Instructions: Use this guide to provide feedback to another student regarding their writing. Once you receive your
writing back make any changes necessary. You should also go through this checklist for your own writing. Don’t
just rely on another student to peer edit. This can help, but they might make mistakes. It is your final responsibility
to edit your own writing.
The following guidelines will help you turn in an error-free paper.
Revising for Content
o Does my writing have a main idea or central focus?
o Is my thesis clear?
o Where might I include a telling detail, revealing statistic, or vivid example?
o Is any material unnecessary, irrelevant, or confusing?
o Is my writing unified?
o Do all ideas and supporting details pertain to my main idea or advance my thesis?
Revising for Structure
o Is my writing clear and coherent?
o Is the flow of sentences and paragraphs smooth and logical?
o Do I need to add transitional words, phrases, or sentences to make the relationships among ideas
clearer?
o Are my sentences well constructed?
o What sentences might I combine to improve the grace and rhythm of my writing?
o Have I included content specific vocabulary? (Elliot Words, Studio 7 Words, Transitional Phrases)
Proofreading to Correct Mistakes in Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics
Sentence Structure and Agreement
o Are there any run-on sentences or sentence fragments?
o Do all verbs agree with their subjects?
o Do all pronouns agree with their antecedents?
o Are the comma rules used effectively?
Forms of Words
o Do adverbs and adjectives modify the appropriate words?
o Are all forms of be and other irregular verbs used correctly?
o Are pronouns used correctly?
o Are comparative and superlative forms of adjectives correct?
o Is there evidence of
Capitalization, Punctuation, and Spelling
o Is any punctuation mark missing or not needed?
o Are all words spelled correctly?
o Are all proper nouns and all proper adjectives capitalized?
Version 2 –
SPELLING
All words are spelled correctly (Read paper backwards, one word at a time to focus on each word.)
PUNCTUATION
Each sentence ends with an end punctuation mark
There is a comma before the conjunctions and, but or or in compound sentences
I wanted to buy the outfit, but I was out of money.
Apostrophes are in place to show possession or to mark contractions
I can’t find my mom’s book. They’re going to Jan’s party.
Dialogue is properly punctuated and is indented to show change of speaker
“I think,” said Miss Hill, “that you may be right.”
Mr. Green said, “Please report to the Quad.”
“It’s time to go,” called Jennifer.
“Where are my keys?” my brother yelled.
CAPITALIZATION
Sentences in copy and dialogue begin with capital letters
Specific names of people, places, things, and the pronoun I begin with capital letters
USAGE
Commonly mixed words are used correctly: there, their, they’re; to, two,too; its, it’s; are, our;
your, you’re: no, know
GRAMMAR
All subjects and verbs agree
Rule: A verb must agree with its subject in number (singular or plural).
Wrong Way: A bag of coins were found on the street.
Right Way: A bag of coins was found on the street. (bag is singular)
Pronouns agree with their antecedents
Pronoun Agreement
Rule: A pronoun must agree with its antecedent (the word it refers to) in number (singular or plural) and gender
(female or male).
Wrong Way: Any girl can have their pick of classes.
Right Way: Any girl can have her pick of classes.
(girl and her are both singular and female)
Essay is free of fragments, run-ons, comma splices, or rambling sentences.
NONSTANDARD LANGUAGE
Double negatives are avoided.
I don’t have any Homework. He has no time to play.
Of and have are used correctly.
I could have gone; not, I could of gone.
Alot is not one word. The term a lot (two words) should be avoided.
The word anyway does not end in s.
PARAGRAPHS
Each paragraph develops one major idea
Transitions connect one paragraph to the next.
Language Conventions
* Parallel Construction
Rule: Similar parts of a sentence must be in the same form.
Wrong Way: I like golfing, skating, and to play tennis.
Right Way: I like to golf, to skate, and to play tennis. (verbs are parallel)
* Shifts in Tense
Rule: Stay in the same verb tense (past, present, etc.) unless there is an actual change in time.
Wrong Way: I wanted to learn to rollerblade but I never have.
Right Way: I wanted to learn to rollerblade, but I never did.
(wanted and did are both in the present)
* Diction (Word Choice)
Rule: Don't confuse words that sound or look similar.
Wrong Way: I can't except no for an answer.
Right Way: I can't accept no for an answer.
