1. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
1)After the accident, Justine left her teaching
2)job; she has not able to resume her teaching
3)and possibly never will be able
4)to resume her teaching again.
Answers:
• Edit line (1)
for adverb clause structure and punctuation.
• Edit line (2)
for omission of a completing verb form.
• Edit lines (2),
(3) and (4) to eliminate repetition of 'able' and 'her teaching'.
• Delete 'again'
in line (4) to avoid redundancy.
• a, b and d
• b, c and d
2. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
1)I am unable to forgive my neighbour who
2)fails to return a lawnmower he had taken
3)from my garage without my permission. He is
4)now persona non grata in my home.
Answers:
• Edit line (1)
for pronoun reference.
• Edit line (2)
for verb tense consistency.
• Edit lines (1)
and (4) for diction.
• Edit line (3) for punctuation.
• This passage
does not need editing.
3. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
1)Delilah's twenty page tale of derring do
2)delighted the dignitaries who stamped their
3)feet in approval. Reading from a dais draped
4)in crepe, she felt like a modern day Scheherazade.
Answers:
• Edit lines (1)
and (4) for hyphenation.
• Edit line (2)
for missing comma.
• Edit lines (1)
and (3) for diction.
• Edit line (4)
for comma use and allusion errors.
• a and d
• a and b
• This passage
does not need editing.
4. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
1)Even though Sharon spends a good deal of time complaining,
2)bemoaning her fate and wishing that her circumstances
3)are not quite so humble, I'm pretty sure that she is
4)grateful for everything she has.
Answers:
• Edit lines (1)
and (4) for pronoun-antecedent agreement.
• Edit line (2)
for verb tense consistency.
• Edit lines (1)
and (3) to correct errors in diction and idiomatic expressions.
• Edit line (3) to correct error in present tense vs. past
subjunctive mood.
• This passage
does not need editing.
5. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
1)Catherine Bliss, who was one of the richest women
2)in the city in the 1940s, died at the age of 92 in a dingy
3)London hotel suite where she had lived with 3 cats and five
4)parakeets for more than 20 years. Her downfall was attributed to
5)her husband Barry Bliss's shady dealings in the early 1970s.
Answers:
• Edit line (1)
for passive voice.
• Edit lines (2)
and (5) for apostrophe usage.
• Edit lines (3) and (4) for number style.
• This passage is
correct; the editor should take no action.
6. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
'Those fake pearls and the upswept hairdo makes her look like a poor man's Grace Kelly', drawled Inga. 'But please don't tell her I said that'.
Answers:
• Edit the second
quoted speech to correct ambiguous pronoun reference.
• Change 'poor
man's' to 'second-rate' to correct error in idiom usage.
• Edit the main
verb in the first quoted speech to correct a subject-verb agreement error.
• Insert a comma after 'Inga' and lower-case the capital B in
'But'.
• This passage is
correct; the editor should take no action.
7. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
1)I know that Thomas is eager to move
2)operations to the east; however, it might be a
3)first good step for him to assess just how many
4)of his current employees are willing to relocate.
Answers:
• Edit line (2)
for use of conjunctive adverbs.
• Edit line (2)
for capitalisation.
• Edit line (3)
for placement of adjectives.
• Edit line (4)
for preposition usage.
• b and c
• This passage does
not need editing.
8. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
1)Brooke went with Carrie, Tom's event
2)planner, to pick out flowers for Tom's luncheon,
3)but she couldn't find anything she liked; hence, they
4)went home empty-handed.
Answers:
• Edit line (1)
for punctuation.
• Edit line (2)
for phrasal verb use.
• Edit line (3) for pronoun reference.
• Edit line (3)
for conjunctive adverb use.
• Edit line (4)
for diction and hyphenation.
• This passage
does not need editing.
9. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
1)Greta, who is completely enamoured of her new
2)designer handbag, is even more enamoured of the
3)envious glances she receives from her pals.
4)Made of buttery leather, Greta's fashionista friend just
5)had to run out and get one of her own.
Answers:
• Edit lines (1) and (2) for diction.
• Edit lines (2)
and (3) for adjective usage.
• Edit line (4)
for dangling modifier.
• Edit line (5)
for phrasal verb usage.
• This passage
does not need editing.
10. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
1)'If you cut along the crease here', said Haruko, 'then
2)fold the paper into a triangle thusly and then fold it
3)again to form a base, you will have made yourself a
4)chic—and cheap—yacht'. She sat back, clearly satisfied.
