Exploring Writing - Gary Robert Muschla 2011
Guidelines for Proofreading
Part 4. Proofreading
Use the following guidelines when proofreading your writing.
1. Sentences begin with capital letters.
2. Sentences end with correct punctuation.
3. Paragraphs are indented.
4. Proper nouns and proper adjectives are capitalized.
5. Commas are used correctly (between the items in a list, to connect compound sentences, and after introductory words, phrases, and clauses).
6. Apostrophes are used correctly (with possessive nouns and contractions).
7. Pronouns are used correctly.
8. Quotation marks are used correctly (for dialogue and for the titles of short stories, articles, poems, and songs).
9. Italics and underlining are used correctly (for the titles of books, the names of newspapers and magazines, and the titles of movies).
10. Words are used correctly (especially homophones such as there, their, and they’re; your and you’re; its and it’s; and to, too, and two).
4.1 The Gila Monster
Directions: Proofread and correct the article. Pay close attention to errors in ending punctuation, commas, and capitalization. Make your corrections on this sheet.
The Gila monster is not a monster. It is a lizard. It is the largest lizard in the United States. it is also the only poisonous lizard in our Country
The Gila monster is found in the Desert areas of Arizona Nevada, Utah, and new Mexico. It is named after the Gila river.
An adult Gila monster is easy to recognize. It is about two feet long and weighs between three and five pounds. It has a thick body, and short legs. Its black, scaly
body is covered with orange pink and yellow spots.
The poison of a Gila monster is usually not strong enough to kill Humans. But the bite of the lizard, is painful.
4.2 How to Study for Tests
Directions: Proofread and correct the article. Pay close attention to errors in ending punctuation, commas, and capitalization. Make your corrections on this sheet.
Do you know how to study for tests. Here are some suggestions.
On the days leading up to the Test, listen to any reviews your teacher gives. This will help you find out what may be on the Test. You will be able to study the right material. If you have any questions about the material, ask your teacher?
Begin studying a day or two before the Test go over your notes and key parts of your textbook. Do not wait until the last minute, to study. Students who study ahead of time usually do better than those who cram.
On the day of the Test be confident. people who study do better than people who do not study.
4.3 The Family Picnic
Directions: Proofread and correct the story. Pay close attention to errors in ending punctuation, commas, and capitalization. Make your corrections on this sheet.
Katie woke up early on saturday! She was too excited to sleep! Today was the day of her family’s picnic.
Each year the Morgan Family met at Ellis park for a picnic. All of Katie’s aunts uncles and cousins would be there.
After breakfast Katie helped her mother pack food in coolers. They packed, sandwiches, salads, and desserts.
The drive to the park seemed to take forever As they entered the park, Katie’s father headed for lake Ellis where the Picnic Grounds were located. Nearing the lake, Katie saw that people were already there.
She smiled. This, would be a great day.
4.4 Frogs and Toads
Directions: Proofread and correct the article. Pay close attention to errors in ending punctuation, commas, and capitalization. Make your corrections on this sheet.
Frogs and Toads are amphibians. They are animals that can live both in water and on land. Although frogs and toads are much alike they are different too. Do you know how they are different.
Frogs spend much of their lives in water. Their bodies are usually slimmer than the bodies of toads they have smooth skin and they have long legs for jumping.
Toads spend most of their lives on land. Their bodies are usually thicker than the bodies of frogs they have warty skin and they have shorter back legs.
Of course for most People these are not very big differences. To them frogs and toads are more alike than different.
4.5 Why Plants and Animals Become Extinct
Directions: Proofread and correct the article. Pay close attention to errors in ending punctuation, commas, and capitalization. Make your corrections on this sheet.
Throughout history many plants and animals have become extinct. these plants and animals are no longer alive anywhere on our planet. Plants, and animals become extinct for many reasons.
Big changes in Climate can cause plants and animals to become extinct. If the climate of an area that once got much rain becomes very dry, some plants and animals may die out?
Sometimes people change the land where plants, and animals live For example, people cut down Forests. They may use wood to build houses or they may clear land for farming. The plants and animals that lived there may die.
Overhunting can cause animals to become extinct. Before the settlers came, buffalo ranged across the american Great Plains. By the end of the nineteenth century buffaloes were hunted almost to extinction.
