Additional Practice Exercises of Proofreading from a Form 7 AS UE Jan/Feb exam, showing two passages with numbered lines for identifying and correcting errors.
Proofreading exercises from a Form 7 AS UE exam, featuring two passages with numbered lines for error identification and correction.
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Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Additional Practice Exercises of Proofreading | PDF | Sigmund ...
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Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Additional Practice Exercises of Proofreading | PDF | Sigmund ...
Here is the proofreading solution for both exercises, with corrections and explanations for each error.
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Exercise 1: Difficulty 4/5
Original Text with Errors:
> Speaking the unconscious, it is necessary to begin with Sigmund Freud. He was the first person who to study the topic extensively and he laid out with some important, albeit controversy ideas regarding this mysterious phenomenon. Born into a Jewish family, Sigmund Freud first trained to a physiologist and practiced in Vienna. Around 1880, he and his partner treated a patient with false name, ‘Anna O’, who exhibited a variety of physical problem. The most puzzling symptom of all was her proclaim inability to move and feel her right arm. Many to Freud’s surprise, he realized that once Anna had gave vent to her deeply suppressed emotions, her symptoms eventually had disappeared. This unusual phenomenon then sparked Freud’s interest in studying the effect of repressed thoughts and emotions engendered humans.
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Corrected Version:
> Speaking of the unconscious, it is necessary to begin with Sigmund Freud. He was the first person to study the topic extensively and he laid out some important, albeit controversial ideas regarding this mysterious phenomenon. Born into a Jewish family, Sigmund Freud first trained as a physiologist and practiced in Vienna. Around 1880, he and his partner treated a patient with the false name, ‘Anna O’, who exhibited a variety of physical problems. The most puzzling symptom of all was her proclaimed inability to move and feel in her right arm. Much to Freud’s surprise, he realized that once Anna had given vent to her deeply suppressed emotions, her symptoms eventually disappeared. This unusual phenomenon then sparked Freud’s interest in studying the effect of repressed thoughts and emotions on humans.
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Line-by-Line Corrections & Explanations:
1. Line 1: “Speaking the unconscious” → “Speaking *of* the unconscious”
*Explanation:* The correct preposition after “speaking” when introducing a topic is “of”.
2. Line 2: “who to study” → “*to* study”
*Explanation:* The relative clause “who to study...” is grammatically incorrect. It should be “the first person *to* study...”, using the infinitive form.
3. Line 3: “laid out with some important” → “laid out *some* important”
*Explanation:* “Laid out” does not take the preposition “with” in this context. You “lay out ideas” directly.
4. Line 3: “controversy ideas” → “*controversial* ideas”
*Explanation:* “Controversy” is a noun; the adjective form “controversial” is needed to describe “ideas”.
5. Line 5: “trained to a physiologist” → “trained *as* a physiologist”
*Explanation:* We train *as* a certain profession, not *to* a profession.
6. Line 7: “with false name” → “with *the* false name”
*Explanation:* “Name” is a countable noun here and requires an article. Since “Anna O” is specific, use “the”.
7. Line 8: “physical problem” → “physical *problems*”
*Explanation:* “A variety of” implies multiple items, so “problem” must be plural: “problems”.
8. Line 9: “her proclaim inability” → “her *proclaimed* inability”
*Explanation:* “Proclaim” is a verb; the past participle “proclaimed” is needed as an adjective meaning “declared or stated publicly”.
9. Line 9: “feel her right arm” → “feel *in* her right arm”
*Explanation:* To express sensation *in* a body part, we use “feel *in* [body part]”. “Feel her arm” could imply touching it externally.
10. Line 10: “Many to Freud’s surprise” → “*Much* to Freud’s surprise”
*Explanation:* The idiomatic phrase is “Much to someone’s surprise”, not “Many”.
11. Line 11: “had gave vent” → “had *given* vent”
*Explanation:* After “had”, we need the past participle of “give”, which is “given”.
12. Line 12: “had disappeared” → “*disappeared*”
*Explanation:* The past perfect “had disappeared” is unnecessary here. Simple past “disappeared” is sufficient because the disappearance happened after she gave vent — one simple past event following another.
13. Line 14: “engendered humans” → “*on* humans”
*Explanation:* “Engendered” means “caused to exist” — it doesn’t fit. The intended meaning is the *effect on* humans. So, “effect ... *on* humans” is correct.
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Exercise 2: Difficulty 3/5
Original Text with Errors:
> Most of us aware by now that broadcast stations are constantly try to publicise their news anchors as celebrities - providing them with full makeover, including glamorous attires, exotic hair styles, customized images and wide media exposure – all design to boost the station’s audience ratings. But is the beauty the key element in distinguishing a good anchor to a poor one? Recently, one group of secondary student got the chance to visit a television studio to try to find answer for themselves – by becoming anchors for one day.