5)'And that's the beauty of origami!'
Answers:
• Edit lines (1), (3) and (4) for punctuation.
• Edit line (2)
for adverb usage.
• Edit line (4)
for dangling modifier.
• Edit line (5)
for end punctuation.
• a, b and d
• This passage
does not need editing.
11. Choose the editing option that best corrects the underlined part of the following sentence.
To maintain a healthy body and mind, one must exercise, eat fruits and vegetables and refrain from cigarettes and drinking alcohol.
Answers:
• refrain from
smoking cigarettes and drinks.
• refrain from smoking and drinking alcohol.
• refrain from
smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol.
• refrain from
cigarettes and drinking.
• This sentence is
correct; the editor should take no action.
12. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
'Have you read Zinn's A People's History of the United States?' asked Jamie.
'Yes', I replied, 'and I must say it's the most eye-opening history book I've read in some time.'
Answers:
• Replace the
comma after 'replied' with a period and capitalise the following 'and'.
• Change
'People's' from a possessive to a plural noun.
• Underline or italicize the book title.
• a and c
• This passage is
correct; the editor should take no action.
13. Choose the editing option that best corrects the underlined part of the following sentence.
It will require diligence and careful planning to rebuild the town's infrastructure and create systems of protection for future hurricanes.
Answers:
• create systems of protection about future hurricanes
• to create
systems of protection regarding future hurricanes
• create those
systems needed to protect that infrastructure from any future hurricanes
• create systems
of protection against future hurricanes
• This sentence is
correct; the editor should take no action.
14. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
1)Whether Steve is aware of it or not,
2)today is the anniversary of us packing up the
3)house and hightailing it to Canada. If I were
4)you, I wouldn't remind him of it.
Answers:
• Edit line (1)
for structure and punctuation.
• Edit line (2) to correct error in possessive determiner.
• Edit line (3) to
correct idiom and verb tense errors.
• Edit line (4)
for pronoun reference.
• This passage
does not need editing.
15. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
1)If you are concerned about wrinkles and other telltale signs of age,
2)you should know that prolonged sun exposure has at least two damaging effects:
3)not only is the wrinkling of the skin hastened, but it may also result in
4)lowered immunity against infection.
Answers:
• Edit line (1) for redundancy.
• Edit line (2)
for passive voice.
• Edit line (3)
for unnecessary shift in voice.
• Edit line (4)
for faulty phrasing.
• This passage is
correct; the editor should take no action.
16. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
1)Knowing she had no right for privacy as long
2)as she stayed in the convent, Marta hid her forbidden
3)diary in the secret compartment she'd discovered
4)besides the confessional in the chapel.
Answers:
• Edit lines (1) and (4) for preposition usage.
• Edit lines (2)
and (3) for pronoun usage.
• Edit line (2)
for modifier placement.
• Edit line (1)
for participle use.
• Edit line (3)
for verb tense.
• This passage
does not need editing.
17. Choose the editing option that best corrects the underlined part of the following sentence.
A doctor at the City Clinic in Manchester claims that if women give up smoking and ate a healthy diet, their children would be less likely to develop lung diseases.
Answers:
• claims that if women gave up smoking and ate a healthy diet
• claims that if
women had given up smoking and eaten a healthy diet
• claimed that
when a woman gives up smoking and eats a healthy diet
• claims that if
women give up smoking and eat a healthy diet
• claimed that
when women gave up smoking and ate a healthy diet
18. Choose the editing option that best corrects the underlined part of the following sentence.
After a whole morning of experimenting with all these new potions and pills, I'm sorry to say that my migraine is as bad today as yesterday.
Answers:
• is as bad today
just as it was yesterday
• is as bad today as it was yesterday
• was worse today
than it had been yesterday
• was as bad today
as yesterday
• This sentence is
correct; the editor should take no action.
19. Choose the editing option that best corrects the underlined part of the following sentence.
An understanding of the manner in which different types of disciplinary tactics affects student behaviour will help us design better methods for classroom management.
Answers:
• Understanding how different types of disciplinary tactics
affect student behaviour
• An understanding
of the way that disciplinary tactics affects student behaviour
• Having an
understanding of how different types of disciplinary tactics affect student
behaviour
• Different types
of disciplinary tactics affect students in diverse ways, and understanding that
• This sentence is
correct; the editor should take no action.
20. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
1)So the guy breaks into our house, steals our stuff and
2)then slips on the ice in the driveway on his way out,
3)breaking his ankles. And guess what? He hit us with a
4)personal injury suite. Isn't that the most ridiculous
5)tragedy of justice you ever heard of?
Answers:
• Edit lines (1) and (2) for comma usage errors.
• Edit line (3)
for idiom usage error.
• Edit line (4)
for spelling error.
• Edit line (5)
for diction error.
• b and c
• c and d
• This passage is
correct; the editor should take no action.
21. Choose the editing option that best corrects the underlined part of the following sentence.
If all goes according to plan, three years from now Agatha will marry, give birth to two children and learn how to juggle a hectic career in between.
Answers:
• marries, gives
birth to two children and learns how to juggle
• has married and
given birth to two children and had already learned how to juggle
• will marry and
give birth to two children and she will learn how to juggle
• will have married, given birth to two children and learned
how to juggle
• This sentence is
correct; the editor should take no action.
22. Read the following closing paragraph of an Internet-based business-to-consumer sales letter and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
So are you ready to get your head out of the weeds? CLICK HERE to order your Garden Guru Deluxe package and FREE GardenFriend Tool Belt, and join more than 100,000 other hard-working people who now spend their weekends playing instead of pruning! And just to sweeten the pot, I'll take off an additional 30% if you order before 10th of December. You can't beat that with a stick!
Weedlessly Yours,
Jay Appleseed
President, Garden Guru Inc.
P.S. I have your deluxe Package and FREE gift ready to send to you. After you order using your credit card, I'll send you your tracking number and full instructions. Click here to order.
Answers:
• For the sake of
credibility, strongly suggest that the author back up his claim that '100,000
people' own this product.
• Change instances
of ALL CAPS to sentence case or lowercase as appropriate.
• Recast the
entire closing to eliminate humour.
• Delete the unprofessional 'P.S.'
• None of the
above actions are necessary. Though it may benefit from a little tweaking, this
closing is acceptable.
23. Choose the editing option that best corrects the underlined part of the following sentence.
According to the chief of surgery, the risk of death from this medical procedure is about the same from an airplane crash or from a nuclear reactor meltdown.
Answers:
• the same as an airplane crash or
• the same as from
an airplane crash as well as that from
• the same as from
an airplane crash or
• This sentence is
correct; the editor should take no action.
24. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
1)Like a miniature solar system, the moths orbited the
2)fire, their firefly companions providing intermittent
3)flashes of starlight. We sat in our lawn chairs,
4)as silent as empty space, enthralled by the show.
Answers:
• Edit line (1)
for illogical comparison.
• Edit line (2)
for faulty phrasing.
• Edit line (3)
for clarity.
• Edit line (4) for incomplete comparison.
• This passage
does not need editing.
25. Read the following passage and identify the type of error it contains.
Harold simply cannot get over the fact that Maude eats up every night of the week. If he had his druthers, he'd tie her over until she realized how wonderful it was to tuck into a nice home-cooked meal.
Answers:
• Error in phrasal
verb usage
• Error in modal
verb usage
• Incorrect use of idiomatic expressions
• Inconsistency in
verb tense
• This passage is
correct.
26. Choose the editing option that best corrects the underlined part of the following sentence.
Herbert works hard all week and has plans every weekend for the next year and he still finds time to volunteer at the animal shelter.
Answers:
• Herbert works
hard all week and he has plans every weekend for the next year and he
• Working hard all
week and having plans every weekend for the next year, Herbert
• Although Herbert works hard all week and has plans every
weekend for the next year, he
• Despite working
hard all week and with plans every weekend for the next year, Herbert
• This sentence is
correct; the editor should take no action.
27. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
1)Why, Helen wondered, did I ever show my face in Troy?
2)There's been nothing but infighting, death and destruction
3)—not to mention the cost of launching those thousand
4)ships. My choice is clear: I'm moving to Swindon.
Answers:
• Edit line (1) for inverted commas.
• Edit lines (1)
and (2) for overuse of commas.
• Edit line (2)
for omission of hyphen.
• Edit line (3)
for use of em dash.
• Edit line (4)
for capitalisation and use of colon.
• This passage is
correct; the editor should take no action.
28. Read the following sentence and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
If you can learn to control your anger just a touch more, you ought to find that people react to you more positively.
Answers:
• Edit both modal
verbs to correct usage and tense errors.
• Change all verbs
to future tense.
• Change the first
modal verb to 'could', but leave the second modal verb as is.
