Editing Workshop
Learn to find and correct spelling pattern mistakes like a real editor.
Learn
Good writers are also good editors. An editor reads writing carefully to find and fix mistakes. Today you will learn to edit for spelling pattern errors.
Common Spelling Pattern Mistakes
Watch out for these common errors:
| Mistake Type | Wrong | Right | Why? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missing silent e | mak, hop, rid | make, hope, ride | Need e to make vowel say its name |
| Extra silent e | playe, sade, cate | play, sad, cat | Short vowel words do not need e |
| Wrong vowel team | bote, rane | boat, rain | Use the correct vowel team pattern |
| Mixed patterns | taim, meake | time, make | Pick one pattern, not both |
How to Edit for Spelling
- Read slowly. Point to each word as you read.
- Listen for long vowels. Does the word have a long vowel sound?
- Check the pattern. Is there a silent e or vowel team? Is it correct?
- Circle mistakes. Mark words that look wrong.
- Fix and rewrite. Write the correct spelling above the mistake.
Editing Marks
Real editors use special marks. Here are some you can use:
- Circle - word is spelled wrong
- ^ - add a letter here (like a missing e)
- Cross out - remove this letter
Examples
Example 1: Finding Missing Silent E
Original sentence: "I hop we can com to the gam."
Editing process:
- "hop" - Should this be "hop" (like a bunny) or "hope" (a wish)? Context says wish, so it needs the silent e: hope
- "com" - This should be "come" (to arrive): come
- "gam" - This should be "game": game
Corrected sentence: "I hope we can come to the game."
Example 2: Removing Extra Letters
Original sentence: "The cate sate on the mate."
Editing process:
- "cate" - "Cat" has a short a sound. Remove the e: cat
- "sate" - "Sat" has a short a sound. Remove the e: sat
- "mate" - This could be right if it means "friend." But if it means "mat" (a rug), remove the e: mat
Corrected sentence: "The cat sat on the mat."
Example 3: Fixing Vowel Teams
Original sentence: "The bote will flote on the see."
Editing process:
- "bote" - Long o in "boat" uses oa, not o_e: boat
- "flote" - Long o in "float" uses oa, not o_e: float
- "see" - This is correct! "See" means to look. (If it meant the ocean, it would be "sea")
Corrected sentence: "The boat will float on the see."
Practice
Find and fix the spelling mistakes in each sentence or passage. Write the correct version.
Part A: Fix the Sentence
Each sentence has 1-2 spelling pattern mistakes. Find and fix them.
1. "I lik to rid my bik."
Hint: Look for missing silent e letters.
2. "The snak hids in the gras."
Hint: Two words need silent e added.
3. "We will bake a cak for the parte."
Hint: One word is missing silent e, one word has an extra e.
4. "The rane made the strete wete."
Hint: Check the vowel team patterns.
Part B: Edit the Passage
This short story has 6 spelling mistakes. Find and fix all of them.
5-8. Edit this passage:
"Jake wok up lat. He had to rus to get reddy. Jake grabed his bak and ran to the bus stop. He mad it just in tim!"
Hint: Look for silent e words that are missing letters.
Part C: Which One Is Right?
Circle the correct spelling for each sentence.
9. The sun will (shine / shien / shin) today.
10. Please (close / cloas / clos) the door.
11. I (heer / hear / here) the music.
Note: "hear" means to listen; "here" means this place.
12. We will (meat / meet / mete) at the park.
Note: "meet" means to see someone; "meat" is food.
Check Your Understanding
See how well you understand editing for spelling patterns.
Question 1: What are the five steps for editing spelling?
Show Answer
1) Read slowly. 2) Listen for long vowels. 3) Check the pattern. 4) Circle mistakes. 5) Fix and rewrite.
Question 2: A student wrote "I hop to see you soon." What is the mistake and how do you fix it?
Show Answer
"hop" should be "hope" - the student wants to express a wish (hope), not a jumping motion (hop). Add the silent e to make the long o sound.
Question 3: Why is it important to read slowly when you edit?
Show Answer
Reading slowly helps you look at each word carefully. When we read fast, our brain sometimes fills in what it expects to see, and we miss mistakes.
Next Steps
- Practice editing your own writing before you turn it in
- Read your writing out loud to catch mistakes
- Ask a partner to help edit your work
- Move on to the final lesson: Unit Checkpoint