Writing: Planning, Drafting, Revising & Editing (Introduction) (B1) - Lesson 3: Basic Self-Correction for Grammar & Spelling Errors
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Hello B1 Writers! 👋
You've written your first draft – that's a big achievement! But the writing process isn't over yet. The next important step is self-correction (also part of editing or proofreading). This means checking your own work for mistakes and fixing them.
In this lesson, you will:
- Understand why self-correction is important.
- Learn to look for common errors in spelling, punctuation, and basic grammar.
- Use a checklist to help you self-correct your writing.
- Practice finding and correcting errors.
What is Self-Correction and Why Is It Important?
Self-correction is the process of carefully reading your own writing to find and fix any mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and word choice before anyone else reads it.
Why Bother?
- Clarity: Fewer errors make your writing easier for others to understand.
- Accuracy: It shows you know and can apply grammar and spelling rules.
- Credibility: Writing with fewer mistakes looks more professional and makes your ideas seem more reliable.
- Learning: Finding and fixing your own errors helps you learn and avoid making the same mistakes in the future!
Think of it like cleaning and polishing something you've made – you want it to look its best!
Common Errors to Look For (B1 Level)
Here are some key areas to check in your writing:
1. Spelling:
- Commonly misspelled words (e.g., "beleive" instead of believe, "wierd" instead of weird).
- Words you are often unsure about. Use a dictionary or spell-checker if available.
- Homophones (words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings), e.g., there/their/they're, to/too/two.
2. Punctuation:
- Capital Letters: At the beginning of every sentence? For "I"? For proper nouns (names of people, places, days, months)?
- End Punctuation: A full stop (.), question mark (?), or exclamation mark (!) at the end of every sentence?
- Commas:
- In lists of three or more items? (e.g., apples, bananas, and oranges)
- Before FANBOYS conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) joining two complete sentences? (e.g., I like tea, but he likes coffee.)
- After introductory words or phrases? (e.g., Yesterday, I went...)
- Apostrophes:
- For contractions? (e.g., do not → don't; it is → it's)
- For basic singular possession? (e.g., the cat's toy)
- Correct use of it's (it is) vs. its (possessive)?
3. Basic Grammar:
- Subject-Verb Agreement: Does the verb match the subject? (e.g., She likes. They like.)
- Verb Tense Consistency: If you are writing about the past, are your verbs mostly in the past tense? (e.g., "Yesterday I go" → "Yesterday I went")
- Pronoun Agreement & Clarity: Do pronouns (he, she, it, they, their, etc.) clearly refer to a noun and agree with it in number and gender?
- Sentence Structure:
- Are all your sentences complete (have a subject and a verb)?
- Have you avoided run-on sentences (fused sentences or comma splices)?
Your Self-Correction Checklist
When you finish your first draft, take a break, then come back and read it slowly, asking yourself these questions:
- Overall Meaning: Does my writing make sense? Is my main idea clear?
- Sentences:
- Does every sentence start with a capital letter?
- Does every sentence end with a full stop (.), question mark (?), or exclamation mark (!)?
- Are all my sentences complete thoughts (no fragments)?
- Have I avoided run-on sentences or comma splices?
- Grammar:
- Do my subjects and verbs agree? (e.g., She walks, They walk)
- Are my verb tenses correct for what I want to say (present, past, future)? Are they consistent?
- Do my pronouns agree with the nouns they replace? Is it clear who or what they refer to?
- Punctuation:
- Have I used commas correctly in lists?
- Have I used commas correctly before conjunctions joining sentences?
- Have I used commas correctly after introductory phrases?
- Are apostrophes used correctly for contractions (e.g., it's for "it is") and possession (e.g., John's car)?
- Is it's (it is) different from its (possessive)?
- Spelling:
- Have I checked the spelling of any words I was unsure about?
- Did I use a dictionary or spell-checker if I needed to?
Practice Self-Correction!
✨ Tips for Effective Self-Correction ✨
- Take a Break: After writing your draft, step away for a while (even 15-30 minutes). When you come back with fresh eyes, you're more likely to spot errors.
- Read Aloud: Reading your writing aloud helps you hear awkward phrasing or missing words that your eyes might miss.
- Read Slowly: Don't rush. Focus on each word and sentence.
- Focus on One Thing at a Time: Read through once for spelling, then again for punctuation, then again for grammar. It's hard to catch everything at once.
- Use a Ruler or Paper: Cover the lines below the one you are reading to help you focus on one line at a time.
- Read Backwards: To check spelling, read your text from the last word to the first. This helps you focus on individual words rather than the meaning of the sentences.
- Know Your Common Mistakes: Pay extra attention to the types of errors you often make.
Becoming a Better Editor! 🎉
Self-correction is a skill that improves with practice. By learning to find and fix your own errors, you become a more independent and confident writer!