Editing
EDITING
Example 1
Original: “Johns car is blue, but my car are red.”
Edited: “John’s car is blue, but my car is red.”
Explanation:
- Possessive Form Correction: "Johns" should be "John’s" to indicate possession. The apostrophe denotes that the car belongs to John.
- Verb Agreement: The verb “are” should be “is” to match the singular subject “car.”
Example 2
Original: “The book was laying on the table for weeks.”
Edited: “The book was lying on the table for weeks.”
Explanation:
- Verb Form Correction: "Laying" is incorrect here; "lying" is the appropriate verb to describe something resting in a place. "Laying" is used when something is placed down, while "lying" describes the state of resting.
Example 3
Original: “The meeting is scheduled at 2:00 PM in the after-noon.”
Edited: “The meeting is scheduled at 2:00 PM in the afternoon.”
Explanation:
- Spelling Correction: “After-noon” is a misspelling. The correct term is “afternoon.”
Example 4
Original: “She is a good friend, irregardless of the circumstances.”
Edited: “She is a good friend, regardless of the circumstances.”
Explanation:
- Nonstandard Usage: “Irregardless” is a nonstandard term. The correct word is “regardless,” which means without regard to.
Example 5
Original: “The scientist’s discovered the new species last month.”
Edited: “The scientists discovered the new species last month.”
Explanation:
- Possessive to Plural: “Scientist’s” is incorrect here; it should be “scientists” to indicate more than one scientist.
Example 6
Original: “I cannot except this offer because of my prior engagements.”
Edited: “I cannot accept this offer because of my prior engagements.”
Explanation:
- Spelling Correction: “Except” means to exclude, while “accept” means to agree to or receive. The correct term here is “accept.”
Example 7
Original: “The results of the experiment effect the entire research project.”
Edited: “The results of the experiment affect the entire research project.”
Explanation:
- Word Choice: “Effect” is a noun meaning a change or result, whereas “affect” is a verb meaning to influence. The correct verb here is “affect.”
Example 8
Original: “His the best student in the class.”
Edited: “He is the best student in the class.”
Explanation:
- Missing Verb: “His” is incorrect because it is a possessive pronoun. The correct form is “He is,” where “is” is the missing verb.
Example 9
Original: “The cat laid on the couch for hours.”
Edited: “The cat lay on the couch for hours.”
Explanation:
- Verb Form: “Laid” is the past tense of “lay” (to put something down). The correct past tense of “lie” (to recline) is “lay.”
Example 10
Original: “The weather is effecting our outdoor plans.”
Edited: “The weather is affecting our outdoor plans.”
Explanation:
- Word Choice: Similar to Example 7, “effecting” (a form of the noun “effect”) should be “affecting” (the verb) to show influence.
Example 11
Original: “The team is comprised of experienced professionals.”
Edited: “The team is composed of experienced professionals.”
Explanation:
- Word Choice: The phrase “comprised of” is often used incorrectly. The correct term is “composed of,” which is more accurate in describing how a group is made up.
Example 12
Original: “He was suppose to arrive by noon.”
Edited: “He was supposed to arrive by noon.”
Explanation:
- Spelling Correction: “Suppose” is incorrect in this context. The past tense “supposed” is needed to indicate an expectation.
Example 13
Original: “Due to the rain, we had to cancel our plans.”
Edited: “Because of the rain, we had to cancel our plans.”
Explanation:
- Clarity Improvement: “Because of” is more straightforward and clearer than “due to” in this context, which is better for expressing causation in everyday language.
Example 14
Original: “The data shows a significant amount of errors.”
Edited: “The data show a significant number of errors.”
Explanation:
- Subject-Verb Agreement: “Data” is a plural noun (derived from the Latin “datum”). Therefore, it should be paired with the plural verb “show.” Additionally, “number” is used with countable nouns like “errors,” whereas “amount” is used for uncountable nouns.
Example 15
Original: “The company’s profit’s increased last quarter.”
Edited: “The company’s profits increased last quarter.”
Explanation:
- Plural Form: “Profit’s” incorrectly uses an apostrophe to indicate plural. The correct term is “profits” to refer to multiple instances of profit.
Example 16
Original: “Your welcome to join us for dinner.”
Edited: “You’re welcome to join us for dinner.”
Explanation:
- Homophone Correction: “Your” (possessive pronoun) should be “You’re” (contraction of “you are”) to indicate that the invitation is extended to the person.
Example 17
Original: “He is apart of the organizing committee.”
Edited: “He is a part of the organizing committee.”
Explanation:
- Phrase Correction: “Apart” means separate or distant, while “a part” means included or involved in. The correct phrase here is “a part of.”
Summary:
Editing is crucial for ensuring clear, correct, and coherent communication. It involves fixing grammatical errors, improving word choice, and correcting spelling and punctuation mistakes. These examples illustrate common errors and their corrections, providing a clear guide to effective editing.