Editing your writing
In a nutshell
When writing a text, it is useful to be able to read it again carefully and make changes to improve its quality. In this summary, you will learn how to effectively edit a draft of text.
Why edit?
Editing your work is important because it can remove any spelling and punctuation errors, enhance the flow of your writing and improve the language and style used.
How to edit
Remember to edit your draft before you decide that a piece of writing is finished. Don't be discouraged as your first draft is rarely your final draft. It is prone to have some mistakes or room for improvement and most writers have many drafts they improve upon.
Additionally, there is no correct number of times to edit a draft; you finish editing when you are satisfied with your work or you feel the draft does not need any more changes.
Include everything you want to write
Sometimes when you write, you may forget to include important information or realise that you could expand on the text for better clarity. Clarity means greater understanding for the reader. You can add extra information to give the reader a better overview.
Example
| The girl has an injured foot.
| The girl has an injured foot because she fell over while playing. |
Use the right type of words
Choosing the correct style of language ensures consistency throughout your writing. Consistency means the words you use are in the same style throughout your writing. Style usually refers to the words being formal or informal. Again, this gives the reader greater clarity.
Example
| The man was jovial to get a new occupational position.
| The man was happy to get a new job. |
Check grammar and vocabulary
Proofreading means checking your writing for spelling or grammar mistakes. It is important to catch errors and make your writing as clear as possible. Look out for missing punctuation, like full stops, commas and apostrophes!
Example
| The dog lost his bone. The cat stole it
| The dog lost his bone. The cat stole it. |
Example
| The dog, who was asleep did not see the cat steal his bone.
| The dog, who was asleep, did not see the cat steal his bone. |
Example
| The dogs bone was lost.
| The dog's bone was lost. |
