This document provides guidance on editing text for clarity, conciseness, and correctness. It discusses checking text for wordiness, agreement between subjects and verbs/nouns and pronouns, parallel structure, misplaced/dangling modifiers, spelling errors, informal language, and proper punctuation including commas, semicolons, colons and apostrophes. The overall goal of editing is to polish the writing and remove unnecessary words to make the intended meaning clear for the reader.

1. Welcome to Language Skills Training Program EmPower Research Knowledge Services (P) Ltd.

2. Editing “ You say what you have to say. But you have to say it in such a way that the reader can see what you mean.” - Kurt Vonnegut (American Novelist)

3. Editing is the process of taking a piece of text and making it shine. If language is like a window, through which a reader can see what you mean, ‘Editing’ is like polishing the window, by taking away the words that are not needed, to make it look clearer.

4. While Editing Remember W A S P ordiness greement pelling unctuation How to catch those little mistakes that make a big difference?

9. Subject & Verb Agreement A singular subject demands a singular verb; a plural subject demands a plural verb. This is the simple principle behind subject-verb agreement The trick is in knowing whether the subject is singular or plural. The next trick is in recognizing a singular or plural verb. He eats breakfast every day at nine. They eat breakfast every day at nine. Singular Subject Singular Verb Plural Subject Plural Verb

10. Noun & Pronoun Agreement A singular noun demands a singular pronoun; a plural noun demands a plural pronoun. This is the principle behind Noun-Pronoun agreement The trick is in knowing whether the noun is singular or plural. The next trick is in recognizing a singular or plural pronoun. They have their own rules. Plural Plural Each of the professors knows his or her most adept fliers. Singular Singular Everyone is bringing his or her mobile phone to the class. Singular Singular Example Pronoun Noun

11. Parallelism Parallelism is a balance of two or more similar words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence. Label each item in the list: (N) Noun, (G) Gerund, (V) Verb, (A) Adjective, (P) Pronoun, etc. Adjust the items in the series that aren’t consistent. Mary likes hik ing , swimm ing , and to ride a bicycle. Not Parallel Parallel Mary likes hik ing , swimm ing , and rid ing a bicycle. Click here to learn more about Parallelism

14. Frequently Misspelled Words Look out for commonly misspelled words Incorrect Correct Arguement Argument Dissappoint Disappoint Necesary Necessary Posess, Posses Possess Priviledge, Privalege Privilege Click here to know the most common misspelled words

17. “ Minding the Mind” Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. And tihs porerpty of our brian makes us cmmoit mroe mitsakes, in iidnetfiyng the spllenig erorrs we cmmoit.

20. Semicolons & Colons Semicolons Set apart a sentence from an example or list He checked out three books: Jurassic Park, Timeline , and Airframe . Separate two complete sentences (second sentence NOT capitalized) Used in lists where there are two commas within the items of the list Colons ; :

22. “ The difficulty of literature is not to write, but to write what you mean; not to affect your reader, but to affect him precisely as you wish.” - Robert Louis Stevenson (Scottish Essayist, Poet and Author of fiction and travel books, 1850-1894)