Every effort should be made to protect plants and animals from extinction. Once a plant, or animal, becomes extinct it is too late.
4.6 The Test
Directions: Proofread and correct the story. Pay close attention to errors in punctuation and capitalization. Especially pay attention to the use of commas and apostrophes. Make your corrections on this sheet.
Marissa went down the hall toward her classroom. She felt foolish coming back to school. But she had forgotten her history book. without her history book, she wouldnt be able to study for the big history test Tomorrow.
History was a hard subject for Marissa. If she wanted a high grade on her report card she had to study.
Just before she got to the classroom she saw a paper on the floor. When she picked the paper up, her eyes widened. It was the tests answer key.
This was her chance to get a good grade. She held the key for a long moment.
That would be cheating and Marissa wasn’t a cheater.
She went into her classroom. Her teacher ms. Carter was there. Marissa went to the desk and handed the key to ms. Carter.
4.7 Deserts
Directions: Proofread and correct the article. Pay close attention to errors in punctuation and capitalization. Especially pay attention to the use of commas and apostrophes. Make your corrections on this sheet.
With it’s oceans lakes, and rivers, the Earth has plenty of water. But not all parts of the Earth have a lot of water. about one-fifth of the Earth’s land is desert.
Desert’s are dry areas of land. Some deserts get only an inch or two of rainfall every year.
Although it is hard for life to survive in deserts many plants and animals make the desert their home. Plants such as the Cactus live in deserts. Animals such as Snakes, Lizards, and Camels live in deserts too.
People also live in or near deserts. Many of these people believe that deserts have a special beauty. This beauty, is found nowhere else on our planet.
4.8 Earthquakes
Directions: Proofread and correct the article. Pay close attention to errors in punctuation and capitalization. Especially pay attention to the use of commas and apostrophes. Make your corrections on this sheet.
Earthquakes are more common than most people think. Thousands of earthquakes occur each year but most are so weak they aren’t felt. Only about one out of five hundred earthquakes causes damage
In the past, people didnt know what caused earthquakes? Today scientists’ know that the Earth’s crust, it’s outer layer is divided into great pieces. These pieces called plates are made of Rock. The plates move slowly in different directions. They may move past each other away from each other or toward each other. Sometimes a long crack, called a fault, forms between plates. If enough stress builds up along a fault an earthquake occurs.
Minor earthquakes cause little damage. Major quakes can destroy buildings bridges and roads. They can cause thousands of deaths.
4.9 The Race
Directions: Proofread and correct the story. Pay close attention to errors in punctuation and capitalization. Especially pay attention to the use of commas, apostrophes, and quotation marks. Make your corrections on this sheet.
It was Field Day at Manuels School. As he waited for his turn to run Manuel was worried. He was the fastest boy in the fifth grade but that could change today.
Mr. Wilkins, Manuels teacher called the last four boys to the starting line.
Manuel stepped forward. This was a race against time. Whoever ran the fastest would be the fastest runner in the fifth grade?
Manuel took a deep breath, and bent his legs. Every muscle was ready. He looked at the finish line at the end of the field. Another teacher Ms Edwards was there with a stopwatch.
“On your mark! said Mr. Wilkins. Get set! Go!”
The boys began. Manuel took powerful strides. he heard kids cheering but his thoughts were only on running. He was pulling ahead.
Manuel crossed the line first.
Sixteen point three seconds ms. Edwards said!
Manuel smiled That was the best time of the day. He was still the fastest runner in the fifth grade.
4.10 A Business Letter
Directions: Proofread and correct the letter. Pay close attention to errors in punctuation and capitalization. Especially pay attention to the use of commas and colons. Make your corrections on this sheet.
123 Mountain road
High Point WA 00000
September 25 2010
Mr William Connors, Circulation Manager
Rugged Outdoors Magazine
50 Carter street
Centerville, CA 00000
Dear Mr. Connors,
I would like to subscribe to “Rugged Outdoors Magazine.” Enclosed is a check for $19.95 for a subscription for one year.
Thank you.
Yours Truly.
Jon Petersen
4.11 Best Friends
Directions: Proofread and correct the article. Pay close attention to errors in punctuation and capitalization. Especially pay attention to the use of apostrophes and pronouns. Make your corrections on this sheet.