• Recast the
sentence to eliminate all adverbs.
• This sentence is
correct; the editor should take no action.
29. Read the following sentence and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
If we decided to move venues, our production process would not be likely to suffer much, as long as a system of checks keeps production tasks on schedule.
Answers:
• Change 'decided'
to 'would have decided' to ensure consistency of conditional mood.
• Change 'keeps'
to 'kept' to correct the unnecessary shift in verb tense.
• Edit to correct
error in use of past perfect tense.
• a and c
• This sentence is
correct; the editor should take no action.
30. Read the following sentence and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
Happiness has always and will always be an elusive element in my life, yet I don't let that fact bother me too much.
Answers:
• Delete the comma
before the second independent clause.
• Insert a
completing verb form for 'has' to correct the parallel structure of the first
clause.
• Enclose
'Happiness' in inverted commas to show its status as a concept.
• Change 'elusive'
to 'illusive' to correct diction error.
• This sentence is
correct; the editor should take no action.
31. Which of the following sentences requires editing to correct an error in subject-verb agreement?
Answers:
• Every single one
of the scouts is responsible for his own camping equipment and should come
prepared for a strenuous hike.
• The walls of the
old villa have been newly plastered with white stucco, which robs them of their
charm.
• In your case,
I'd say that a deepened sense of self-awareness and a lessened propensity to
fly off the handle have made you much more pleasant to be around.
• The
receptionists and clerks each hope for a substantial bonus this year.
32. Read the following sentence and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
Daphne's latest exhibition was roundly panned by the critics, whereas her earlier works had received a lukewarm reception.
Answers:
• Replace the
incorrect adverb 'roundly' with the more appropriate 'thoroughly'.
• Recast the
second clause to correct the illogical use of 'whereas'.
• Edit subjects in
both clauses to correct parallel structure.
• This sentence is
correct; the editor should take no action.
33. Read the following sentence and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
Henrik, who was desperate to impress Sophie—who happened to be sitting next to him on the divan and pretending not to notice anything untoward—was beside himself with shame and anger because his goat, which he'd had since it was a wee kid, had just entered the living room with the remains of Sophie's cashmere coat dangling from its mouth.
Answers:
• Recast the
sentence to correct all pronoun usage and reference errors.
• Delete
parenthetical elements to eliminate wordiness.
• Delete the comma
after 'goat'.
• Edit the main
independent clause to correct pronoun-antecedent errors.
• This sentence is
correct; the editor should take no action.
34. Which of the following sentences requires editing to correct an error in pronoun-antecedent agreement?
Answers:
• Each of the
volunteers contributes a good deal to the cause in his or her own way.
• A number of ants
are marching into their anthill outside the kitchen door.
• Somebody left
their marbles on the bench; shall we find out whose they are?
• Although its
members may have disagreed among themselves, the jury eventually handed its
unanimous verdict to the judge.
• All of the above
require editing.
35. Read the following sentence and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
Don't flatter yourself—Susannah had no intention of crying for you regardless of whether you had a banjo on your knee, came from Alabama or were headed to Louisiana.
Answers:
• Edit the
introductory phrase to correct reflexive pronoun usage.
• Query the author
about the validity of the implication that banjos can be balanced upon knees.
• Change
'regardless of whether' to 'regardless of whether or not'.
• Change verbs to
present tense.
• This sentence is
correct; the editor should take no action.
36. Read the following sentence and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
If any club member dared to suggest that he was not against opening membership to women but only against allowing them early tee times, he would be shouted out of the room.
Answers:
• Change 'dared to
suggest' to 'dares suggest' to avoid unnecessary verb tense shift.
• Change all
gerunds to infinitives to correct parallel structure.
• Change 'dared to
suggest' to 'dared suggest' to correct auxiliary verb usage error.
• Change 'would
be' to 'would have been' to correct error in conditional mood.
• This sentence is
correct; the editor should take no action.
37. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
Outsourcing our accounting and collections tasks has really laid credence to our company. Our customers now perceive us to be bigger than we are and are certainly put hard to ignore their outstanding invoices.
Answers:
• Edit the first
sentence to correct the error in diction.
• Edit the second
sentence to correct the idiomatic error.
• Recast the
second sentence for logic and parallel structure.
• a and b
• a and c
• This passage is
correct; the editor should take no action.
38. Which of the following sentences requires editing to correct a modifier usage error?
Answers:
• Your opinion
will greatly influence the outcome of today's vote.
