CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.4

By Anonymous (not verified), 12 March, 2026

Editing and Publishing Nonfiction Reviews

Editing Nonfiction Reviews

After revising your nonfiction review, you need to edit it to correct any remaining errors. You'll look closely at sentences, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, usage, and spelling. The following activities will help you edit your review.

Editing for Comma Splices

A comma splice is a sentence error that happens when you join (splice) two sentences using a comma. A comma alone is not strong enough to join two sentences. You can correct the error in one of three ways: (1) replacing the comma with end punctuation, (2) replacing the comma with a semicolon, or (3) adding a coordinating conjunction after the comma.

Comma Splice

People used to believe that there were people on Mars, they made up stories about Martians.

Corrected with End Punctuation

People used to believe that there were people on Mars. They made up stories about Martians.

Corrected with a Semicolon

People used to believe that there were people on Mars; they made up stories about Martians.

Corrected with a Coordinating Conjunction

People used to believe that there were people on Mars, so they made up stories about Martians.

Correct comma splices.

Fix the comma splices in the following sentences.

  1. Mars shines with red and orange light, it is often called the Red Planet.
  2. The Romans named Mars after their god of war, its red color reminded them of blood and war.
  3. Mars is only one-half the size of Earth, the Red Planet actually has more moons than Earth.
  4. Someday, astronauts will go to Mars, they will live on the planet for a while and check for signs of life.
  5. Mars is much colder than Earth, the astronauts will need food and heated suits.

Editing the Punctuation of Titles

Different types of titles need different types of punctuation. Titles of shorter pieces of writing—such as short stories, articles, and poems—should be placed in quotation marks. Titles of longer pieces—such as books and magazines—should be italicized. Can you recognize the difference in these examples?

Nonfiction book

The Diary of Ann Frank

Nonfiction article

“How Anne Frank's Diary Survived”

By Anonymous (not verified), 12 March, 2026

Understanding Vocabulary

Understanding Vocabulary

When you read an unfamiliar word, you need to figure out its meaning based on how it is used. You can use the following context clues to guess a meaning.

Word parts

can reveal meaning.

A stop sign is an octagon.

(The prefix octa means “eight” and gon means “side,” so octagon must mean “eight sided.”)

Cause-and-effect

clues hint at meanings.

A good cardio workout gets your blood pumping.

(“Blood pumping” means cardio must have something to do with the heart.)

Definitions

in the text can help you understand.

Deer are herbivorous, eating just plants.

(Herbivorous means “eating just plants.”)

A series

groups an unknown word with known words.

The shelter had a tabby, a Siamese, and a calico.

(Since tabby and Siamese are cat breeds, calico must be a cat breed as well.)

Examples

give a specific version of a general idea.

The jacket was embellished with sequins and fringe.

(Sequins and fringe are decorations for a jacket, so embellished must mean “decorated.”)

Synonyms

have the same meaning as the unfamiliar word.

A suspension bridge hangs from cables.

(The word hangs is a synonym of the word suspension.)

Antonyms

have the opposite meaning as an unfamiliar word.

Herbivores eat plants, unlike carnivores.

(If the antonym herbivores refers to plant eaters, then carnivores must refer to meat eaters.)

Tone

reveals the writer’s thoughts about a word.

The pastoral landscape featured picnic blankets and children chasing kites.

(The presence of picnic blankets and children with kites means that pastoral must refer to a wide-open and pleasant landscape.)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.4