Draft Detective Checklist
Draft Detective
Grade 5 Edition
Independent Editing & Grammar Convention Protocol
Author:
Date:
Draft Title:
C Capitalization
U Usage & Grammar
P Punctuation
S Spelling & Polish
C
Capitalization Targets
Sentence Openers: Every sentence starts with a clear capital letter. Proper Nouns: Specific people, places, holidays, landmarks, and brands are capitalized. Titles of Works: First and key words in book, movie, and story titles are capitalized. Dialogue & Pronoun "I": The pronoun I and the first word inside spoken quotes are capitalized. No Stray Caps: Checked that common nouns in the middle of sentences are lowercase.
P
Punctuation Power
End Marks: Every statement ends with a period (.), question (?), or exclamation point (!). Compound Sentences: Comma placed before coordinating conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so). Introductory Clauses: Comma follows transition words and opening dependent phrases (e.g., Finally, or After lunch,). Dialogue Quotes: Quotation marks surround exact words spoken; commas and periods stay inside the quotation marks. Apostrophes: Used correctly in contractions (don't, it's) and possessives (reader's, girls').
U
Usage & Grammar
Complete Thoughts: No incomplete fragments (missing subject or verb) and no run-on sentences. Subject-Verb Match: Singular subjects take singular verbs; plural subjects take plural verbs (e.g., The team plays). Tense Consistency: Stays in consistent tense (past, present, or future) unless a time shift is intended. Clear Pronouns: Every pronoun (he, she, it, they) points clearly to one specific antecedent noun. Sentence Variety: Varied sentence beginnings and lengths so text flows smoothly when read aloud.
S
Spelling & Word Polish
Homophone Traps: Checked frequently confused pairs: there/their/they're • to/too/two • your/you're • its/it's Plural vs. Possessive: Plural words ending in 's' do not have unnecessary apostrophes (e.g., three books, not three book's). Dictionary Check: Looked up uncertain spellings using a dictionary, glossary, or personal word list. Precise Vocabulary: Replaced tired words (good, stuff, a lot, said) with vivid, descriptive alternatives.
Proofreader's Marking Key
sp Spelling error
¶ New paragraph
^ Insert word/letter
=== Capitalize letter
/ Make lowercase
∼ Reverse order
Verification Ready for Publication?
Read aloud for rhythm & flow Peer editor conference completed
Editor:
