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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. Four rules of subjunctive case
set off phrase usually set off by commas
express a wish - express something contrary to fact - express speculation - express a demand
technical language - don't use
separate numbers

2. Who - He/she
hookers - lookers
nominative
lots of nouns strung together that act like adjectives
go beneath main headline and elaborate on it

3. Restrictive modifier
limits meaning of sentence
used as modifying
parenthetical in meaning - set off by commas
lots of nouns strung together that act like adjectives

4. Antecedent
pronouns must agree with antecedent in number - gender and person
what pronoun refers to
grabs readers' attention
never

5. Pronoun/antecedent agreement
make sure lists have same type of speech
hiding verb as another part of speech
never
pronouns must agree with antecedent in number - gender and person

6. Straightforward headline
typical - normal everyday headline
go above main headline
appears to left of story
grabs readers' attention

7. Jargon

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8. That
restrictive clause
find action - subject/actor - object/receiver
pronouns must agree with antecedent in number - gender and person
set off phrase usually set off by commas

9. Whom - Him/her
objective
appears to left of story
grabs readers' attention
straight news stories

10. Side-saddle head
appears to left of story
catch readers' attention - summarize story - indicate tone - add to attractiveness of page - establish hierarchy - reflect mood of article
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
find action - subject/actor - object/receiver

11. Nonrestrictive modifier
parenthetical in meaning - set off by commas
objective
what pronoun refers to
linking verb and past participle

12. Kicker heads
nominative
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
go above main headline
separate numbers

13. em dash
used as modifying
set off phrase usually set off by commas
make sure lists have same type of speech
modifiers in the middle of sentences that modify the wrong word

14. Label head
kicker head without a verb
straight news stories
Sentence length - variety - vague language - grammar - verb/word choice
pronouns must agree with antecedent in number - gender and person

15. Passive voice
linking verb and past participle
used for subjects and as objects of linking verb
typical - normal everyday headline
nominative

16. Smother verb (example)
appears to left of story
Make decision = decide
lots of nouns strung together that act like adjectives
what pronoun refers to

17. Squinting modifiers
Make decision = decide
restrictive clause
used for subjects and as objects of linking verb
modifiers in the middle of sentences that modify the wrong word

18. Commas replace (headlines)
hiding verb as another part of speech
short headline - really big - draws attention
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
and

19. Dangling modifiers
when a phrase modifiers the wrong word
FANBOYS
pronouns must agree with antecedent in number - gender and person
short headline - really big - draws attention

20. Functions of headline

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21. en dash
limits meaning of sentence
go above main headline
separate numbers
express a wish - express something contrary to fact - express speculation - express a demand

22. Smother verbs
when a phrase modifiers the wrong word
make sure lists have same type of speech
hiding verb as another part of speech
technical language - don't use

23. Possessive case
linking verb and past participle
what pronoun refers to
used as modifying
when a phrase modifiers the wrong word

24. Hints something needs editing
technical language - don't use
FANBOYS
Sentence length - variety - vague language - grammar - verb/word choice
straight news stories

25. How to break sentence
separate numbers
find action - subject/actor - object/receiver
nominative
used for subjects and as objects of linking verb

26. Use of he/she
3
never
used for subjects and as objects of linking verb
restrictive clause

27. Use commas with (what words)
appears to left of story
separate numbers
linking verb and past participle
FANBOYS

28. Drop heads
parenthetical in meaning - set off by commas
go beneath main headline and elaborate on it
hookers - lookers
25 words

29. Nominative case
technical language - don't use
short headline - really big - draws attention
used for subjects and as objects of linking verb
FANBOYS

30. Objective case
technical language - don't use
objective
and
used for direct and indirect objects

31. Headline rules

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32. Hammer head
never
Make decision = decide
hookers - lookers
short headline - really big - draws attention

33. Types of headlines
lots of nouns strung together that act like adjectives
used for direct and indirect objects
appears to left of story
hookers - lookers

34. Parallel structure
FANBOYS
make sure lists have same type of speech
go beneath main headline and elaborate on it
straight news stories

35. How many prepositional phrases per sentence?
used as modifying
straight news stories
typical - normal everyday headline
3

36. Lookers
straight news stories
used for subjects and as objects of linking verb
and
what pronoun refers to

37. Noun strings
lots of nouns strung together that act like adjectives
Make decision = decide
go beneath main headline and elaborate on it
when a phrase modifiers the wrong word

38. Hookers

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39. Max sentence length
never
used as modifying
25 words
hookers - lookers