Proofreading Pro
If Mrs. Howard wrote about the "national weather service" instead of the "national oceanic and atmospheric administration," how should she capitalize it?
National Weather Service (capitalize all words because it is a formal agency).
Which conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) best completes this sentence to show a contrast: "I studied for three hours, _______ I still felt nervous about the exam."
But (or Yet).
In an argumentative essay, what is the main point the author is trying to prove called?
The Claim (or Thesis).
Which word has a more positive connotation: "The stubborn child" or "The persistent child"?
Persistent.
"What is the author's primary purpose for writing this?" is a common question. If an author is trying to change your mind, what is the purpose?
To Persuade.
Identify the capitalization error: "Last Summer, my family traveled to the Grand Canyon in Arizona."
summer
What is the BEST way to combine these two sentences using a semicolon: "The rain started to pour. We decided to cancel the picnic."
The rain started to pour; we decided to cancel the picnic.
If an author includes a quote from a NASA scientist to prove a point about space, what type of appeal are they using?
Ethos (Appealing to credibility/authority).
If an author uses "I" and "me" to tell a personal story in their argument, what is the Point of View?
First Person.
A question asks: "Which sentence could the author add to strengthen their claim?" Should you look for a personal opinion or a factual statistic?
A factual statistic (stronger evidence).
Mrs. Howard needs to fix the sentence because she wrote "many dangerous storm." How should this be written?
It should be plural "storms" (Subject-verb agreement).
A student wrote: "Because the cafeteria was out of pizza." Is this a complete sentence or a fragment? Why?
A fragment; it is a dependent clause that needs to be attached to an independent clause.
What is the purpose of a counter-argument?
To acknowledge the opposing side's view and then explain why your own claim is still stronger.
Identify the rhetorical device: "If we don't protect the oceans now, our children will inherit a graveyard of plastic."
Pathos (Emotional appeal).
If a test question asks you to revise a sentence because it is "unclear," what are you usually looking for?
A way to fix a vague word (like "it" or "things") or a better-organized sentence.
Ms. Howard forgets a comma in the date "September 1983." If she added the day to make it "September 12 1983," where would the two commas go?
After the day (12) and after the year (1983).
Which transition word best fits the blank to show cause and effect: "The team practiced every single morning; ________, they won the championship easily."
Consequently, Therefore, or As a result.
Which of these is a fact, not an opinion? A) Video games are fun. B) 60% of teens play games. C) Gaming is the best hobby.
B) 60% of teens play games (It can be proven with data).
If an author is trying to sound professional and objective, should they use slang and contractions?
No (They should use formal language).
When a question asks how an author's experience shaped their attitude, they want to know how the author's ______ influenced their writing.
Perspective (or Bias/Point of View).
What change should be made to this sentence? "The three hikers gear was soaked after they fell in the river."
Change "hikers" to hikers' (Plural possessive apostrophe).
Combine these three short ideas into one smooth sentence: "The dog barked. The dog was hungry. It woke up the baby."
(Example) The hungry dog barked and woke up the baby.
What is a "Call to Action" and where do you usually find it in an essay?
A request for the reader to do something or think differently; found in the Conclusion.
What does the term Diction mean in RLA?
The author's specific choice of words to create a certain tone or effect.
If the test asks which graphic "best supports the author's claim," you should choose the image that...
Directly shows the data or the main benefit mentioned in the claim.