EXAMPLES OF COMMON EDITING ERRORS CORRECTED
Incorrect: Its been a long time since our dog had it's bath
Corrected: It's been a long time since our dog had its bath.
Hint: It's = "it is" or "it has."
Incorrect: My writing style is not unique or different, it is plain and simple.
Corrected: My writing style is not unique or different. It is
plain and simple.
OR
My writing style is not unique or
different; it is plain and simple.
Hint: A comma splice incorrectly splices together two clauses that can stand by themselves as sentences. Use a period or a semicolon--or revise the sentence in other ways.
frag = fragment
Incorrect: I enjoy writing as long as it keeps my interest. Which I found out to be true in the years to follow.
Corrected: I enjoy writing as long as it keeps my interest, a conclusion I found to hold true in the years to follow as well.
Hint: In most cases, once you can recognize a fragment, you can figure out which sentences it "belongs" to and how to connect it.
p = punctuation
Usually the "p" in the margin means you've got a comma error, but sometimes it refers to other punctuation errors, for example, faulty use of a semicolon.
¶ = create new paragraph within long paragraph
ref = unclear reference
Unclear: I am a struggling writer trying to get by and awaiting a time when I will be a good writer. In high school, I was a good student with some academic trouble in Language Arts. But this came as a surprise to me when I was receiving B's or better before that. Does "this" stand for "good student" or "some trouble in Language Arts"?
Clearer: I am a struggling writer trying to get by and awaiting a time when I will be a good writer. In high school, I was a generally a good student, so that my academic trouble in Language Arts came as a surprise to me, especially since I had received B's or better before that.
Hint: Pronouns, especially "this" and "it," should have clear antecedents in the sentence before, so that the reader understands what they stand for. In the last sentence, the word "they" clearly refers to "pronouns."
run-on = run-on sentence
SC = combine sentences
Awkward (not smooth): I worked very hard on this report. It was a learning experience. I actually enjoyed the report and it made me feel good about myself when I was finished.
Better: Because I worked very hard on this report and treated it as a learning experience, I actually enjoyed it and felt good about myself when I was finished.
Hint: When you have two or more short sentences together, you should check to see if they're closely related. Be creative in finding a way to connect them so that the reader can more easily see how they're related.
wc = word choice
SS = sentence structure
Incorrect: She then mentions the muffins she makes and says she gets out what she puts in, if she tries hard to make good muffins, and then she will make good muffins.
Correct: She then mentions the muffins she makes and says she gets out what she puts in. If she tries hard to make good muffins, then she will make good muffins.
I use SS to point out places that require complex punctuation or revision of the wording or structure of the sentence.