• Wendy barely
threw the ball two feet, thereby losing the game for the team.
• Having sung his
heart out, Billy took a bow and exited stage left.
• 'This cake
tastes wonderful', said Frederick, 'but I'd prefer fewer raisins next time'.
39. Read the following passage from a play script and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
HORATIO, preparing to blow his horn. Aw, dang! The pistons are all gummy. Now what?
JOE. Chill out. (He takes off his shoe.) Here, hit 'em with this.
Answers:
• Enclose
'preparing to blow his horn' in brackets.
• Change 'Aw,
dang!' to 'Oh, dear!' to eliminate colloquial speech.
• Eliminate
inappropriate slang by changing 'Chill out' to a phrase like 'Never fear'.
• Italicize the
stage direction in the second line.
• Insert inverted
commas around all dialogue.
• d and e
• This passage is
correct; the editor should take no action.
40. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
The award was received joyously by Mr. Pocklock for his volunteer service. So pleased was he, he began to dance a jig and didn't stop until dawn.
Answers:
• Rewrite the
second sentence to eliminate stilted phrasing.
• Change the first
'he' in the second sentence to 'Mr. Pocklock' to avoid awkward phrasing.
• Recast the whole
passage into one sentence instead of two.
• Recast the first
sentence to eliminate unnecessary use of passive voice.
41. Which of the following sentences requires editing to correct an error in parallel structure?
Answers:
• We applauded him
not only for admitting his serious offences and helping the police, but also for
expressing his sincere regret for the pain he had caused.
• The merger led
to restructuring the internal systems, redefining the roles of each department
and realigning the company's goals to those of its parent company.
• According to a
recent survey, the average French woman speaks two languages, marries and
divorces twice in her lifetime and drinks seventeen gallons of wine a year.
• 'This is a time
not for words, but action'! roared the candidate, backed up by the deafening
cheers of the crowd.
42. Read the following sentence and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
At this point in the play, we see that Hamlet has still not decided whether to kill Claudius, despite brooding over it for quite some time.
Answers:
• Change 'whether'
to 'whether or not' to clarify Hamlet's intentions.
• Change the
present participle 'brooding' to the perfect participle 'having brooded'.
• Change the
present participle 'brooding' to the past participle 'brooded'.
• Change all
present tense verbs to past tense.
• a and b
43. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
I was truly shocked—could anyone have suspected such a thing?—to hear the news of his arrest. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't he run on a platform of 'family values?' I guess it just goes to show the hypocrisy of our elected officials and how they take us for...well, perhaps it's better if I just leave it at that.
Answers:
• Place the
question mark in the second sentence outside the inverted commas.
• Replace the em
dashes with brackets.
• Recast the last
sentence to avoid the use of ellipsis points.
• Insert a comma
after 'officials' in the last sentence.
• a and d
• This passage is
correct; the editor should take no action.
44. Read the following sentence and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
The forthcoming community celebration in Tuscaloosa has many surprises in store for whomever arrives before nine in the morning and manages to find one of the fifteen special golden tickets hidden in the haystack at the entrance.
Answers:
• Change
'forthcoming' to 'imminent' to clarify the intent of the sentence.
• Change 'has' to
'will have had'.
• Change the
correlative pronoun to 'whoever'.
• Place a comma
after 'tickets'.
• c and d
45. Which of the following sentences does NOT require editing to correct an error in subject-verb agreement?
Answers:
• He drank a fifth
of whiskey after two-fifths of his vineyard was destroyed in the flood.
• The study on
drug abuse showed that the number of teenage victims are increasing every year.
• Neither of my
brothers, who are more artistic by nature, are particularly interested in
sports.
• The assistants,
but not the manager, has decided not to come in over the weekend.
46. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
The news of the avalanche shocked the citizens in our little town, where everyone knew everyone else. Fortunately, however, Sven was the only one of the skiers who were injured in the incident.
Answers:
• Correct the
preposition error in the first sentence.
• Delete the comma
after 'Fortunately'.
• Delete 'Sven
was' and insert 'was Sven' after 'incident'.
• Edit the
auxiliary verb in the second sentence to correct an error in subject-verb
agreement.
• a and d
• This passage
does not need editing.
47. Which of the following sentences requires editing to correct errors in diction or spelling?
Answers:
• Please lie the
snake on the table and back away slowly.
• The reason I'm
late is because my car got stuck in a snow bank.
• The crowd held
its breath, hoping that the matador gorged by the bull would be all right.
