CUPS
• CUPS is an editing and revising
technique.
• Assists a writer with improving
his/her written work.
• Each letter represents a
different color and action.
General Guidelines
• Retrieve all necessary materials:
writing instruments, original document
to correct, and an editing checklist.
• Choose an action
• Select the appropriate color
pen/pencil/crayon/marker
• Go through entire document with
one pen then repeat as necessary.
• Check the appropriate box when
finished with the chosen action.
• Choose another action until you
completed each action needed.
Editing Checklist
RED PEN (Capitalization):
 All sentences start with a capital letter
 All proper nouns (Names) start with a capital
letter.
GREEN PEN (Usage/Understanding):
 Each paragraph is about the same topic.
 The sentences sound right when you read them
aloud.
PURPLE PEN (Punctuation):
 All sentences end in a period., question mark?,
or exclamation!
BLUE PEN (Spelling):
 Circled all misspelled words or questionable
spelling
All the words are spelled correctly (Checked
Spelling and wrote it correctly above incorrect
spelling)
C = Capitalization
• Use your red pen/pencil/crayon/marker
• Capitalize a letter by placing three lines
under the lowercased letter.
• Lowercase a letter by placing a
diagonal slash through the capital
letter.
U = Usage/Understanding
• Use your green pen/pencil/crayon/marker
• Make usage/understanding corrections.
• Draw one line through words, phrases, and
sentences that do not make sense.
• Add information(word, phrase, sentence) using an
insertion mark.
• Insert a space between words, phrases or
sentences using the following symbol: #
• Use the transposition symbol to reverse words.
• Circle word/phrase/sentence that you want to
move and then draw a line to the desired
destination.
• Organize your written work using paragraphs.
(remember to indent when needed)
P =Punctuation
• Use your purple pen/pencil/crayon/marker
• Make punctuation corrections.
• Delete unwanted punctuation using one
horizontal line.
• Insert a punctuation mark in a sentence
or phrase using appropriate insertion
symbol.
• Insert end punctuation with a circle
around the punctuation mark.
• Use the transposition symbol to reverse
letters and punctuation.
S = Spelling
• Use your blue pen/pencil/crayon/marker
• Identify misspelled words by circling
them. Afterwards write the correct
spelling above the misspelled words.
• Insert a letter in a word using a
downward insertion symbol.
• Insert a space by using the following
symbol: #
• Use the transposition symbol to reverse
letters.
• Place one line through letters that are not
needed.
Let’s Review the Color/Letter Relationships
C
U
P
S
Let’s Review the Letter/Action Relationships
C
U
P
S
• Spelling
• Punctuation
• Usage/Understanding
• Capitalization
Review Editing Marks for
Capitalization

capitalize
three lines under a letter
C
lowercase
one backslash through a capital letter
c
Reviewing Editing Marks
for Usage/Understanding
aint
^
#
˜
¶
remove
word
remove a word, sentence or
phrase
insert
insert a word, phrase,
sentence
insert space
insert a space between words
or sentences
transpose
reverse words
move
move a word, phrase or
sentence
indent
paragraph
new paragraph make sure you
indent.
Reviewing Editing Marks
for Punctuation
,
^

? !
remove mark
remove a punctuation mark
insert
insert a comma, colon, semicolon,
period in abbreviation
insert top line
punctuation
insert quotation marks and
apostrophes
insert end
punctuation
insert end punctuation by placing a
circle and then the punctuation
mark
transpose
reverse letters and a punctuation
mark.
Reviewing Editing Marks
for Spelling
right
correct
spelling
circle incorrect spelling place
correct spelling above

insert
insert a letter using a down arrow
and placing the word in the arrow
#
insert space
insert a space between letters
transpose
reverse letters within a word
rite
s
inert
˜
rigght delete letter
remove letter by placing one line
through the letter
How to Transpose
Create a curved line that goes from the item you want to
move to the new location.
Types
Examples:
wrong
correcting
correction
Transposing Letters
hieght
height
Transposing Words
whale killer
hieght
whale killer
killer whale
Remember to use CUPS …
• CUPS will ASSIST YOU with
improving your written work.
• C=Capitalization
• U=Usage/Understanding
• P=Punctuation
• S=Spelling
• Using CUPS can prevent an
accident.
THANK YOU
• Your attention was
greatly appreciated.
• You will serve your
masterpiece(s) justice.