Me and Jimmy are best friends. We’ve been best friends since kindergarten.
Some kids think its strange that a girl and a boy in fifth grade are best friends. But Jimmy and me have a lot in common.
We live next door to each other. We both like sports we like the same type of music, and we like the same kinds of Movies. But most important, we just like hanging out together. Jimmys easy to talk to and he’s always willing to help when i have a problem. I do the same for him.
No matter what happens I know I can count on Jimmy. I suppose thats whats best about being best friends.
4.12 Arbor Day
Directions: Proofread and correct the article. Pay close attention to errors in punctuation and capitalization. Especially pay attention to the use of apostrophes, pronouns, and parentheses. Make your corrections on this sheet.
Arbor Day is a day for planting trees. All fifty States in the US. celebrate Arbor Day.
Julius Sterling Morton 1832-1902 founded the first Arbor Day in Nebraska on April 10 187 2. Morton believed that Nebraskas Land could be improved by the planting of trees.
Nebraskas first Arbor Day was a great success! People planted more than one million trees. A second Arbor Day took place in 1884 and also was successful. In 1885, Nebraska made Arbor Day a holiday and set April 22nd to celebrate it. April 22nd was Julius Sterling Mortons birthday.
In the following years, other states set aside there own Arbor Days.
Although the dates vary because of climate, Arbor Day remains a day for planting trees. It is a day people throughout the Country can celebrate our environment.
4.13 Play Ball!
Directions: Proofread and correct the story. Pay close attention to errors in punctuation and capitalization. Especially pay attention to quotation marks, apostrophes, and pronouns. Make your corrections on this sheet.
Jason looked at the darkening sky. He turned to Martin his friend.
“I bet its going to rain” Jason said.
“It’ll hold off until after the game, said Martin.”
The two boys had just arrived at the baseball field. Some of the players of both teams were already their. This was the first game of the season and all the boys were excited.
Coach Smith instructed the boys to begin warm-ups.
Jason and Martin took their places with there teammates and began stretching.
Jason looked back at the sky. He loved baseball and had been looking forward to this first game for weeks.
You worry too much,” said Martin. From the looks of those clouds, it wont rain for a while.”
“I hope you’re right,” said Jason.
A little while later the game was ready to start.
“Play Ball!” the umpire called.
“See,” said Martin. “You worry too much.”
Jason smiled. “Maybe your right.”
4.14 Reading
Directions: Proofread and correct the article. Pay close attention to errors in punctuation and capitalization. Especially pay attention to the use of quotation marks and italics. Make your corrections on this sheet.
Everybody in my family likes to read. Books, magazines, and newspapers are everywhere in our home.
My father reads the newspaper every morning. He reads the “New York Times” on the train to work. He also reads magazines. His favorite is Newsweek.
My mother likes to read novels. She reads a new novel every week. She likes Mysteries the best.
Stephie my sister likes short stories and poems. One of her favorite short stories is The Open Window by H. H. Munro. Her favorite poem is Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken.”
I like to read novels. My favorites are science fiction. If I had to pick one favorite, I would choose “A wrinkle in Time” by Madeleine L’ Engle.
4.15 The Big Slope
Directions: Proofread and correct the story. Pay close attention to errors in punctuation and capitalization. Especially pay attention to the use of quotation marks, apostrophes, and word usage. Make your corrections on this sheet.
Kyra stood on the top of the Mountain. She looked down the ski slope. Breakneck Trail disappeared in the distance. She took a deep breath too steady herself.
“Dont be afraid,” said Mia her big sister. “You can make it down.”
“Im not worried about making it down, said Kyra. She forced a smile. “I’m worried about how many pieces I’ll be in.”
Mia patted her on the shoulder. “You don’t have to do this, she said.”
“Yes, I do” said Kyra. “This is the only trail on this mountain Ive never gone down.”
Mia smiled. “Keep you’re knees bent, she said, and remember to lean into the turns.”
“Wish me luck,” Kyra said. She pushed off with her poles and started down the trail.
As she picked up speed she heard Mias voice behind her.
“Good luck.”
4.16 Sound
Directions: Proofread and correct the article. Pay close attention to errors in punctuation, capitalization, and word usage. Make your corrections on this sheet.