• Helga must try
and finish her credits by May if she wants to graduate with the class.
• All of the above
sentences require editing.
48. Read the following sentence and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
Our voyage would have been a different and much more boring experience would it not have been for the family of dolphins that followed the ship from Mallorca to Malta.
Answers:
• Edit the
predicate to correct parallel structure.
• Change all verbs
to simple past tense.
• Edit to correct
error in use of conditional and/or subjunctive mood.
• Query the author
about the factual validity of the claim that dolphins were present between
Mallorca and Malta.
• This sentence is
correct; the editor should take no action.
49. Which of the following sentences requires editing to correct an error in the use of conjunctions?
Answers:
• Alfred latched
onto Amy as though he'd been waiting for her all his life.
• Everyone in the
acting troupe expressed doubt that Samantha would star in the production.
• Clarissa trumped
Claude not only in talent but also in popularity.
• No improvement
in our conditions will be possible unless the naysayers are weeded out.
50. Read the following sentence and identify the type of error it contains.
We have no doubt that the minister's lofty speech will be accompanied by any clandestine deal for lucrative building contracts and secret talk of future collaborations.
Answers:
• Error in
determiner usage
• Error in adverb
usage
• Error in
conjunction usage
• Error in
preposition usage
• This sentence is
correct.
51. Read the following sentence from a journal article and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
Of the two control groups, a significant number (85) of those in Group A scored higher (74%) than those in group B (66 percent), while both had similar standard deviations (8.3% and 7.9% respectively).
Answers:
• Change '66
percent' to '66%'.
• Edit passage to
ensure consistency in capitalisation.
• Remove
statistics from the sentence and place them in a table.
• Suggest the use
of inferential statistics rather than descriptive statistics.
• All of the above
may be necessary. Before editing, refer to the publication's in-house style
sheet for guidance on capitalisation, use of tables and preferred style for
writing statistics.
52. Which of the following sentences does NOT require editing to correct errors in punctuation?
Answers:
• Dahlia, Doris's
younger sister, asked me, 'Could I please join you' I nodded in affirmation;
however, I didn't want her to join me.
• Dahlia, Doris'
younger sister, asked me, 'Could I please join you'? I nodded in affirmation,
however; I didn't want her to join me.
• Dahlia, Doris'
younger sister, asked me, 'Could I please join you'? I nodded in affirmation,
however, I didn't want her to join me.
• Dahlia, Doris's
younger sister, asked me, 'Could I please join you?' I nodded in affirmation;
however, I didn't want her to join me.
53. Read the following sentence and identify the type of error it contains.
The differences in the two committees had finally reached an insurmountable level; each wanted to delve in the problem more deeply, but neither wanted to cooperate among the other.
Answers:
• Errors in
pronoun usage and agreement
• Incorrect
placement of adjectives and adverbs
• Incorrect use of
coordinating and subordinating conjunctions
• Errors in
preposition usage
• This sentence is
correct.
54. The following sentence is devoid of punctuation. Which of the given editing options turns it into a coherent, plausible sentence?
The point is Mr. Rosenwell said Andrew whether or not you intend to pay off your debts
Answers:
• Andrew said,
'The point is Mr. Rosenwell, whether or not you intend to pay off your debts'.
• 'The point is,
Mr. Rosenwell', said Andrew, 'whether or not you intend to pay off your debts'.
• 'Mr. Rosenwell',
said Andrew: 'The point is whether or not you intend to pay off your debts'.
• 'The point, Mr.
Rosenwell, is whether or not you intend to pay off your debts', said Andrew.
• b and d
55. Choose the editing option that best corrects the underlined part of the following sentence.
The Board of Directors on Monday said that the company could undertake the additional activities without first seeking the consent of the foreign investors.
Answers:
• without the
assent of the foreign investors
• without first
seeking approval from the foreign investors
• without first
seeking the approval of the foreign investors
• whether or not
they receive the consent of the foreign investors
• This sentence is
correct; the editor should take no action.
56. Which of the following sentences requires editing to correct errors in punctuation?
Answers:
• You've been my
best friend for years; however, seeing as you cannot afford to lend me any more
money, I think it's time to end our relationship.
• As I listened to
the scraping of the shovel on the asphalt, I was suddenly reminded of my cousin
Bob's and my father's singing voices.
• The two faced
each other in silence, each one thinking the other a two-faced coward.
• I just adore
this carnivorous plant, which by the way was a gift from your mother.
