CPW Editing and Revision Techniques 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which editing pass is best suited for identifying awkward sentence rhythm and pacing issues?
- Proofreading
- Line editing (Correct answer)
- Copyediting
- Structural editing
Correct answer: Line editing
Line editing focuses on sentence-level style, rhythm, and flow rather than macro structure or surface errors.
Question 2: A writer reads their draft aloud and notices a sentence feels breathless and rushed. The most likely cause is:
- Too many passive voice constructions
- Excessive subordinate clauses with no pauses (Correct answer)
- Overuse of em dashes
- Inconsistent verb tense
Correct answer: Excessive subordinate clauses with no pauses
Stacked subordinate clauses deny readers natural breathing points, creating a rushed, breathless reading experience.
Question 3: During revision, a writer cuts a paragraph that was accurate but not relevant to the thesis. This technique is called:
- Elision
- Killing your darlings (Correct answer)
- Condensing
- Bridging
Correct answer: Killing your darlings
'Killing your darlings' means removing content you like but that doesn't serve the piece's central argument or purpose.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes the purpose of a reverse outline during revision?
- To plan the next draft before writing it
- To check that each paragraph's actual content matches the document's intended structure (Correct answer)
- To create a glossary of key terms
- To identify passive voice sentences
Correct answer: To check that each paragraph's actual content matches the document's intended structure
A reverse outline maps what each paragraph actually says, revealing structural gaps or redundancies not visible during drafting.
Question 5: A copyeditor marks 'awk' next to a sentence. What does this notation most commonly signal?
- The sentence contains an archaic word
- The sentence is awkward in phrasing or construction (Correct answer)
- A word is misspelled
- The sentence is too short
Correct answer: The sentence is awkward in phrasing or construction
'Awk' is a standard editorial notation indicating a sentence sounds unnatural or is clumsily constructed.
Question 6: When revising for concision, which of the following phrases should a writer replace with a single word?
- In the event that
- Due to the fact that
- At this point in time
- All of the above (Correct answer)
Correct answer: All of the above
All three phrases—'in the event that' (if), 'due to the fact that' (because), and 'at this point in time' (now)—are verbose and replaceable with one word.
Question 7: Which strategy helps a writer identify their own unconscious word repetitions across a long document?
- Reading backwards sentence by sentence
- Using the Find/Replace function to search for specific words (Correct answer)
- Reading only odd-numbered paragraphs
- Printing in a different font
Correct answer: Using the Find/Replace function to search for specific words
Find/Replace lets a writer locate every instance of a suspected overused word throughout the entire document quickly and systematically.
CPW Editing and Revision Techniques 2
Which editing pass is best suited for identifying awkward sentence rhythm and pacing issues?