Revision+Tools

Read back through your draft (several times). As you reread, take another look and apply some of these tools. Sometimes it will work and create an effect you want. Other times it won't. You won't know unless you try it.

AAAWWUBBIS Punctuation Rule AAAWWUBBIS is an acronym to help you remember common subordinating conjunctions: // A﻿ fter, A though (Though & Even though), A s, W hen (Whenever), W hile, U ntil, B ecause, I f, S ince.// If your clause beginning with an AAAWWUBBIS is embedded in the sentence, you don't need a comma. Ex: We have been staying indoors this summer //because the heat is unbearable//. Remember: Use of an AAAWWUBBIS makes a clause dependant. Be sure to complete your thought so you don't end up with a fragment.
 * Rules:** If you start a sentence (or independent clause) with an AAAWWUBBIS, you will have a comma at the end of the clause. Ex: //Because the heat is unbearable// **,** we have been staying indoors this summer.

It's Latin for "into the middle of things" and a great narrative technique. It means you start your writing (essay or story) by jumping in the middle of a critical scene or action. When you revise your drafts, look to see if you should move a paragraph to the beginning to be your lead.
 * In Media Res**

Take a look at this sentence: //Government **of the people, by the people, for the people,** shall not perish from the earth. (Abraham Lincoln)// The phrases in bold are an example of parallel structure. They match in their grammatical structure because they are all prepositional phrases. The effect is a nice rhythm. What if Lincoln had said //Government of the people, that was created by and for themselves, shall not perish from the earth?// Well, it just doesn't have the same flow with that different structure (prepositional phrase, dependent clause) and without the repetition.
 * Parallel Structure**

It's also important to maintain parallel structure for clarity and not just a nice effect. For example: //Jerry left yesterday and says goodbye.// Oops! If he left yesterday, he //said goodbye.// Keep it in the same tense. Another example: //Mary likes hiking, reading, and to cook.// (Change "to cook" to "cooking" to make it match).

Students often wonder when it is acceptable to use **first person point of view (I, me, my)** in their writing. Whenever possible, you should avoid these personal pronouns when stating an opinion because they not only make your writing wordy but also weaken your argument. Eliminate them, and you'll find your writing is much more forceful and direct. //Not:// I think the best way to handle this situation is through a student vote. //But:// The best way to handle this situation is through a student vote. One exception to this rule, however, is when you are recounting an event that happened to you personally. For instance, when using a personal anecdote to support a point in an essay (such as an SAT essay), you will probably need to use a personal pronoun. Ex: "My favorite book is still my copy of //Harry Potter// I was given by my grandmother on my sixth birthday." //Not:// You can't help liking this book. //But:// This book is irresistable. (Notice how the sentence becomes more direct and vigorous, not to mention //shorter//.)
 * Point of View**
 * Second person (you, your)** can also be tricky. The use of second person makes your writing very personal for your reader, so use it carefully. Don't lecture your reader! Usually, second person merely adds unnecessary words.

Make sure your writing stays in a consistent tense. __Error__: The key //fell// out of my pocket. I //don't// know what to do. (begins in past tense, ends in present tense) __Correct__: The key //fell// out of my pocket. I //didn't// know what to do. (or //falls// and //don't//)
 * Verb Tense**

1. Check your capitalization (proper nouns, I, first word of a sentence, etc.) 2. If you have an introductory clause, you are going to need a comma. 3. Watch for these mix-ups: its/it's, too/to, and their/there. 4. Check for fragments and run-ons. 5. Do you have a question mark at the end of questions? 6. Are your modifiers dangling? 7. Don't forget the apostrophe in contractions and possessive nouns. 8. Check for pronoun clarity. If you have several pronouns in a paragraph, your reader can lose track. 9. Common pronoun error: Me and him went to the store. Correction: He and I went to the store. Tip: What you would say for one you would say for two. (Me went to the store? NO. Him went to the store? NO!) 10. Are you missing any words or letters. We sometimes make unintentional errors when we type. Read back (aloud) carefully line by line for your final draft.
 * A Top 10 Checklist for Grammar and Mechanics**