57. Read the following sentence and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
Try and imagine a mental picture of someone struggling with the activity of trying to learn what the fingerings and techniques are for how to play the flute.
Answers:
• Delete the
phrase 'with the activity of trying' to eliminate wordiness.
• Change 'Try and'
to 'Try to' to correct faulty phrasing.
• Recast the
entire sentence to fix multiple style and usage errors.
• Query the author
about flute-playing techniques.
• Delete 'a mental
picture' to eliminate redundancy.
58. Which of the following sentences requires editing to correct general errors in grammar, usage or style?
Answers:
• While Paris
smashed all records for tourism revenue this year, it still lags well behind
other European cities in exports.
• Do you know the
blonde woman in the red car that is going round the corner at this very moment?
• Senator Clark
would go to any lengths to deter his constituents going to support his rival.
• The marketing
department's performance has been decidedly lacklustre this quarter; its
efforts haven't brought in any revenue whatsoever.
59. Read the following sentence and identify the type of error contained in the underlined portion.
Alistair protested against the rock singer's tour and threatened to burn down any theatre that dared to host his concert.
Answers:
• Subject-verb
agreement error
• Modal verb error
• Incorrect use of
past participles
• Unnecessary verb
tense shift
• This sentence is
correct.
60. Which of the following sentences does NOT require editing to correct voice, wordiness or redundancy?
Answers:
• The focus of the
meeting centred around the issue of the adult video store, which had been built
in close proximity to an elementary school.
• At the time that
Ronald wrote his dissertation, he had no idea that he would one day become a
world-renowned mathematician.
• It is expensive
to upgrade the software every year; this has had a detrimental effect on our
bottom line.
• Because the
factory fire started due to negligence, the company that was responsible had to
pay a substantial fine.
• Although talking
would help to resolve the problem, I'm sure Manuel would prefer to knock all of
them upside the head.
• All of the above
sentences require editing for voice, wordiness or redundancy.
61. Read the following sentence from a formal study and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
A recent study by a team of UCLA sociologists confirmed that the average female moviegoer expects to see at least three romantic scenes per film, and that they are seldom disappointed!
Answers:
• Edit final
punctuation to eliminate inappropriate use of the exclamation point.
• Change
'confirmed' to the present tense.
• Change 'expects'
to the past tense.
• Edit final
clause to correct error in pronoun-antecedent agreement.
• a, b and c
• a and d
• This sentence is
correct; the editor should take no action.
62. Read the following passage from the manuscript of a novel and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
Along the dusty roadway lay intermittent reminders of the war: a mud-filled crater here, a bullet-riddled tree there—and all around, the silence of expectation, of the calm before the storm.
Answers:
• Expand on the
author's idea by inserting one or two additional reminders of the war.
• Tactfully
suggest that the author rethink the cliched expression 'the calm before the
storm'
• Query the author
about the logic of the phrase 'the silence of expectation'.
• Change 'roadway'
to 'road' to eliminate wordiness.
63. Read the following sentence and identify the type of error it contains.
Although I'm not a big fan of so-called chick flicks, I have to admit that The Devil Wears Prada is far and away the best film of the genre I've seen.
Answers:
• Illogical
comparison
• Incorrect idiom
usage
• Omission of
inverted commas
• Verb tense shift
• This sentence is
correct.
64. Read the following sentence and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
Nothing is more disgusting to Ruth but seeing toads squashed on the side of the road.
Answers:
• Change the main
verb to 'were' to correct subject-verb agreement.
• Change 'seeing'
to 'to see'.
• Change 'but' to
'than' and place 'squashed' before 'toads'.
• Delete 'more'
and insert 'most'.
• b and c
65. Read the following stanza from a contemporary poem and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
She ran daintily among the tame, silky hills
disappeared and reappeared, galloping on the wind
whirlingly penetrated the universe and the nothing.
She smiled at me. I liked her. I latched onto her joy.
Crumbs of history under the Chair of time.
Answers:
• Delete the
non-word 'whirlingly'.
• Edit the
ambiguous image in the last line for logic and clarity.
• Rework the
stanza to follow an abab rhyme scheme.
• Suggest the use
of more similes and other literary devices.
• Work closely
with the author throughout the revision process to understand his or her
editing needs and expectations, and make tactful suggestions accordingly.
• Revise the
punctuation in the first three lines so that it conforms to standard usage.
• An editor should
take no action, as poetry should not be edited by anyone other than the author.
