Checking For Deadly Editing Errors

Checking for Deadly Editing Errors Ariadne M Wilber : English 201 Complete the following five steps to guard against any of the deadly editing errors in your essay. 1. Subject-Verb Agreement--Find the main verb in each sentence. Match the verb to its subject. Make sure that the subject and verb agree in case and number. Indicate any sentences with errors on the author’s draft. 2. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement--Skim the paper, stopping at each pronoun. Look especially at it, this, they, their, and them. Find the antecedent. Make sure that pronoun and antecedent agree in case and person. Indicate any sentences with errors on the author’s draft. 3. Apostrophes--Skim the paper, stopping only at those words which end in "s." See if the word needs an apostrophe or if the apostrophe should be deleted. Indicate any sentences with errors on the author’s draft. 4. Comma Splices--Skim the paper, stopping at every comma. If there is a complete sentence on each side of the comma, add a coordinating conjunction after the comma or replace the comma with a semicolon. Indicate any sentences with errors on the author’s draft. 5. Fragments/Fused Sentences--Look at each sentence to see whether it contains at least one independent clause. Pay special attention to sentences that begin with dependent marker words (such as because) or phrases such as for example or such as. Also, insure that sentences with two or more independent clauses contain punctuation or a connecting word that separates the clauses. Indicate any sentences with errors on the author’s draft.