Test your basic knowledge |

News Copy Editing

Instructions:

Answer 39 questions in 15 minutes.
If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. Label head
pronouns must agree with antecedent in number - gender and person
and
used for subjects and as objects of linking verb
kicker head without a verb

2. Types of headlines
FANBOYS
straight news stories
hookers - lookers
Sentence length - variety - vague language - grammar - verb/word choice

3. Passive voice
linking verb and past participle
objective
go beneath main headline and elaborate on it
used for direct and indirect objects

4. Pronoun/antecedent agreement
find action - subject/actor - object/receiver
used for subjects and as objects of linking verb
pronouns must agree with antecedent in number - gender and person
Sentence length - variety - vague language - grammar - verb/word choice

5. Headline rules

6. Hookers

7. Nonrestrictive modifier
parenthetical in meaning - set off by commas
grabs readers' attention
modifiers in the middle of sentences that modify the wrong word
technical language - don't use

8. Use of he/she
linking verb and past participle
never
go above main headline
pronouns must agree with antecedent in number - gender and person

9. em dash
kicker head without a verb
restrictive clause
set off phrase usually set off by commas
use present tense - punctuate appropriately - SOV - use proper grammar - know what you write - no loaded words - no alphabet soup - attribute stuff - answer 'so what' - no questions - watch splits

10. Nominative case
linking verb and past participle
never
used for subjects and as objects of linking verb
restrictive clause

11. Parallel structure
and
make sure lists have same type of speech
parenthetical in meaning - set off by commas
go beneath main headline and elaborate on it

12. Who - He/she
lots of nouns strung together that act like adjectives
express a wish - express something contrary to fact - express speculation - express a demand
nominative
technical language - don't use

13. Lookers
pronouns must agree with antecedent in number - gender and person
technical language - don't use
straight news stories
objective

14. Smother verb (example)
Make decision = decide
go beneath main headline and elaborate on it
hiding verb as another part of speech
Sentence length - variety - vague language - grammar - verb/word choice

15. Noun strings
nominative
find action - subject/actor - object/receiver
25 words
lots of nouns strung together that act like adjectives

16. Four rules of subjunctive case
use present tense - punctuate appropriately - SOV - use proper grammar - know what you write - no loaded words - no alphabet soup - attribute stuff - answer 'so what' - no questions - watch splits
express a wish - express something contrary to fact - express speculation - express a demand
Make decision = decide
pronouns must agree with antecedent in number - gender and person

17. Max sentence length
hiding verb as another part of speech
never
go beneath main headline and elaborate on it
25 words

18. Straightforward headline
modifiers in the middle of sentences that modify the wrong word
typical - normal everyday headline
lots of nouns strung together that act like adjectives
express a wish - express something contrary to fact - express speculation - express a demand

19. That
use present tense - punctuate appropriately - SOV - use proper grammar - know what you write - no loaded words - no alphabet soup - attribute stuff - answer 'so what' - no questions - watch splits
restrictive clause
objective
set off phrase usually set off by commas

20. Dangling modifiers
go beneath main headline and elaborate on it
used as modifying
when a phrase modifiers the wrong word
use present tense - punctuate appropriately - SOV - use proper grammar - know what you write - no loaded words - no alphabet soup - attribute stuff - answer 'so what' - no questions - watch splits

21. Jargon

22. Hammer head
short headline - really big - draws attention
kicker head without a verb
appears to left of story
never

23. Kicker heads
limits meaning of sentence
go above main headline
make sure lists have same type of speech
used for direct and indirect objects

24. Side-saddle head
and
used as modifying
appears to left of story
express a wish - express something contrary to fact - express speculation - express a demand

25. Drop heads
technical language - don't use
set off phrase usually set off by commas
go beneath main headline and elaborate on it
hookers - lookers

26. en dash
used as modifying
3
separate numbers
when a phrase modifiers the wrong word

27. Possessive case
used for subjects and as objects of linking verb
find action - subject/actor - object/receiver
separate numbers
used as modifying

28. How many prepositional phrases per sentence?
express a wish - express something contrary to fact - express speculation - express a demand
hookers - lookers
3
find action - subject/actor - object/receiver

29. Hints something needs editing
Sentence length - variety - vague language - grammar - verb/word choice
3
catch readers' attention - summarize story - indicate tone - add to attractiveness of page - establish hierarchy - reflect mood of article
FANBOYS

30. Smother verbs
kicker head without a verb
go beneath main headline and elaborate on it
Make decision = decide
hiding verb as another part of speech

31. Functions of headline

32. Restrictive modifier
limits meaning of sentence
use present tense - punctuate appropriately - SOV - use proper grammar - know what you write - no loaded words - no alphabet soup - attribute stuff - answer 'so what' - no questions - watch splits
nominative
typical - normal everyday headline

33. Use commas with (what words)
FANBOYS
lots of nouns strung together that act like adjectives
3
go above main headline

34. Antecedent
what pronoun refers to
objective
used for direct and indirect objects
Sentence length - variety - vague language - grammar - verb/word choice

35. Whom - Him/her
grabs readers' attention
pronouns must agree with antecedent in number - gender and person
restrictive clause
objective

36. Commas replace (headlines)
and
grabs readers' attention
when a phrase modifiers the wrong word
FANBOYS

37. Squinting modifiers
Sentence length - variety - vague language - grammar - verb/word choice
modifiers in the middle of sentences that modify the wrong word
hookers - lookers
nominative

38. How to break sentence
Make decision = decide
find action - subject/actor - object/receiver
set off phrase usually set off by commas
hiding verb as another part of speech

39. Objective case
straight news stories
restrictive clause
typical - normal everyday headline
used for direct and indirect objects