66. Read the following sentence and identify the type of error contained in the underlined part.
Although Ralph didn't like the name-calling and teasing he endured from the cool kids, he found their pointed silence equally as upsetting.
Answers:
• Unnecessary
shift in voice
• Faulty phrasing
• Inappropriate
use of passive voice
• Redundancy
• This sentence is
correct.
67. Which of the following sentences does NOT require editing to correct general errors in grammar, usage or style?
Answers:
• Driving in
northern Italy may be very dangerous because the fog often extends from Milan
to Turin and lasts for many hours in the morning.
• After spending
many long years to work in Australia, Darby finally returned to her homeland.
• The fact that
Odysseus is a man 'skilled in all ways of contending' is a fact proven many
times in The Odyssey.
• Among that group
of trees just over the little knoll—where we used to play as children,
remember?—stands a marble monument to our ancestors.
68. Which of the following sentences does NOT require editing to correct a comparison error?
Answers:
• Annabel thinks her
sister's apple pies are better than the bakery.
• Did I ever tell
you that you complain more than anyone I know?
• We specialize in
producing Belgian chocolates that contain 50% less fat.
• The symptoms of
typhoid quite often resemble those of fever.
69. Read the following sentence and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
If you have a copy of your résumé, and if you have the completed application form, you may go in to see the interviewer now.
Answers:
• Delete the
accent marks on the word 'résumé'
• Change the
second clause to 'and if the application form has been completed'.
• Delete the comma
after resume and compress the coordinate clauses to eliminate wordiness.
• a and c
• This sentence is
correct; the editor should take no action.
70. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
The intern glanced nervously around the operating room. The moment had arrived—his first solo operation—and he couldn't hardly contain his excitement. He took a deep breath and looked down at the patient. Then, having been completely anesthetized, the new surgeon made his first incision.
Answers:
• Edit the second
sentence to correct the double negative.
• Place
'nervously' before 'glanced'.
• Combine the
first two sentences to break up the series of short sentences and create
variety.
• Recast the last
sentence to correct the dangling modifier.
• c and d
• a and d
71. Which of the following sentences does NOT require editing to correct errors in diction or spelling?
Answers:
• He told jokes
for half an hour before finally homing in on the point of his lecture.
• You really hit
the nail on the head with your idea-it's really the idyllic solution.
• The court's
decision impelled the disgraced politician to hand over all his correspondence.
• Would you go ask
the secretary to disperse some money from petty cash for the luncheon?
72. Read the following passage from a company report and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
As part of the new incentive programme instituted in the second quarter, each sales employee was asked to forecast his own contribution to each period's total profit and, based on that amount, to assign himself a year-end bonus. If the employee reaches his goal, he will receive the stated bonus.
Answers:
• Query the
pronoun use (are all sales employees male?) and, if necessary, make suggestions
for gender-neutral alternatives.
• Recast the
passage to eliminate use of jargon.
• Rewrite the
entire passage to eliminate sexist language.
• Edit the last
sentence to correct unnecessary verb tense shift.
• This passage is
correct; the author should take no action.
73. Which of the following sentences does NOT require editing to correct errors in diction or spelling?
Answers:
• George's dog
seems completely disinterested in the leftovers we brought him from the
steakhouse.
• His little
caprices and idiosyncrasies ceased to charm me ages ago.
• The paramedic,
unable to staunch the bleeding by himself, called for backup.
• It seems that
Gertie was arrested again for indecent exposure and public drunkeness.
74. The following sentence is devoid of punctuation. Which of the given editing options turns it into a coherent, plausible sentence?
At last I met Dr. Sneeth the evil scientist who had caused such trouble for the city
Answers:
• At last I met
the evil scientist, Dr. Sneeth, who had caused such trouble for the city.
• At last I met
Dr. Sneeth, the evil scientist who had caused such trouble for the city.
• At last I met
Dr. Sneeth, the evil scientist, who had caused such trouble for the city.
• I met Dr. Sneeth—at
last!—the evil scientist who had caused such trouble for the city.
• All of the above
are acceptable; the final choice would depend on the author's intention.
• b and c
75. Which of the following sentences does NOT require editing to correct a modifier usage error?
Answers:
• Claire
accidentally dropped the crate on Chad's foot with her barbells in it.
• Swinging wildly
through the trees, the spectators were delighted by the monkeys.
• Petra wanted
only one raspberry parfait, but Pedro insisted on giving her three.
• I heard that my
co-workers planned to throw a birthday party for me while I was standing
outside the loo.
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