What causes sound. The sounds of a crying baby, the slamming of a door or the roar of a jets engines are all produced in the same way.
Sound is caused by vibrations. When something vibrates it moves back and forth rapidly. Imagine pulling a string on a Guitar. As the string vibrates, it makes a sound.
Vibrating objects cause the molecules in the air around them to move. As the molecules move the vibrations travel, through the air in waves. When these waves reach your ear, you hair the sound.
As sound waves move away from a vibrating object they become weaker. A sound becomes fainter the farther away you are from its source.
4.17 Checkers
Directions: Proofread and correct the article. Pay close attention to errors in punctuation, capitalization, and word usage. Make your corrections on this sheet.
Have you ever played checkers? If you have you have played one of the Worlds oldest games.
Games similar to checkers were played by the ancient egyptians about thirty-five hundred years ago. A form of the game was also played in ancient Greece. the modern form of checkers appeared about five hundred years ago.
Checkers is a game of skill. Two players' play against each other. Each player has twelve playing pieces on a board that has sixty-four squares. the goal of the game is to capture an opponents pieces. The best players’ think ahead and take advantage of there opponent’s mistakes.
Checkers is played around the world. Minor rules vary somewhat from country to country but the basic game is the same.
4.18 Safety First
Directions: Proofread and correct the article. Pay close attention to errors in punctuation, capitalization, and word usage. Make your corrections on this sheet.
Most accidents happen at home. Although nobody can prevent every accident you can prevent many accidents by being careful and using common sense.
Many accidents occur in the kitchen. always be careful around a stove so that you don’t get burned. Don’t leave paper towels napkins, or cloths near the stove. Handle knives with care. Dont touch their sharp blades and always cut away from your body. Keep knives in a safe place wear young children cant get them.
Many accidents also occur in the bathroom. Never use electrical Appliances such as a hear dryer near water. Use a rubber mat to prevent anyone from slipping in the bathtub. keeping soap in a soap dish will help prevent people from slipping on it.
Accidents can happen to anyone: But using common sense and being careful can reduce the chances of an accident happening to you.
4.19 Whale-Watching
Directions: Proofread and correct the story. Pay close attention to errors in punctuation, capitalization, and word usage. Make your corrections on this sheet.
Hallie took her seat in the boat. She was not pleased. Her parents and her were spending one of there vacation days looking for whales. her mom called it whale-watching. Hallie would have liked to spend the day at the lake, where her parents had rented a cabin for the weak.
“This will be exciting Hallies mother said.
“I’d rather be swimming at the lake Hallie said.”
“You can swim every day for the rest of the week said her father. “But you can’t see a whale every day.”
Hallie didnt understand what could be so great about seeing a whale. She pulled up the hood of her Sweatshirt to block the cool breeze.
It was early afternoon when one of the boats crewmen pointed ahead.
“There! he cried.
Hallie turned and saw a fantastic creature rise from the water.
“Its beautiful,” she said, and she forgot all about swimming.
4.20 Colors
Directions: Proofread and correct the article. Pay close attention to errors in punctuation, capitalization, and word usage. Make your corrections on this sheet.
Colors make the world a brighter place. Imagine how dull the World would be without colors?
Colors can be divided into three kinds primary, secondary, and intermediate.
The primary colors are red yellow and blue. These are known as the basic colors. They cant be made bye mixing any other colors.
The secondary colors are orange green, and violet. Secondary colors are made by mixing to primary colors. Mixing red and yellow makes orange. Mixing yellow and blue makes green. Mixing blue and red makes violet.
Intermediate colors are made by mixing primary and secondary colors. Mixing white, or black with colors will make them lighter or darker.
It is remarkable that all colors are based on combinations of red, yellow, and blue. What a colorful world, the Earth is!
4.21 Sasha, Come Down
Directions: Proofread and correct the story. Pay close attention to errors in punctuation, capitalization, and word usage. Make your corrections on this sheet.
I was doing my homework when Annie my little sister came running into my room.
“Cassie come quick!” she cried.
“What’s wrong,” I said.
“Its Sasha! Annie said between sobs. She’s stuck in a big tree.” Sasha was our cat.
