Red Pen Reporter Worksheet
Grade 5 Writing & Language Proofreading Desk
Red Pen Reporter: Revising & Editing
Name: ___________________
Date: _____________
Class: ___________________
Score: _____ / 10
Instructions: Read the draft below about an accidental treat. The draft contains deliberate errors in capitalization, punctuation, word usage, and sentence structure. Then answer questions 1–4.
The Sweet Frost Mistake
Draft 1 — Sentences (1) through (8)
(1) On a freezing winter evening in 1905, eleven-year-old Frank Epperson decided to mix a sweet powdered soda drink on his back porch in san francisco, California. (2) He stirred the sugary powder into water with a small wooden stick and began sipping it. (3) Frank got distracted by his playful puppy, and he accidentally left the cup outside on the porch all night.
(4) The temperature plunged below freezing, the liquid turned into a solid block of sweet ice. (5) The next morning, Frank pulled the frozen treat out of the cup using it's wooden stirring stick as a handle. (6) He tasted the chilly invention, and his eyes lit up because it tasted incredible! (7) Soon, he made batches for all of his friends at school, and every kid wanted one of they're own. (8) He proudly named his cool creation the "Epsicle" after his own family name.
1
What change should be made in sentence 1?
A Change winter to Winter
B Change san francisco to San Francisco
C Delete the comma after 1905
D Change decided to decides
2
Sentence 4 is a run-on sentence. What is the best way to correct it?
A The temperature plunged below freezing, so the liquid turned into ice.
B Because the temperature plunged below freezing, the liquid turned into ice.
C The temperature plunging below freezing and turning the liquid solid.
D The temperature plunged below freezing, and the liquid turned into ice.
3
What change should be made in sentence 5?
A Change pulled to pulls
B Insert a comma after cup
C Change it's to its
D Change wooden to wooding
4
Which word correctly replaces they're in sentence 7?
A there
B their
C thier
D theirs
Unit 3: Language Mechanics & Editing Page 1 of 2
Part II
Passage Revision & Error Hunt
Student Name: __________________________
The Sweet Frost Mistake (Continued)
Sentences (9) through (12)
(9) Nearly twenty years later, Frank introduced his icy treat to crowds at an amusement park. (10) His children loved the snack and begged him to call it "Pop'sicle" instead of his old name. (11) Today, millions of happy people around the world eats delicious ice pops to stay cool in the summer heat. (12) Therefore, a playful accident can become a treat enjoyed by generations.
5
What is the correct way to fix the subject-verb agreement in sentence 11?
A Change millions to million
B Change eats to eat
C Change around to round
D Change stay to stays
6
Which transition word best replaces Therefore in sentence 12 to conclude the passage?
A In fact,
B However,
C Similarly,
D Meanwhile,
Proofreading Challenge
Catch the Reporter's Errors
Find all 4 errors
Read the news clipping below. It contains 4 errors (capitalization, punctuation, past-tense verb, and spelling). Underline each error, then record the correction in the table.
"On wednesday afternoon, the young inventor shared his recipe with his excited class. He explain the steps carefully, and everyone tried a bite. The students agreed that it was the most delishus treat in the whole school!"
| # | Incorrect Word / Spot | Error Type | Corrected Form |
|---|
| 1 | | Capitalization (Day of Week) | |
| 2 | | Past-Tense Verb Form | |
| 3 | | Spelling / Suffix (-ious) | |
| 4 | | Punctuation / End Mark | |
7
Sentence Revision: Combining for Smooth Flow
Combine the two short, choppy sentences into one smooth compound or complex sentence using a comma and a conjunction (and, but, so, because):
"The popsicle stick was stuck in the ice. Frank pulled it firmly to free the snack."
Editor's Checklist: Proper Nouns Homophones Verb Tenses Conjunctions
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