Editing Test 1
Identify the sentence-skills mistakes at the underlined spots in the selection that follows. From the box below,
choose the letter that describes each mistake and write it in the space provided. The same mistake may appear
more that once. In one case, there is no mistake.
a. sentence fragment
e. missing comma
b. run-on
c. inconsistent verb tense
f. no mistake
d. dangling modifier
I had a strange experience last winter, I (1) was shopping for Christmas presents when I came to a small
clothing shop. I was going to pass it by. Until I saw a beautiful purple robe on a mannequin in the window. (2)
Stopping to look at it, (3) the mannequin seemed to wink at me. I was really startled, I (4) looked around to see if
anyone else was watching. Shaking my head I (6) stepped closer to the window. Then I really began to question
my sanity, it (6) looked like the mannequin moved its (7) legs. My face must have shown alarm because the
mannequin then smiles. (8) And even waved her arm. (9) I sighed with relief, it (10) was a human model after all.
1.
2.
3.
8.
9.
10.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Editing Test 2
Identify the sentence-skills mistakes at the underlined spots in the selection that follows. From the box below,
choose the letter that describes each mistake and write it in the space provided. The same mistake may appear
more that once.
a. run-on
e. wordiness
b. mistake in subject-verb agreement
f. slang
g. missing comma
c. faulty parallelism
d. missing quotation marks
It is the writer’s opinion that (1) smokers should quit smoking for the sake of the who are around them.
Perhaps the most helpless creatures that suffer from being near a smoker is (2) unborn babies, one (3) study
suggests that the risk of having an undersized baby is doubled if pregnant women are exposed to cigarette smoke
for about two hours a day. Pregnant women both should refrain from smoking and to avoid (4) smoke-filled
rooms. Spouses of smokers are also in big trouble. (5) They are more likely than spouses of nonsmokers to due of
heart disease and the development of (6) fatal cancers. Office workers are a final group that can be harmed by a
smoke-filled environment. The U.S. Surgeon General has said “Workers (7) who smoke are a health risk to their
coworkers. While (8) it is undoubtedly true that (9) one can argue that smokers have the right to hurt themselves
they (10) do not have the right to hurt others. Smokers should abandon their deadly habits for the health of others
at home and at work.
1.
2.
3.
8.
9.
10.
Editing Test 3
4.
5.
6.
7.
Editing Test 3 Identify the sentence-skills mistakes at the underlined spots in the selection that follows. From the
box below, choose the letter that describes each mistake and write it in the space provided. The same mistake may
appear more that once.
a. sentence fragment
e. dangling modifier
b. run-on
c. mistake in subject-verb agreement d. misplaced modifier
f. missing comma
g. wordiness
h. slang
America will never be a drug-free society but (1) we could eliminate many of our drug-reltaed problems
by legalizing drugs. Drugs would be sold by companies and not criminals if they were legal. (2) The drug trade
would then take place like any other business freeing (3) the police and courts to devote their time to other
problems. Lawful drugs would be sold at a fair price, no (4) one would need to steal in order to buy them. By
legalizing drugs, (5) organized crime would lose one of its major sources of revenue. It goes without saying that
(6) we would, instead, create important tax revenues for the government. Finally, if drugs was (7) sold through
legal outlets, we could reduce the drug problem among our young people. It would be illegal to sell drugs to
people under a certain age. Just as is the case now with alcohol. (8) And because the profits on drugs would no
longer be out of sight, (9) there would be little incentive for drug pushers to sell to young people. Decriminalizing
drugs, in short, could be a solution. To many of the problems that result from the illegal drug trade. (10)
1.
2.
3.
8.
9.
10.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Editing Test 4
Identify the sentence-skills mistakes at the underlined spots in the selection that follows. From the box below,
choose the letter that describes each mistake and write it in the space provided. The same mistake may appear
more that once. In one case, there is no mistake.
a. sentence fragment b. run-on
e. mistake with quotation marks
h. no mistake
c. mistake in subject-verb agreement
f. mistake in pronoun point of view
d. misplaced in verb tense
g. spelling error
One reason that I enjoy the commute to school is that the drive gives me uniterupted (1) time to myself.
The classes and socializing at college is (2) great, and so it the time I spend with my family, but sometimes all this
togetherness keeps you (3) from being able to think. In fact, I look forward to the time I have alone, it (4) gives
me a chance to plan what I’ll accomplish in the day ahead. For example, one Tuesday afternoon my history
professor announces (5) that a rough outline for our semester report was due that Friday. Fortunatly, (6) I had
already done some reading, and (7) I had checked my proposed topic with her the week before. Therefore, on the
way home in the car that evening. (8) I planned the entire history report in my mind. Then all I had to do when I
got home was quickly jot it down before I forgot it. When I handed the professor the outline at 8:30 Wednesday
morning. (9) She asked me “if I had stayed up all night working on it.” (10) She was amazed when I told her that I
owed it all to commuting.
1.
2.
3.
8.
9.
