Editing
It feels as though we've been in High School for 10 years of the Covid-19 pandemic.
There is no need to capitalize high school unless you are referring to a specific high school.
"Spring is a happiness so beautiful, so unique, so unexpected, that I don't know what to do with my heart." - Emily Dickinson
Which word best described the author's tone?
A) Surprised
B) Jubilant
C) Mystical
D) Befuddled
B) Jubilant
Remember to use your dictionaries to your advantage!
Where should your thesis be placed?
The last sentence of the introduction.
Teenagers have 8 classes plus extracurriculars; it's too much work.
Which is the best word to replace "have?"
A) manage
B) enroll in
C) work
D) take
A) Manage
🎵 We are the champion's, my friends 🎵
Change champion's to champions
When asked why it is important to learn to play piano, the character states, “Think of it as an investment in personal expression.” What is implied about her values?
A) The character is a savvy investor
B) The character sees investment in the arts as more important than in other things
C) The character sees music and art as a necessary outlet for the heart
C.
Remember that the simplest conclusion is often the correct one.
What is the purpose of your topic sentences?
State the main claim for each body paragraph?
"Uncle Iroh is wise, patient, and kind. He knows what he is talking about. He is trustworthy. We should probably listen to his advice."
"He is trustworthy."
All of those facts are implied by the first sentence.
Because we'd all rather be asleep right now, the fact that Ms. Stamps is making us do schoolwork is incomprehensable!
Change incomprehensable to "incomprehensible"
What could the purpose of this description be? (The character has just purchased a piano)
"I was nervous, almost spellbound; suddenly this great impractical hulk was the gateway to a territory from which I had been absent for too long. Something said “Yes!” before I even touched the keyboard."
A) To explain why he has bought a piano
B) To reveal the emotional effect the piano has on the character
C) To show the strength of conviction to play the piano
B
Keep in mind perspective and word choice. The character specifically discussed their personal feelings.
What are the three pillars of rhetoric/persuasion?
Ethos, Pathos, Logos
Which of these is the most effective topic sentence?
A) A four-day school week could allow students to focus on their mental health.
B) Schools should shift to a four-day school week for the benefit of students and staff.
A.
Remember that a topic sentence should be specific to the argument of a body paragraph. B was more akin to a thesis.
I can't tell the difference between these sentences, our English teachers are messing with us.
Change the comma to a semi-colon.
When Mary Oliver wrote, "Anyway, [...] don't be afraid of its plenty. Joy is not meant to be a crumb," what is the implication of this statement?
A) It is sad that people live on so little joy
B) We should embrace joy at all times
C) Joy and delight are powerful emotions that we should always express
C.
The most specific answer is often the correct one.
What should be included in your conclusion?
"The best way to pass the STAAR test is to simply know all of the correct questions. This is not true. Instead, you should try and use the process of elimination."
What is the best way to combine these ideas into one sentence?
A) The best way to pass the STAAR is to use process of elimination.
B) Instead of trying to know everything, try to process the questions.
C) Instead of trying to memorize correct answers, using process of elimination is the best way to pass the STAAR.
C.
This version concisely included all ideas of the original paragraph instead of cutting information for brevity.
I love those apple pies grandma always makes everything by hand but it takes all day.
I love those apple pies; grandma always makes everything by hand, but it takes all day.
"As you read a book word by word and page by page, you participate in its creation, just as a cellist playing a Bach suite participates, note by note, in the creation [...] of the music." - Ursula K. Le Guin
What is the author implying?
A) It is important to read so that books stay alive
B) Readers are just as important as writers
C) Books and music are both beautiful expressions of art
D) The process of reading is a beautiful part of the storytelling process
D.
Remember, you will encounter questions where all answer choices are technically correct. You are tasked with finding the answer that is the most correct in this context.
Can you take it out of the context of the paper and still understand it?
How can we make this sentence more clear?
"The brain’s blood vessels have fluid that is running along the side of them, the team determined, and this fluid is what is carrying waste away from the brain."
A) Running along the brain’s blood vessels, the team determined is a fluid that carries waste away from the brain.
B) Waste by a fluid that is running along the brain’s blood vessels is carried away from the brain, the team determined.
C) The team determined that fluid running along the brain’s blood vessels carries waste away from the brain.
C.
This puts the subject first and it is clearer what each part of the sentence is referring to. When in doubt, put the subject first.