Editing and Publishing Process Essays

By Anonymous (not verified), 12 March, 2026
Grade Level
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.5
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.1
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.3
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.5
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.1
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.1.C
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.1.F
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.1.G
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.3
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.3.A
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.5
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.1
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.1.C
Mode
Explanatory Writing
Form
Process
How-To
Unit Lesson Body

Editing Process Essays

After making big changes to improve your process essay, you need to make little changes (editing) to correct any remaining errors. You'll look for problems with sentences, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, usage, and spelling. The following activities will help you edit your writing.

Editing Command Sentences

Commands usually start with verbs.

Clean the cage. Change the bedding. Fill the bottle.

What about a subject? Commands have implied subjects: you.

(You) Clean the cage. (You) Change the bedding. (You) Fill the bottle.

Watch the video "Command Sentences."

Hide video

Change statements to commands.

In the following statements, cross out “you” and helping verbs to create commands. Change capitalization as needed. The first one has been done for you.

commands
  • commands
  • commands

Create commands.

In your essay, make some regular sentences into commands if they make your ideas clearer.

Editing for the Right Word

Some words sound the same but have different meanings and spellings.

Hold your hamster until you’re comfortable with it.

  • Your is “owned by you”
  • You’re is a contraction of “you are”

They’re nervous at first until they trust their owners.

  • They’re is a contraction of “they are”
  • Their is “owned by them”

It’s important for a hamster to gnaw wood to keep its teeth healthy.

  • It’s is a contraction of “it is”
  • Its is “owned by it”

When these word have apostrophes (’), they are contractions. When they don’t, they show ownership.

Watch the video "Using the Right Word."

Hide video

Choose the right word.

Circle the correct word in parentheses. The first one has been done for you.

Right Word
  • Right Word
  • Right Word

Edit for the right word.

Read your essay, paying attention to every time you use your/you’re, their/they’re, or its/it’s. Make sure you have used the correct form.

Editing in Action

When you edit, you check to make sure your essay is correct.

  • Paragraph Before Edits

    Editing

  • A usage error is fixed and a command sentence is created.

    Editing

  • Paragraph After Edits

    Editing

Edit with a checklist.

Read each line. When you can answer each question with a yes, check it off.

Checking Grammar and Usage

  • Do command sentences help explain the process?
  • Are words used correctly (your/you’re, their/they’re, its/it’s)?
  • Are may, might, must, and other helping verbs used correctly?
  • Are prepositional phrases used well?
  • Are sentences complete (no fragments or run-ons)?

Checking Capitalization, Punctuation, and Spelling

  • Are the first words in sentences capitalized?
  • Are proper names of people, places, and things capitalized?
  • Do commas and quotation marks set off quotations?
  • Do compound sentences have commas before and, but, or or?
  • Are words correctly spelled?

Publishing Process Essays

When you publish your process essay, you make it public, sharing it with others. First, you need to make a clean final copy of your work. Then you should find ways to share what you have written with classmates, your teacher, your family, and your friends.

Publishing a Final Copy

Create a final copy of your writing.

Include your revising and editing changes and read over your work a final time. (If you are working on a computer, spell-check your work.)

Reflecting on Your Writing

Reflect on your writing.

Complete the following form to think about what you learned.

Reflection Sheet
Lesson Downloads (Word)
WritingProcessEssays_EditingCommandSentences.docx (14.39 KB)
WritingProcessEssays_EditingCommandSentences.docx (14.39 KB)
WritingProcessEssays_EditingCommandSentences.docx (14.39 KB)
WritingProcessEssays_EditingCommandSentences.docx (14.39 KB)
WritingProcessEssays_EditingCommandSentences.docx (14.39 KB)
Lesson Plan Google Links
Editing for Command Sentences
Editing for the Right Word
Editing with a Checklist
Publishing a Final Copy
Reflecting on Your Writing
Templates
Template Name
Editing for Command Sentences
Template Content

Student:

Date:

Change statements to commands.

In the following statements, cross out "you" and helping verbs to create commands. Change capitalization as needed.

  1. You buy a hamster.
  2. You add plastic tubes to the plastic cage to allow for exercise.
  3. You build your own mazes to entertain your pet.
  4. You hold your hamster and teach it trust.
  5. When the cage gets smelly, you should clean it.
  6. You should replace the bedding.
  7. You should make sure your pet is safe while the cage is being cleaned.
  8. When friends hold your pet, you should make sure they are gentle.
  9. You must keep your hamster away from pets that might harm it.
  10. You should remember that your hamster is a little creature with feelings.

Create commands.

In your essay, make some regular sentences into commands if they make your ideas clearer.

Template Name
Editing for the Right Word
Template Content

Student:

Date:

Choose the right word.

Circle the correct word in parentheses.

  1. Make sure ( your / you're ) hamster has water every day.
  2. Clean ( its / it's ) cage when it gets dirty.
  3. Tell friends how ( their / they're ) supposed to hold your hamster.
  4. A hamster needs to feel that ( its / it's ) safe.
  5. Above all, be sure ( your / you're ) gentle.
  6. Other pets may show ( their / they're ) curiosity.
  7. ( Its / It's ) important to keep your hamster safe.
  8. ( Its / It's ) in danger if it gets too close to the edge of something.
  9. Remember, ( your / you're ) the one who can think ahead.
  10. ( Your / You're ) pet is counting on you for ( its / it's ) safety.

Edit for the right word.

Read your essay, paying attention to every time you use your/you're, their/they're, or its/it's. Make sure you have used the correct form.

Template Name
Editing with a Checklist
Template Content

Student:

Date:

Edit with a checklist.

Read each line. When you can answer each question with a yes, check it off.

Checking Grammar and Usage

Do command sentences help explain the process?

Are words used correctly (your/you’re; their/they're; its/it’s)?

Are may, might, must, and other helping verbs used correctly?

Are prepositional phrases used well?

Are sentences complete (no fragments or run-ons)?

Checking Capitalization, Punctuation, and Spelling

Are first words in sentences capitalized?

Are proper names of people, places, and things capitalized?

Do commas and quotation marks set off quotations?

Do compound sentences have commas with and, but, or or?

Are words correctly spelled?

Template Name
Publishing a Final Copy
Template Content

Student:

Date:

Create a final copy of your writing.

Include your revising and editing changes and read over your work a final time. (If you are working on a computer, spell-check your work.)

Template Name
Reflecting on Your Writing
Template Content

Student:

Date:

Reflect on your writing.

Complete the following form to think about what you learned.

Reflection Sheet

Writer's name:

Title:

1. What I like most about my process essay is . . .

2. One thing I could still improve in my process essay is . . .

3. The most important thing I learned about process writing is . . .

4. One question I have about process writing is . . .

5. The next time I write a process essay, I will . . .

Unit Container Label
Writing Process Essays
Unit Container D7 ID
Writing Process Essays
Lesson Weight
6