Write to Communicate

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Revising and Editing

When writing to communicate, writers revise and edit their work to improve it. They check that the meaning of their text is clear and that the writing meets their purpose and is likely to engage their intended audience. Revising and editing are steps that writers may revisit at different times during the writing process.

Most adults will be able to: Activities
1.
  • use basic revision strategies, with support, to edit their writing in response to feedback.

Writers seek and respond to feedback on their writing. The feedback given by a more expert writer can be seen as equivalent to that of a partner in a conversation – the two can negotiate the meaning and the writer can make changes according to the feedback given. Areas of study can include:

  • practise at giving and receiving verbal feedback on a written text
  • increasing the time learners spend rereading and reviewing their own writing, with support.

Using a shared approach to writing

Tutor and learners contribute to the plan, the ideas, and the language of a text they construct together.

Sharing quality work

Learners read and analyse good models to gain a clearer understanding of what they are expected to write.

2.
  • review and revise their writing by making a few simple changes to the content, based on rereading and feedback
  • make simple corrections to grammar, spelling and punctuation
  • use electronic or print-based tools to help them identify and correct errors.

Writers reread their work, checking for clarity and accuracy and they also seek feedback from others. They make changes based on the review and the feedback. Areas of study can include:

  • discussing how to make changes based on feedback
  • rereading for a purpose
  • using revision and editing tools, such as models of good writing (for comparison), computer spell-check tools and dictionaries.

Shared paragraph writing

Learners write together to work through the process of structuring content and selecting the most appropriate language.

Using a shared approach to writing

Tutor and learners contribute to the plan, the ideas, and the language of a text they construct together.

Sharing quality work

Learners read and analyse good models to gain a clearer understanding of what they are expected to write.

3.
  • review their writing in terms of its appropriateness for the intended audience, its coherence and flow, the word choices, the sentence structure and the structure of the text as a whole
  • make several simple changes to improve the text’s coherence and the way the content is organised
  • proofread the text to correct the grammar, spelling and punctuation
  • use appropriate tools to aid proofreading.

Writers reread and revise their writing. They check for specific features and make changes based on their own reviews and on feedback. Areas of study can include:

  • discussing what is meant by coherence and flow or effective word use in written texts
  • using revision checklists, for example, to remind writers to check for a logical order of ideas and for correct, formal sentence structures where appropriate
  • using proofreading checklists to help writers search for and correct errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Using a shared approach to writing

Tutor and learners contribute to the plan, the ideas, and the language of a text they construct together.

Sharing quality work

Learners read and analyse good models to gain a clearer understanding of what they are expected to write.

5.
  • review the text to identify and address any problems, checking that the text meets its purpose and is likely to engage the intended audience
  • proofread the text using appropriate print or computer-based tools.

Writers review and revise their writing, largely by themselves, making changes where necessary. They keep the demands of their purpose and the needs of their audience in mind as they revise. Areas of study can include:

  • differing levels of formality in texts and editing for different purposes
  • using a range of appropriate tools for proofreading
  • peer-editing using accepted proofreading marks.

Using a shared approach to writing

Tutor and learners contribute to the plan, the ideas, and the language of a text they construct together.

Sharing quality work

Learners read and analyse good models to gain a clearer understanding of what they are expected to write.

6.
  • review texts to identify and address problems, add detail, or modify the tone.

Writers routinely review, revise and proofread their texts to identify and address problems, add detail, or modify tone. They reflect critically on the effectiveness of their writing and gain new knowledge from their engagement with writing, for example, as they seek answers to their own questions about
the content and form of their writing. Areas of study can include:

  • reviewing writing critically to identify and remove any (unintentional) bias.

Using a shared approach to writing

Tutor and learners contribute to the plan, the ideas, and the language of a text they construct together.

Sharing quality work

Learners read and analyse good models to gain a clearer understanding of what they are expected to write.

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