10.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Editing Test 5
Identify the sentence-skills mistakes at the underlined spots in the selection that follows. From the box below,
choose the letter that describes each mistake and write it in the space provided. The same mistake may appear
more that once. In one case, there is no mistake.
a. sentence fragment b. run-on
c. mistake in subject-verb agreement d. missing comma
e. missing capital letter
f. dangling modifier g. homonym mistake h. missing apostrophe
i. cliché
j. no mistake
Cars can destroy your ego. First of all the (1) kind of car you drive can make you feel like a second-class
citizen. If you can’t afford a new, expensive car, and are forced to drive an old clunker. (2) You’ll be the object of
pitying stares and nasty sneers. Drivers of newer-model cars just doesn’t (3) appreciate it when a ’68 buick (4)
with terminal body rust lurches into the next parking slot. You may even find that drivers go out of their (5) way
not to park near you. Breakdowns, too, can damage your self-respect. You may be an assistant bank manager or d
a job foreman, you’ll (6) still feel like two cents (7) when your (8) sitting on the side of the road. As the other cars
whiz past, you’ll stare helplessly at your cars (9) open hood or steaming radiator. In cases like this, you may even
be turned into that lowest of creatures, the pedestrian. Shuffling humbly along the highway to the nearest pay
phone, (10) your car has delivered another staggering blow to your self esteem.
1.
2.
3.
8.
9.
10.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Editing Test 6
See if you can locate and correct the ten sentence-skills mistakes in the following passage. The mistakes are listed
in the box below. As you located mistakes, put the sentence numbers in the spaces provided.
1 sentence fragment
1 run-on
1 mistake in verb tense
1 nonparallel structure
1 dangling modifier
1mistake in pronoun point of view
1 missing apostrophe
1 missing comma after introductory material
2 missing quotation marks
(1) The greatest of my everyday fears is technology. (2) Beginning when I couldn’t master bike riding an
extending to the present day. (3) Fear kept me from learning to operate a jigsaw, start an outboard motor, or even
using a simple tape recorder. (4) I almost didn’t learn to drive a car. (5) At age sixteen, Dad lifted the hood of our
Chevy and said, All right you ‘re going to start learning to drive. “Now this is the distributor…(6) When my eyes
glazed over he shouted, “Well, I’m not going to bother if youre not interested!” (7) Fortunately, the friend who
later taught me to drive skipped what goes on under the hood. (8) my most recent frustrations is the 35mm
camera, I would love to take professional-quality pictures. (9) But all the numbers and dials and meters confuse
me. (10) As a result, my unused camera is hidden away on a shelf in my closet. (11) Just last week, my sister
gives me a beautiful digital watch for my birthday. (12) I may have to putit on the shelf with the camera – the
alarm keeps going off, and you can’t figure out how to stop it.
Editing Test 7
See if you can locate and correct the ten sentence-skills mistakes in the following passage. The mistakes are listed
in the box below. As you located mistakes, put the sentence numbers in the spaces provided.
1 sentence fragment
1 run-on
1 mistake in subject-verb agreement
2 missing quotation marks
1 missing comma around an interrupter
2 apostrophe mistakes
1 misplaced modifier
1 non parallel structure
(1) I was six years old when, one day, my dog was struck by a car while getting ready for school. (2) My mother
and I heard the terrifying sound of squealing brake. (3) In a low voice she said, Oh my God, Blackie. (4) I
remember trailing her out the door and seeing a car filled with teenagers and a spreading pool of bright blood on
our cobblestoned steer. (5) To me, it seemed only a matter of seconds until a police car pulled up. (6) The officer
glanced at the crumpled dog under the car. (7)And drew his gun. (8) Mt mother shouted. “No!” (9) She crawled
halfway under the car and took the dog, like a sack of flour, out from under the wheels. (10) Her housedress was
splashed with blood, she cradled the limp dog in her arms and ordered the officers to drive her to the vets office.
(11) It was only then that she remembered me, I think. (12) She patted my head, was telling me to walk up to
school, and reassured me that Blackie would be all right. (13) The rest of the story including Blackie’s slow
recovery and few more years of life, are fuzzy and vague now. (14) But the sights and sounds of those few
moments are vivid to me now as they were twenty-five years ago.
Editing Test 8
See if you can locate and correct the ten sentence-skills mistakes in the following passage. The mistakes are listed
in the box below. As you located mistakes, put the sentence numbers in the spaces provided.
2 sentence fragment
1 nonparallel structure
1 run-on
1 mistake in subject-verb agreement
2 apostrophe mistakes
3 missing quotation marks
.
(1) Most products have little or nothing to do with sex a person would never know that by looking at ads..
(2) A television ad for a headache remedy, for example shows the product being useful because it ends a womans
throbbing head pain just in time for sex. (3) Now she will not say “Not tonight, Honey.” (4) Another ad features a
detergent that helps a single woman meet a man in a laundry room. (5) When it comes to products that do relate to
sex appeal advertises often present more obvious sexuality. (6) A recent magazine ad for women’s clothing, for
instance make no reference to the quality of or how comfortable are the company’s clothes. (7) Instead, the ad
feature a picture of a woman wearing a low-cut sleeveless T shirt and a very short skirt. (8) Here eyes are
partially covered by semi-wild hair. (9) And stare seductively at the reader. (10) A recent television ad for
perfume goes even further. (11) In this ad, a boy not older that twelve reaches out to a beautiful woman.
(12) Sexily dressed in a dark room filled with sensuous music. (13) With such ads, it is no wonder that young
people seem preoccupied with sex.