CPW Editing & Proofreading 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A writer submits copy with 'alot' used repeatedly. What should the editor flag?
- Incorrect capitalization
- A nonstandard word that should be 'a lot' (Correct answer)
- An acceptable informal contraction
- A British spelling variant
Correct answer: A nonstandard word that should be 'a lot'
'Alot' is not a standard English word; the correct form is always two words: 'a lot.'
Question 2: What does it mean to 'substantively edit' a manuscript?
- Correct only spelling and punctuation
- Review for legal compliance
- Address content, organization, clarity, and argument (Correct answer)
- Format headings and margins
Correct answer: Address content, organization, clarity, and argument
Substantive editing (also called developmental editing) focuses on the big-picture elements of content, structure, and clarity.
Question 3: The sentence 'Between you and I, the report was flawed' contains which error?
- Incorrect verb tense
- Wrong pronoun case after a preposition (Correct answer)
- Missing Oxford comma
- Improper use of passive voice
Correct answer: Wrong pronoun case after a preposition
Prepositions require object pronouns; 'between you and me' is correct, not 'between you and I.'
Question 4: When should an editor use '[sic]' in a quoted passage?
- To indicate a passage has been shortened
- To signal that an error or unusual usage appears in the original source (Correct answer)
- To mark text for deletion
- To show a translation is approximate
Correct answer: To signal that an error or unusual usage appears in the original source
'[Sic]' indicates that an error or oddity exists in the original quoted text and was not introduced by the editor.
Question 5: A document switches between 'organize' and 'organise' throughout. What should the editor do first?
- Choose the form with more occurrences
- Determine which style guide and regional standard applies (Correct answer)
- Delete all instances of one variant
- Ask the author which they prefer
Correct answer: Determine which style guide and regional standard applies
The correct spelling depends on whether the document follows American or British English conventions as specified by the applicable style guide.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of a 'widow' in typesetting/editing?
- A single word on the last line of a paragraph (Correct answer)
- An orphaned footnote at the top of a page
- A heading at the bottom of a page with no following text
- A sentence repeated across two chapters
Correct answer: A single word on the last line of a paragraph
A widow is a very short last line of a paragraph—often a single word—that appears isolated and is considered poor typography.
Question 7: An editor reads: 'The data shows a clear trend.' A strict grammarian might flag this because:
- 'Data' is traditionally a plural noun requiring 'show' (Correct answer)
- 'Trend' is too vague for technical writing
- The sentence is passive voice
- There is no error to flag
Correct answer: 'Data' is traditionally a plural noun requiring 'show'
Traditionally 'data' is the plural of 'datum,' requiring 'show,' though singular usage is increasingly accepted in many style guides.
CPW Editing & Proofreading 3
A writer submits copy with 'alot' used repeatedly.
What should the editor flag?