(accept means take)
Punctuation
Punctuation: The use of standard marks and signs in writing and printing to separate words into sentences,
clauses, and phrases in order to clarify meaning.
The Colon
Rule: Use a colon to introduce a list of items or an emphasized idea.
Wrong Way: You will need these items for the camping trip, a sleeping bag, eating utensils, and clothes for
three days.
Right Way: You will need these items for the camping trip: a sleeping bag, eating utensils, and clothes for
three days. Right Way: There can be only one result for the team member who misses practice: she will be benched.
The Semicolon
Rule: Use a semicolon to join two complete simple sentences into one compound sentence.
Wrong Way: I really hate to be late for an appointment, I'm usually early.
Right Way: I really hate to be late for an appointment; I'm usually early.
The Apostrophe
Rule: Use the apostrophe to show possession or ownership.
Wrong Way: Jamals bike is the one next to Sheilas. Right Way: Jamal's bike is the one next to Sheila's.
Quotations - Don't forget to ensure you have punctuated the dialogue in your story correctly.
Short quotations should be preceded by a comma. (Note that short usually means around three lines of text or
poetry.)
• It was then that she said, “Do as you please. I wash my hands of you.”
Omit the introductory comma if the quotation fits grammatically into the sentence.
• Micheldene claimed that “outside every fat man there was an even fatter man trying to close in.”
Longish quotations are often introduced by a colon.
• Benjamin Franklin offers witty advice on how to ferret out a woman’s faults: “I am about courting a girl I have had
but little acquaintance with. How shall I come to a knowledge of her faults, and whether she has the virtues I
imagine she has? Answer. Commend her among her female acquaintance.”
Always place question marks, exclamation points, semicolons, and colons outside closing quotation marks—unless
they are part of the original quotation.
• How can you question the genius of Led Zepplin’s immortal words, “Oh oh oh oh oh, you don’t have to go”?
The speaker is asking the question, so the question mark goes outside the quotation marks.
• Then Antony cries, “Fie, wrangling queen!”
In set-off quotations, which are not surrounded by quotation marks, use double quotation marks around quoted
material.
• The breathless narrator delivers a nearly hysterical description of her day: Jack said, “You’re pretty,” and I
practically fainted. Then he said, “I like your shoes”!
Editing Checklist
Sound Ideas
It all makes sense and it has a purpose.
I know this topic well.
I have included interesting details not everyone would think of.
Once you start reading you will not want to stop.
Good Organization
Starts out with a bang!
Everything ties together and flows from idea to idea.
It builds to the good parts.
My ideas are broken into logical chunks of paragraphs.
At the end it feels finished and makes you think.
Voice
This really sounds like me and what I think!
My reader can tell that I care about this topic.
My reader can identify with my characters.
I want you to read this and feel something.
Word choice
This is the best way to say this.
I can picture the setting, actions, and mood!
My words are new ways to say everyday things.
Listen to the power in my verbs.
Some of the words linger in my mind.
Sentence Fluency
My sentences begin in different ways.
Some sentences and paragraphs are short and some are long.
It just sounds good as it is read aloud.
My sentences have power and punch.
Conventions
Capitals are used correctly.
Periods, commas, and quotations marks are in the right places.
Almost every word is spelled correctly.
I remembered to indent each paragraph.
Have you spelled all words correctly? Use the following tips:
•Use spell check.
•Circle words that might be wrong and look them up.
•Consult the commonly mixed pairs list.
Does each sentence end with the correct punctuation mark?
Have you begun all sentences with a capital letter?
Check comma usage:
•
Commas separate items in a series.
•
Commas precede coordinating conjunctions (and, but, so, for or, nor, yet) in compound sentences.
•
Commas DO NOT separate two complete sentences. (This is called a comma splice).
Have you used apostrophes to show possession or to mark contractions or to show missing numbers
(as in ‘99)?
Is all dialogue or written conversation properly punctuated?
All proper names of people, places and things are capitalized.
Check subjects and verbs to see that they agree in tense and in number.
Do pronouns and antecedents agree?
Check for run-ons, comma splices and sentence fragments.
Have you written an appropriate title that reflects the main topic of your essay or paragraph?
Have you read your paper out loud (or had it read to you) to listen for confusing wording or missing
ideas?
Does your essay/paragraph meet the assignment requirements?