dishes on the menu.

The biggest surprise of all is the way the meal was served. First came a steaming
6
tray containing spongy bread, called injera. The tray, we saw, fit neatly into the

mesab, creating a flat surface. The server then brought our dishes, spooning each into

little piles on top of the injera. He explained that we should tear off a piece of injera,

hold it between our fingers, and use it to pick up bits of stew. He also told us that
7
ethiopians share their food from a single tray to demonstrate their unity. It was fun
8
to eat with my hands, and the food was fabulous and unlike anything else I had ever

tasted.

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DIRECTIONS: For each underlined item in the essay, choose the correction to be made.
If there is no error, choose “Make no change.”

1. A experience, when 5. A server a very helpful gentleman,

B experience when warned
C experience: when B server a very helpful gentleman who
D Make no change. warned
C server, a very helpful gentleman,
2. A she took warned
B she takes D Make no change.
C her takes
6. A would be the way
D Make no change.
B were the way
3. A we had C was the way
B they have D Make no change.
C it has
7. A fingers. And use it
D Make no change.
B fingers and use it
4. A delishus C fingers, and using it
B delishous D Make no change.
C dilicious
8. A people from ethiopia
D Make no change.
B Ethiopians
C Ethiopia people
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

D Make no change.

Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7 57

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Exercise 12
DIRECTIONS: Use this student essay to answer items 1 through 8 on the next page.

I believe that businesses in the United States should change their schedule’s so
1
that American workers can work a four-day workweek instead of the current five-day

workweek. I think the four-day workweek would help the families without hurting
2
businesses.

In the modern world, workers are more efficient than ever. Computers, the
3
Internet, fax machines, pagers, and cell phones all make it easier for businesses to

send and recieve information faster. Even working a four-day week, a modern worker
4
would gotten much more done than a typical person working a five-day week could
5
have accomplished ten years ago. This also means, though, that modern workers

work much harder than workers in the past did, they need more rest to do their work
6
in the best way they can. That’s one reason to give them an extra day off.

More importantly, more and more families these days have two parents who work

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

full-time. This means that children spend less time with their parents and more time

in an unsupervised setting. Believe that this is bad for the future of America. The
7
four-day workweek, however, could help solve this problem. If both parents were

working four days a week, it would be possible for at least one parent to be home

nearly every day. One parent could work Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and

Thursday; the other could work Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. One parent

would be home six days out of seven, resulting in stronger families and, ultimately. A
8
better America in the future.

58 Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7

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Date

DIRECTIONS: For each underlined item in the essay, choose the correction to be made.
If there is no error, choose “Make no change.”

1. A schedules’ 5. A gotten
B schedules B getting
C schedule is C would get
D Make no change. D Make no change.

2. A families 6. A did. They need

B us families B did. they need
C those families C did they need
D Make no change. D Make no change.

3. A Computers the Internet, fax 7. A Believed that

B Computers the, Internet, fax B Believing that
C Computers, the, Internet fax C Many people believe that
D Make no change. D Make no change.

4. A receive 8. A ultimately a better

B reseeve B ultimately, a better
C resieve C ultimately: a better
D Make no change. D Make no change.
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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Exercise 13
DIRECTIONS: Use this letter to answer items 1 through 8 on the next page.

Dear principal starr,

1
I am writing to ask you to approve a seventh-grade formal dance, at the end of the
2
school year. The Student Activity Committee will organize this event.

A formal dance would provide a wonderful opportunity for students to celebrate

the end of another school year. Also would allow students, teachers, and
3
administrators a chance to get to know each other better. Because a formal dance is a

special occasion, the committee believes that it would result in many long-lasting

memories.
4
As chairperson of the committee I assure you that much planning has already
5
gone into this event. The committee have polled the seventh grade to find out what
6
type of year-end event students would most enjoy. A formal dance is the students’

strong favorite. Our entertainment group has also contacted caterers, decorators, and

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

disc jockeys to find out how much the event would cost.

We believe that we could break even on this event if we charged seven dollars per

student for attendance. That price is low enough so that it would not place a
7
financial burden on any student. After all, a movie ticket costs about the same

amount of money. All we need in order to finalize our plans for this event is your

approval.

Thank you in advance for you consideration.

8 Sincerely,
Loretta Fillmore,
Chairperson
Student Activity Committee

60 Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7

 Name






































































Date

DIRECTIONS: For each underlined item in the essay, choose the correction to be made.
If there is no error, choose “Make no change.”

1. A Principal starr 5. A committee. I assure

B Principal Starr B committee; I assure
C principul Starr C committee, I assure
D Make no change. D Make no change.

2. A dance. At the end 6. A has polled

B dance. at the end B done polled
C dance at the end C poll
D Make no change. D Make no change.

3. A Also would be allowing 7. A enough. So that

B It also would allow B enough so. That
C Also allowing C enough so, that
D Make no change. D Make no change.

4. A memmories 8. A your consideration

B memorys B you considering
C memerys C you are considering
D Make no change. D Make no change.
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Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7 61

Name






































































Date

Exercise 14
DIRECTIONS: Use this student essay to answer items 1 through 8 on the next page.

My favorite hobby is playing the saxophone it is something I try to make time for
1
every day.

I first became interested in the saxophone when I heard the music of Lester

Young. My mother loves jazz music, and her is always playing jazz CDs around the
2
house. For many years I barely noticed the music, one day I was leaving the house
3
when I heard this wonderful sound that stopped me. It was sort of sad, but it was

also very pretty and exciting. I asked my mother what it was, and she showed me the

CD that was playing on the stereo. It was a recording of Lester Young and pianist

Oscar Peterson. The recording was made way back in 1952.

Soon I was listening to Lester Young’s music all the time. I knew then that I
4
wanted to learn to play the saxophone. I found out that there are sevaral kinds of
5
saxophones. A soprano saxophone plays the highest notes; a baritone saxophone

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

plays very low notes. Lester Young played the tenor saxophone. So that was the
6
instrument I wanted to learn.

One day my parents took me to a music store. They rented a tenor saxophone for

me and enrolled me in lessons. I was disappointed when I got the instrument home
7
and found out that I couldn’t even get a sound out of it. I have been taking lessons

for three years now, so I don’t have that problem anymore! Recently I learned to play

a Lester Young solo. It doesn’t sound quite as good as when he play it, but I’ll keep
8
working until it does.

62 Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7

 Name






































































Date

DIRECTIONS: For each underlined item in the essay, choose the correction to be made.
If there is no error, choose “Make no change.”

1. A saxophone, it 5. A cevaral
B saxophone and it B several
C saxophone. It C sevral
D Make no change. D Make no change.

2. A and she is 6. A saxophone, So

B and we is B saxophone, so
C and us are C saxophone. so
D Make no change. D Make no change.

3. A music, and one 7. A were disappointed

B music, so one B had been disappointed
C music, but one C will be disappointed
D Make no change. D Make no change.

4. A Youngs’s music 8. A he plays

B Youngs music B him play
C Youngs’ music C him played
D Make no change. D Make no change.
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Editing and Proofreading • Grade 7 63