CPW Editing and Revision Techniques 5

Question 1

A writer finds they have written: 'The committee has made a decision to postpone the meeting.' The best revision for concision is:

Accepted Answer

'The committee decided to postpone the meeting.'

Answer

'Has made a decision to' is a nominalization; replacing it with the verb 'decided' is more direct and concise.

Question 2

Which of the following best describes the 'given-new contract' in sentence revision?

Accepted Answer

Place familiar information at the start of a sentence and new information at the end

Answer

The given-new contract guides readers by anchoring each sentence in known information before introducing unfamiliar content.

Question 3

When revising a document for tone, which action is most appropriate if the target audience is a senior executive?

Accepted Answer

Remove hedging language and replace with confident, direct assertions

Answer

Executive audiences expect clear, confident writing; hedging language ('it seems,' 'perhaps') undermines the document's authority.

Question 4

A writer notices that three consecutive paragraphs all begin with the subject 'The study.' The best revision strategy is to:

Accepted Answer

Vary the sentence openings by restructuring syntax or reordering information

Answer

Restructuring sentence openings—using transitional phrases, inverted syntax, or foregrounding different elements—eliminates monotonous repetition.

Question 5

What does it mean to 'tighten' a paragraph during revision?

Accepted Answer

Remove redundant words, phrases, and sentences without losing meaning

Answer

Tightening removes verbal padding so every word earns its place, making the paragraph denser and more impactful.

(CPW) Certified Professional Writer Practice Test