EXERCISES IN COPY READING 

Edit the news sentences using your own symbols. Make sure to check the punctuation,
sentence structure, subject-verb agreement, pronoun-antecedent agreement, and other
rules.
 COPYREADING AND HEADLINE WRITING EXERCISES

Exercise I. Copyreading Signs and Symbols

Direction: Illustrate through signs and symbols the following copy fixer’s actions/remarks.

Copy fixer’s Actions/Remarks To Be Edited

1. Delete; take out Always mark all proofse

2. Insert space Always markproofs properly.
3. Insert letter(s) or word(s) Always mak profs properly.
4. Transpose letters or words Always proofs makr properly.
5. Close up; no space Always m ark proofs prop erly.
6. Align with left margin Always mark proof
7. Align with right margin Always mark proof
8. Center Mark Proofs
9. Start new paragraph Always mark proofs properly.
10. Do not start new paragraph Always mark proofs.
Mark them properly.

11. Do not start new line Always mark proofs

properly.

12. Do not make correction; Always mark proofs properly.

Let stand as written

13. This is wrong; see copy Always mark proof

14. This is questionable; Never mark proofs properly
Check or query author

15. Insert comma Proofs if properly marked

16. Insert period Always mark proof properly
17. Insert apostrophe The proofs in the proof mark.
18. Insert quotation marks He said, Mark proofs properly.
19. Insert hyphen The writer editor marks proofs.
20. Insert dash Always not sometimes marks.
21. Spell out Proofing is a no. 1 priority.
22. Align Alw ys mark oofs properly.
 a pr

Exercise II. Editing a Copy

Direction: Edit the feature article using the copyreader’s editing marks.