1. Trouble Spots
Editing

2. Sentence Variety Color code your sentences.
Assign a color for short, medium, and long sentences.
Short (Blue): One main idea (one independent clause)
Medium (Pink): One main idea with modifiers (independent and dependent clause) OR two simple main ideas
Long (Orange): Two or more main ideas (two or more independent clauses with dependent clauses or modifiers)
Is there a color that seems prominent?

3. Sentence Variety Make a list of words that start each sentence.
Mark every time you repeat that word.
Is there a word that you start sentenes with more than others?
Work to achieve a balance of openers and sentence lengths in your writing.

4. Incorporating Dialogue
Use commas to separate the quotation from the phrase that is introducing it.
As the wildlife refuge guide noted, “American crocodiles are an endangered species and must be protected.”
Capitalize the first word in a direct quotation if the quotation is a complete sentence.
Mr. Johnson said, “The alien spaceship appeared right before my eyes.”
If the quotation is interrupted mid-sentence, do not capitalize the second part of the quotation.
“I didn’t see an actual alien being,” Mr. Johnson said, “but I sure wish I had.”
Put the period, comma, or other ending punctuation inside the quotation marks.
Mr. Johnson replied to the reporter, “It has made me reconsider the existence of extraterrestrials.”
“Don’t go near the corn fields at night!” Mr. Johnson exclaimed.
“Are you doubting my testimony about the aliens?” he asked the reporter.

5. Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
Examples of Modifiers:
I walked in an out of dozens of stores yesterday, searching for the perfect purse.
Shopping with Lisa today, I found a great purse.
Dangling Modifiers:
The subject of the modifier is unclear—the noun closest to it doesn’t make sense with the modifier.
Ex: Having looked through the whole music store, the CD I wanted just wasn’t there.
Who is doing the looking here?
These often come at the beginning of the sentence, but they can also come at the end.

6. Misplaced Modifiers
Misplaced Modifier: When the subject of the modifier is unclear because the modifier is misplaced, usually it is too far from the noun being modified.
Ex: The jacket was just too small in the store.
How do we fix this to make it more clear?
Ways to correct these errors:
Connect dangling modifiers to a logical subject.
Add a subject to the modifier itself.
Ex: When you are writing, modifiers can really help to add detail to your essays.
Move misplaced modifiers closer to the nouns they modify.
Ex: The jacket in the store was just too small.

7. Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers can be funny!
Illustrate each sentence as it is written.
Write the incorrect sentence at the bottom of your illustration.
Then, correct your sentence and write the new version under the incorrect one.
BE PREPARED TO SHARE!

8. Editing and Fine Tuning
Consider sentence variety in your essay
Try color coding for sentence length
Read the beginnings of your sentences for one page. Work to vary the openings of your sentences.
Check your dialogue to make sure it is incorporated correctly.
Do you start a new paragraph for each new speaker in a conversation?
Review for dangling and misplaced modifiers.

9. Homework Finish, revise, and EDIT your essays.
KEEP all highlighting in your essay (Yellow and Green). No need to mark edits.
Use the Editing Checklist as a final proofreading step.
Give your essay a title.
Put the MLA heading in the upper left-hand corner.
Study descriptive and narrative essay characteristics and terms for QUIZ.
Submit to turnitin.com by 11:59 PM on 2/10 or 2/11
Bring all missing process work to class by 2/16 or 2/17.