Free Proofreading and Editing MCQs with Answers
4 Proofreading and Editing MCQs from English, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.
4 questions
1. Proofread and choose the correct version.
- A. Their going to submit there reports tomorrow.
- B. They're going to submit their reports tomorrow.
- C. There going to submit their reports tomorrow.
- D. They're going to submit there reports tomorrow.
Explanation: They're is the contraction of they are, their is the possessive and there indicates place, so the sentence needs the contraction first and the possessive second. Expanding the contraction is the quickest test: they are going works. This trio is among the most common proofreading errors in English.
Correct answer: They're going to submit their reports tomorrow.2. Choose the most concise version of: Due to the fact that the patient was in a critical condition, surgery was performed immediately.
- A. Due to the fact that the patient was critical, surgery was performed immediately.
- B. Because the patient was critical, surgery was performed immediately.
- C. Owing to the fact of the patient's critical condition, immediate surgery was performed.
- D. The patient being in a critical condition, therefore surgery was performed.
Explanation: Due to the fact that is a wordy way of saying because, and concise writing prefers the single word. The last option also adds a redundant therefore after a subordinate clause. Removing empty phrases without losing meaning is the core skill in editing questions.
Correct answer: Because the patient was critical, surgery was performed immediately.3. Identify the redundant expression.
- A. return back to the ward
- B. return to the ward
- C. walk to the ward
- D. go to the ward
Explanation: Return already contains the idea of going back, so adding back repeats it. Other common redundancies are repeat again, free gift, past history and advance planning. Removing them tightens writing without changing the meaning at all.
Correct answer: return back to the ward4. Choose the correctly edited sentence.
- A. Neither of the two options are acceptable to the committee.
- B. Neither of the two options is acceptable to the committee.
- C. Neither of the two option is acceptable to the committee.
- D. Neither of the two options were acceptable to the committee.
Explanation: Neither is singular and controls the verb, so is is required, and the noun after of must be plural. Options that change both at once, or neither, fail on one count or the other. This pattern appears in almost every proofreading section.
Correct answer: Neither of the two options is acceptable to the committee.