Editing Symbols

Symbols Meaning Example Corrected Example

Capitalize Jack London wrote Jack London wrote
Call of the wild. Call of the Wild.

Lowercase Buck is the hard- Buck is the hard-

(Don’t Capitalize) working sled dog in working sled dog in
the Novel. the novel.

Delete This dog he had a This dog had a

(Take Out) strong will to live. strong will to live.
Insert (add) a letter or a He would not be
word He would not be defeated by his life of
by his life of toil. toil.

Insert punctuation If Buck was not so If Buck was not so

strong he would strong, he would
have died. have died.
Spelling error Dave, the wheeler Dave, the wheeler
dog, nipped and dog, nipped and
snarlled at Buck. snarled at Buck.

Run-on sentence RO Spitz was Buck’s Spitz was Buck’s

main threat each dog main threat; each
RO dog wanted to be the
wanted to be the
leader. leader.
Comma splice CS Two dogs fought, Two dogs fought. It
CS it was a dramatic was a dramatic
struggle. struggle.
Sentence fragment Frag. Used his Buck used his
Frag. incredible strength to incredible strength to
defeat his rival. defeat his rival.
Start a new paragraph He then was truly the He then was truly the
lead dog. Another lead dog.
important character… Another important
character…
End punctuation Two dogs fought to Two dogs fought to
needed earn the position of earn the position of
leader leader.

Change word order The two dogs strong The two strong dogs
fought over the bone. fought over the bone.
Choose a better word The dog [nibbled] The dog chomped
[word choice] ferociously on the ferociously on the
bone. bone.

Boise School District, 2003