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Corrected Version:
> Most of us are aware by now that broadcast stations are constantly trying to publicise their news anchors as celebrities — providing them with full makeovers, including glamorous attire, exotic hair styles, customized images and wide media exposure — all designed to boost the station’s audience ratings. But is beauty the key element in distinguishing a good anchor from a poor one? Recently, one group of secondary students got the chance to visit a television studio to try to find an answer for themselves — by becoming anchors for one day.
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Line-by-Line Corrections & Explanations:
1. Line 1: “Most of us aware” → “Most of us *are* aware”
*Explanation:* Missing auxiliary verb “are” — subject + verb required.
2. Line 2: “are constantly try” → “are constantly *trying*”
*Explanation:* After “are”, we need the present participle “trying” to form the present continuous tense.
3. Line 3: “full makeover” → “full *makeovers*”
*Explanation:* “Makeover” is countable and refers to the process applied to multiple people (anchors), so plural is appropriate.
4. Line 4: “glamorous attires” → “glamorous *attire*”
*Explanation:* “Attire” is usually uncountable when referring to clothing style or type. No “s” needed.
5. Line 4: “hair styles” → “hair *styles*”
*Note:* Actually, “hairstyles” (one word) is the standard spelling. However, if keeping as two words, “styles” is correct. But best practice: “hairstyles”.
6. Line 5: “all design to boost” → “all *designed* to boost”
*Explanation:* “Design” is a verb; here we need the past participle “designed” to function as an adjective modifying “all [things]”.
7. Line 6: “is the beauty the key element” → “is *beauty* the key element”
*Explanation:* Unnecessary article “the” before “beauty” — abstract nouns like “beauty” often don’t need articles in general statements.
8. Line 6: “distinguishing a good anchor to a poor one” → “distinguishing a good anchor *from* a poor one”
*Explanation:* The correct preposition after “distinguish” is “from”, not “to”.
9. Line 8: “secondary student” → “secondary *students*”
*Explanation:* “One group of” implies multiple students — so “students” must be plural.
10. Line 9: “find answer for themselves” → “find *an* answer for themselves”
*Explanation:* “Answer” is countable and singular, so it needs the article “an”.
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✔ Final Answers Summary:
Exercise 1 Corrections:
1. of
2. to
3. some
4. controversial
5. as
6. the
7. problems
8. proclaimed
9. in
10. Much
11. given
12. disappeared
13. on
Exercise 2 Corrections:
1. are
2. trying
3. makeovers
4. attire
5. hairstyles *(or keep "hair styles" if required, but single word preferred)*
6. designed
7. beauty
8. from
9. students
10. an
Let me know if you’d like these formatted as a clean answer sheet!
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Exercise 1: Difficulty 4/5
Original Text with Errors:
> Speaking the unconscious, it is necessary to begin with Sigmund Freud. He was the first person who to study the topic extensively and he laid out with some important, albeit controversy ideas regarding this mysterious phenomenon. Born into a Jewish family, Sigmund Freud first trained to a physiologist and practiced in Vienna. Around 1880, he and his partner treated a patient with false name, ‘Anna O’, who exhibited a variety of physical problem. The most puzzling symptom of all was her proclaim inability to move and feel her right arm. Many to Freud’s surprise, he realized that once Anna had gave vent to her deeply suppressed emotions, her symptoms eventually had disappeared. This unusual phenomenon then sparked Freud’s interest in studying the effect of repressed thoughts and emotions engendered humans.
---
Corrected Version:
> Speaking of the unconscious, it is necessary to begin with Sigmund Freud. He was the first person to study the topic extensively and he laid out some important, albeit controversial ideas regarding this mysterious phenomenon. Born into a Jewish family, Sigmund Freud first trained as a physiologist and practiced in Vienna. Around 1880, he and his partner treated a patient with the false name, ‘Anna O’, who exhibited a variety of physical problems. The most puzzling symptom of all was her proclaimed inability to move and feel in her right arm. Much to Freud’s surprise, he realized that once Anna had given vent to her deeply suppressed emotions, her symptoms eventually disappeared. This unusual phenomenon then sparked Freud’s interest in studying the effect of repressed thoughts and emotions on humans.
---
Line-by-Line Corrections & Explanations:
1. Line 1: “Speaking the unconscious” → “Speaking *of* the unconscious”
*Explanation:* The correct preposition after “speaking” when introducing a topic is “of”.
2. Line 2: “who to study” → “*to* study”
*Explanation:* The relative clause “who to study...” is grammatically incorrect. It should be “the first person *to* study...”, using the infinitive form.
3. Line 3: “laid out with some important” → “laid out *some* important”
*Explanation:* “Laid out” does not take the preposition “with” in this context. You “lay out ideas” directly.
4. Line 3: “controversy ideas” → “*controversial* ideas”
*Explanation:* “Controversy” is a noun; the adjective form “controversial” is needed to describe “ideas”.