I followed her downstairs and out the front door.
I looked up at the big oak tree in our yard. Sure enough Sasha was sitting on a high branch. Although she had climbed up she was afraid to climb down.
“Sasha, come down,” I said. But all I received was a sad meow.
Their wasn’t anything I could do except to keep calling Sasha to come down. But the cat wouldnt budge.
Fortunately, my father and mother soon came home from work. My father got the Ladder from the Garage and got Sasha.
I smiled as annie scolded the silly cat.
“Sasha don’t ever do that again,” she said.
4.22 Rainbows
Directions: Proofread and correct the article. Pay close attention to errors in punctuation, capitalization, and word usage. Make your corrections on this sheet.
When sunlight strikes water droplets in the air a rainbow may form. The rainbow makes an arc in the sky. Sometimes its ends seem to touch the Earth.
Why does a rainbow appear when sunlight hits water droplets. The answer lies in sunlight. a ray of sunlight contains all the colors of the spectrum, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. Tiny water droplets separate the sunlight into it’s different colors. Under the right conditions that creates a rainbow.
Rainbows most often are seen near the end of a rain shower. But they can also be seen in the spray of a waterfall a fountain or a garden hose.
According two Legend a pot of gold is at the end of a rainbow. Of course no one can ever reach the end of a rainbow. As you approach a rainbow, it seems to move farther a way and soon disappears.
4.23 Babysitting
Directions: Proofread and correct the story. Pay close attention to errors in punctuation, capitalization, and word usage. Make your corrections on this sheet.
Lateesha rang the doorbell to the home of Mr. and Mrs Morgan. This was the first time she was to babysit for there son Nathan. She hoped Nathan, who was only five years old would behave. Her friend Christina had babysat for Nathan once, and she would never do it again.
Mrs. Morgan opened the door with a big smile.
Lateesha saw Nathan standing in the living room. He was smiling to. He seemed like a nice boy.
After Mrs. Morgan gave Lateesha instructions, her and her husband got ready to leave.
“Remember Lateesha,” mrs. Morgan said at the door, Nathan must be in bed by nine.”
“I won’t forget.” Lateesha said.
For the next two hours she read to Nathan, they colored, and they watched TV. Nathan was so delightful that Lateesha began to wonder if Christina had babysat four the same boy.
At nine o’clock Lateesha announced that it was time for bed.
Nathan looked at her and smiled.
“No!” he said. The firmness in his voice told Lateesha that it was going to bee a long night.
4.24 Summer Challenge
Directions: Proofread and correct the story. Pay close attention to errors in punctuation, capitalization, and word usage. Make your corrections on this sheet.
It was tennis day at summer camp. Darci was to play Lora in the championship Match.
Darci looked at Lora and frowned. She doubted that she could beat Lora.
“Loras a great player,” Darci said to Melissa her best friend.
“She is,” said Melissa, “But she loses her cool. She tries to hit the ball as hard as she can every time. She hits a lot of balls out of bounds. Then she gets mad and hits them even harder. That makes her miss more.”
“But how does that help me,” said Darci. “I’ll be lucky to return half of her shots.”
“You have to play a steady game, said Melissa. “Don’t make mistakes. Thats how your going to beat her.”
“You mean she’ll beat herself,” said Darci.
Melissa nodded.
Not long after the match began Darci new her friend was right. When the match was finished Darci was the tennis champ.
4.25 Travelers
Directions: Proofread and correct the story. Pay close attention to errors in punctuation, capitalization, and word usage. Make your corrections on this sheet.
Captain Danos watched the main viewing screen on the bridge of his Spaceship. The tiny world grew on the screen. As it became larger oceans and land masses appeared threw patchy white clouds.
“It looks much like home” said Danos to Lieutenant Tarka.
“Yes it does.” Tarka said.
“Does the planet have intelligent life,” Danos asked?
Tarka checked some instruments.
“I think it does.” he said. “I’m picking up radio transmissions.”
“Are the inhabitants advanced enough for us to make contact,” said Danos.
“Doubtful,” Tarka said. “They seem primitive and warlike.”
“Too bad,” said Danos. “Whats the name of they’re planet.”
“Earth,” said Tarka.
Captain Danos gave the order to pass bye Earth.