Grade: Grade 1 Subject: English Language Arts Unit: Narrative Writing Lesson: 5 of 6 SAT: ExpressionOfIdeas ACT: Writing

Editing Workshop

Learn

After you write a story, it is time to edit! Editing means looking at your writing to make it better. Even the best writers edit their work.

Editing Checklist

When you edit, check for these things:

  • Does every sentence start with a capital letter?
  • Does every sentence end with a period, question mark, or exclamation point?
  • Are names of people and places capitalized?
  • Are words spelled correctly?
  • Does the story have a beginning, middle, and end?
  • Does the story make sense?

Editing Tip

Read your story out loud slowly. Your ears can catch mistakes your eyes might miss!

Editing marks help writers fix their work:

  • Circle words that might be spelled wrong
  • Underline words that need capital letters
  • Add punctuation marks where they are needed
  • Cross out words you want to remove

Examples

Look at how we edit a story to make it better.

Before Editing:

first i went to the store with mom we got apples and milk then we went home i helped put the food away

After Editing:

First, I went to the store with Mom. We got apples and milk. Then we went home. I helped put the food away.

What we fixed:

  • Added capital letters at the start of sentences (First, We, Then, I)
  • Made "i" into "I" (I is always capital)
  • Made "mom" into "Mom" (it is used as a name)
  • Added periods at the end of sentences
  • Added a comma after "First"

Practice

Practice your editing skills with these activities.

Practice 1: Fix the Capitals

Rewrite this sentence with correct capital letters:

my friend sam and i went to the park.

Practice 2: Add the Periods

Add periods where they belong:

The sun was bright We played outside It was fun

Practice 3: Fix This Story

Rewrite this story with correct capitals and periods:

first i woke up then i ate breakfast next i went to school finally i came home

Practice 4: Find the Mistakes

How many mistakes can you find? Circle them:

tom and his dog spot went for a walk they saw a big tree. spot ran fast

Practice 5: Add Missing Words

This story is missing some words. Add words to make it make sense:

First, I got my _______________. Then I went to _______________. It was _______________!

Practice 6: Make It Better

This sentence is boring. Rewrite it with more details:

I ate food.

Better sentence: ________________________________

Practice 7: Spelling Check

Find and fix the spelling mistakes:

I luv my cat. She is verry soft. We paly together.

Practice 8: Edit a Longer Story

Rewrite this story with all corrections:

me and dad went fishing we woke up erly. first we got our poles then we went to the lake i caught a big fish dad was happy we went home and ate the fish for diner

Practice 9: Edit Your Own Work

Find a story you wrote in an earlier lesson. Use the Editing Checklist to check your work. Fix any mistakes you find.

Practice 10: Partner Editing

Trade stories with a friend or family member. Read their story and:

  • Circle any words that might be spelled wrong
  • Underline any words that need capitals
  • Put a star next to your favorite part

Practice 11: Complete Edit

Fix everything wrong in this story (capitals, periods, spelling):

first i playd with my frend. then we had a snack we ate aples. finaly it was time to go home i was hapey

Practice 12: Write and Edit

Write a 3-sentence story about your favorite toy. Then use the Editing Checklist to make it perfect!

Check Your Understanding

Answer these questions about editing.

1. What does "editing" mean?

2. Name two things you should check when editing.

3. Which sentence is correct?

a) my sister and i like pizza.

b) My sister and I like pizza.

4. What is one tip to help you find mistakes when editing?

Next Steps

  • Always edit your stories before you share them
  • Practice editing a little bit every day
  • Take the Unit Checkpoint to show what you have learned about narrative writing!