Editing and Error Correction
eade
I. EDITING AND ACCURACY
Editing and proof-reading are as important a part of writing as the drafting itself.
- Leave yourself time to read your essay at least twice.
- First Reading: focus on content, organization and cohesion
- Second reading: focus on language errors
I. Proof-reading:
At any level of language proficiency, certain types of mistakes are common, even if they are very basic errors. You can self-correct these and avoid losing unnecessary points.
Identifying your errors: in order to correct your mistakes, it is helpful to learn to recognize them.
These symbols are commonly used to identify error types.
Symbol / Type of error / example / Correct formVT / verb tense / Yesterday, the news has been terrible.
VF / Verb form / The news are terrible.
WW / Wrong word / Obama is the actual president.
WO / Word order / Also it has been proposed
ART / Article / The France is one of the founding members.
Internet is an important means.
GR / Grammar / One of the most important issue
Sp / Spelling / It is they’re choice.
partecipation
P / Punctuation / The war ended, the peace treaty was signed.
Str / Structure / It is necessary a reform.
It is necessary, it is important. / .
Sty / Style / It’s really interesting.
You’ve got to know how.
I / Italianism / Extreme bads, extremes remedies
Awk / Awkward expression / For what concerns the advantages
¶ / paragraphing / e.g. gaps between sentences in the same paragraph, paragraphs which are too long or too sort, no topic sentences
Exercises: The underlined phrases are incorrect. Identify the type of error and then write the correct sentence.
Example
There was a different money system , gold was the basis of this money system
Type of error: STR
Corrected sentence: There was a different money system for which gold was the basis.
- The world has grown according to public opinionsmaller.
______.
- Globalization is a phenomenon recently discovered.
______.
- It is interesting the similarity between the two.
______.
- Globalisation isn’t an actual phenomenon.
______.
5. Is significant to note how it evolved.
______.
More Practice with error correction. Find the errors, underline them, identify them and then write out the correct sentence. There may be more than one error per sentence.
Example:
To achievethe peace is one of the fundamental aims of the UN.
Type of error: VF correct form: achieving
Type of error: The peace: correct form: ART peace
Corrected sentence: Achieving peace is one of the fundamental aims of the UN.
1) The globalisation influences the ways of communication, the means of transport trade.
2) People in Italy has different expectations of politicals.
3) Obama knows is very important inspire his audience.
4) It depends from your point of view.
5) He emphasized the need of change.
6) Who knows how to communicate will began successful diplomats.
7) The developping countries represent the 60% of world’s population.
8) Young people in both of the major political parties supports Obama.
9) To invest on human resources is one of the best strategy.
10) A lot of people is discussing about this argument.
II. Fronting with Negative and Limiting Expressions: to emphasize a certain part of the sentence, we can change the word order. However, this requires certain structural changes too.
Neutral: Tourism will stimulate the country’s economy and create jobs.
Emphasis: Not only will tourism stimulate the country’s economy, it will create jobs.
Note that when we begin a sentence with a negative or limiting expression, we must invert the subject and verb, using an auxiliary verb where necessary.
Normal syntax: Tourism will stimulate the economy (subject + verb)
inverted syntax: not only will tourism stimulate (negative expression + aux verb + subject + infinitive
I. Which of these adverbial phrases have negative or limiting meanings?
Under no circumstances / Quite often / Only after a long timeNever / Not until he’d finished / Seldom
At once / Frequently / Only then
Usually / Only by…+ing / Not a word
Rarely / Even in summer / On no account
Not until / Not only / Meanwhile
Little / Whenever / Hardly
II. Put these sentences in the right order:
1. Seldom ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
president / has/ so / sounded / the / self-confident
2. Only ………………………………………………………………………………………………...………
Asia/ spending / by/ from / the / can/ save/ itself/ current /downturn
3. Under no circumstances………………………………………………………………………………...…….
police / should / of / rights / in / abuse / to / the / name / be / allowed /human / security
4. Little……………………………………………………………………………………………..
when /Obama/ he/ promised /realize/ his/ a puppy/ for 4 months/ children /this topic /would be/ talked about /that/ did
5. Hardly …………………………………………………………………………………………..
the bill/ the prime minister /parliament /approved /proposed /when /an amendment / had
Practice
Rewrite these sentences
1. Police must under no circumstances be given responsibility for protecting witnesses from other police.
Under no circumstances______.
2. We will accept bribery on no condition.
On no condition ______.
3. I will consider seeking re-election to the Secretary of State's position only if formally asked to do so.
Only if ______.
4. Politicians seldom acknowledge the importance of international institutions.
Seldom ______.
5. Countries will become more responsible only if their leaders are taken to task for their crimes against humanity.
Only if ______.
6. Governments will begin to tackle the problem effectively only by adopting clear policies.
Only by ______.
7. There have rarely been so many objections to a decision taken by an internationally recognized organisation.
Rarely ______.
8. Climate change will not become a common goal until all world leaders recognize the issue of global warming.
Not until ______.
9. No change will come about unless we are willing to rethink current practices.
Unless we are willing to rethink current practices, no change will come about.
10. Convicted criminals can under no condition run for public office.
Under no condition ______.
1