Writing: Planning, Drafting, Revising and Editing (Introduction) (B1) - Lesson 3: Basic Self-Correction for Grammar and Spelling Errors

B1 Lesson 3: Basic Self-Correction for Grammar and Spelling Errors

You have finished your first draft. Great job! Now it's time for the next step: improving your work. The writing process includes revising¹ and editing².

• Revising is checking the "big picture": your ideas and organization.
• Editing (or Proofreading) is checking the "small details": your grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Today, we will focus on editing and learn a strategy for finding and fixing our own errors³.

A Strategy: Read Your Draft Multiple Times

The best way to edit is to read your draft several times. Each time, look for only ONE type of error. This helps you focus and find more mistakes.

Pass 1: Read for Spelling. Look at each word carefully. Use a dictionary for words you are unsure of.

Pass 2: Read for Punctuation. Check for full stops, question marks, and correct comma usage. Fix any run-on sentences.

Pass 3: Read for Capitalization. Check the first word of every sentence and all proper nouns (names, places).

Pass 4: Read for Grammar. Check for subject-verb agreement (e.g., he goes) and correct past tense verbs (e.g., went, saw).

Editing in Action: Before and After

Let's look at a first draft with some typical B1-level errors.

First Draft (with errors):

my trip to kep last month were amazing. first, i visited the famous crab market it was very busy. I eated some fresh seafood, it was delicious. the beaches was clean and beautiful. i definately want to go back again.

↓ After Editing ↓

Corrected Version:

My trip to Kep last month was amazing. First, I visited the famous Crab Market. It was very busy. I ate some fresh seafood, and it was delicious. The beaches were clean and beautiful. I definitely want to go back again.

✍️ B1 Editing Checklist

Use this checklist when you are editing your own work.

• Spelling: Did I check every word I was unsure about?
• Punctuation: Does every sentence end correctly? Have I fixed run-on sentences?
• Capitalization: Is the first word of every sentence and every proper noun capitalized?
• Grammar: Do my subjects and verbs agree? Are my verb tenses correct?

🧠 Practice Quiz: Find the Error

Read the sentence below. What type of error is it?

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Sentence: My brother don't like spicy food.

1. Spelling Error
2. Punctuation Error
3. Grammar Error (Subject-Verb Agreement)

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Answer: C. Grammar Error. The subject "My brother" is like "he," so it should be "doesn't," not "don't."

📝 Homework: Become the Editor

For your homework, you will be the editor of the first draft you wrote in the last lesson.

1. Take your first draft about social media or the environment.
2. Read it through slowly, four times. Use the "4-Pass" strategy we learned today (check for spelling, then punctuation, then capitalization, then grammar).
3. Use the B1 Editing Checklist to help you find mistakes.
4. Rewrite the entire text correctly in your notebook. This new, corrected version is your "second draft."

Vocabulary Glossary

1. Revise: (Verb) - កែសម្រួល (ខ្លឹមសារ) - To improve the ideas, organization, and clarity of your writing. ↩
2. Edit / Proofread: (Verb) - កែសម្រួល (វេយ្យាករណ៍) - To check for and correct small mistakes in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. ↩
3. Error / Mistake: (Noun) - កំហុស - Something that is not correct. ↩
4. Self-correction: (Noun) - ការកែកំហុសដោយខ្លួនឯង - The process of finding and fixing your own mistakes.
5. Accurate: (Adjective) - ត្រឹមត្រូវ - Correct in all details; without any mistakes.