5. Line 5: “trained to a physiologist” → “trained *as* a physiologist”
*Explanation:* We train *as* a certain profession, not *to* a profession.
6. Line 7: “with false name” → “with *the* false name”
*Explanation:* “Name” is a countable noun here and requires an article. Since “Anna O” is specific, use “the”.
7. Line 8: “physical problem” → “physical *problems*”
*Explanation:* “A variety of” implies multiple items, so “problem” must be plural: “problems”.
8. Line 9: “her proclaim inability” → “her *proclaimed* inability”
*Explanation:* “Proclaim” is a verb; the past participle “proclaimed” is needed as an adjective meaning “declared or stated publicly”.
9. Line 9: “feel her right arm” → “feel *in* her right arm”
*Explanation:* To express sensation *in* a body part, we use “feel *in* [body part]”. “Feel her arm” could imply touching it externally.
10. Line 10: “Many to Freud’s surprise” → “*Much* to Freud’s surprise”
*Explanation:* The idiomatic phrase is “Much to someone’s surprise”, not “Many”.
11. Line 11: “had gave vent” → “had *given* vent”
*Explanation:* After “had”, we need the past participle of “give”, which is “given”.
12. Line 12: “had disappeared” → “*disappeared*”
*Explanation:* The past perfect “had disappeared” is unnecessary here. Simple past “disappeared” is sufficient because the disappearance happened after she gave vent — one simple past event following another.
13. Line 14: “engendered humans” → “*on* humans”
*Explanation:* “Engendered” means “caused to exist” — it doesn’t fit. The intended meaning is the *effect on* humans. So, “effect ... *on* humans” is correct.
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Exercise 2: Difficulty 3/5
Original Text with Errors:
> Most of us aware by now that broadcast stations are constantly try to publicise their news anchors as celebrities - providing them with full makeover, including glamorous attires, exotic hair styles, customized images and wide media exposure – all design to boost the station’s audience ratings. But is the beauty the key element in distinguishing a good anchor to a poor one? Recently, one group of secondary student got the chance to visit a television studio to try to find answer for themselves – by becoming anchors for one day.
---
Corrected Version:
> Most of us are aware by now that broadcast stations are constantly trying to publicise their news anchors as celebrities — providing them with full makeovers, including glamorous attire, exotic hair styles, customized images and wide media exposure — all designed to boost the station’s audience ratings. But is beauty the key element in distinguishing a good anchor from a poor one? Recently, one group of secondary students got the chance to visit a television studio to try to find an answer for themselves — by becoming anchors for one day.
---
Line-by-Line Corrections & Explanations:
1. Line 1: “Most of us aware” → “Most of us *are* aware”
*Explanation:* Missing auxiliary verb “are” — subject + verb required.
2. Line 2: “are constantly try” → “are constantly *trying*”
*Explanation:* After “are”, we need the present participle “trying” to form the present continuous tense.
3. Line 3: “full makeover” → “full *makeovers*”
*Explanation:* “Makeover” is countable and refers to the process applied to multiple people (anchors), so plural is appropriate.
4. Line 4: “glamorous attires” → “glamorous *attire*”
*Explanation:* “Attire” is usually uncountable when referring to clothing style or type. No “s” needed.
5. Line 4: “hair styles” → “hair *styles*”
*Note:* Actually, “hairstyles” (one word) is the standard spelling. However, if keeping as two words, “styles” is correct. But best practice: “hairstyles”.
6. Line 5: “all design to boost” → “all *designed* to boost”
*Explanation:* “Design” is a verb; here we need the past participle “designed” to function as an adjective modifying “all [things]”.
7. Line 6: “is the beauty the key element” → “is *beauty* the key element”
*Explanation:* Unnecessary article “the” before “beauty” — abstract nouns like “beauty” often don’t need articles in general statements.
8. Line 6: “distinguishing a good anchor to a poor one” → “distinguishing a good anchor *from* a poor one”
*Explanation:* The correct preposition after “distinguish” is “from”, not “to”.
9. Line 8: “secondary student” → “secondary *students*”
*Explanation:* “One group of” implies multiple students — so “students” must be plural.
10. Line 9: “find answer for themselves” → “find *an* answer for themselves”
*Explanation:* “Answer” is countable and singular, so it needs the article “an”.
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✔ Final Answers Summary:
Exercise 1 Corrections:
1. of
2. to
3. some
4. controversial
5. as
6. the
7. problems
8. proclaimed
9. in
10. Much
11. given
12. disappeared
13. on
Exercise 2 Corrections:
1. are
2. trying
3. makeovers
4. attire
5. hairstyles *(or keep "hair styles" if required, but single word preferred)*
6. designed
7. beauty
8. from
9. students
10. an
Let me know if you’d like these formatted as a clean answer sheet!
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of proofreading worksheet for adults.
