&

Copy Reading
HEADLINE
WRITING
Leo Jaranilla Gutierrez
Copy Reading
Editing, proofreading, and copy reading are
terms usually used interchangeably; however, these three
terms are different from one another.
Editing is reviewing and changing the text,
sentences, or paragraphs to improve the quality of writing.
Proofreading, on the other hand, is ensuring that the
article is free from grammar and spelling, errors. Copy
reading goes more work than just proofreading, as a copy
reader sees to it that the article follows the style of the
publication.
Source: CALABARZON Campus Journalism Stylebook 2018
Copy Editing – using appropriate symbols in correcting
articles.

Copy Editor
– corrects errors in grammar, fact, structure and
style
– eliminates libellous and derogatory statements
and
opinions

Source: CALABARZON Campus Journalism Stylebook 2018

COMMONLY USED SYMBOLS
IN COPY EDITING
Source: CALABARZON Campus Journalism Stylebook 2018
typeset to small letter
The SchoOls Division of OCCIDENtal Mindoro Province,…

Typeset to capital letter

The schools division of Occidental Mindoro Province,

Corrected:
The Schools Division of Occidental Mindoro Province,
Insert letter
h
The Scools Division of Occidental Mindoro Province,

Insert word Mindoro

The Schools Division of Occidental Province,

Insert space
The SchoolsDivision of Occidental Mindoro Province,

Corrected:
The Schools Division of Occidental Mindoro Province,
Insert period
The Schools Division of Occidenta Mindoro Province, through its
Social Mobilization (SocMob) Unit, celebrated World Teachers Day
(WTD) 2022 via Facebook live stream, October 4 .

Inset comma
The Schools Division of Occidenta Mindoro Province through its Social
Mobilization (SocMob)… ,
Insert quotation marks
“ I never thought that, I can achieve this one-of-a-kind title, three
times in a row,” the EIC said.
Insert hyphen
-
The editor in - chief of Occidental Mindoro National High School

The editor – in – chief of Occidental Mindoro National High School

Insert apostrophe ,
The editor-in-chief of Occidental Mindoro National High School s
‘The Tamarraw News’ crafted another record…

The editor-in-chief of Occidenta Mindoro National High School’s ‘The

Tamarraw News’ crafted another record…
Delete letter/s
The Schools Division of Orieental Mindoro Province

The Schools Division of Orieeental Mindoro Province

Delete word
The Schools Schools Division of Occidental Mindoro

Delete symbol
The Schools, Division of Occidental Mindoro Province
Delete space/close up

The Sch ools Division of Occidental Mindoro Province

Change letter v
The Schools Dicision of Occidental Mindoro Province

Change word Province

The Schools Division of Occidental Mindoro City
Transpose words/letters

The Division Schools of Occidental Mindoro Province

The Division Shcools of Occidental Mindoro Province

Run in
The Schools Division
of Occidental Mindoro Province,through its Social Mobilization (SocMob)
Unit, celebrated World Teachers Day (WTD) 2021 via Facebook live
stream, Ocotber 4.
Spell out/change to digit
Police recovered sixteen small plastic sachet of dried marijuana
leaves, 1 bundle of small empty transparent plastic pockets and black
sling bag.
Syllabicate
After given a chance to repre || –
sent OMNHS again in an PSSAA athlete,
both smasher gave put outstanding performance
all game long.

End mark

The article has next page

more
Indent
The schools Division of Occidental Mindoro Province, through its Social
Mobilization (SocMob) Unit, celebrated World Teachers Day (WTD) 2021
via Facebook live stream, Ocotber 4.

No indention
The schools Division of Occidental Mindoro Province,
through its Social Mobilization (SocMob) Unit, celebrated
World Teachers Day (WTD) 2021 via Facebook live stream, Ocotber 4.
New paragraph
The schools Division of Occidental Mindoro Province, through its
Social Mobilization (SocMob) Unit, celebrated World Teachers Day
(WTD) 2021 via Facebook live stream, Ocotber 4. Maximizing the use of
technology while minimizing the health risks and minimizing the costs in
organizing an event for more than 12,000 teachers participants, Deped
OrMin aired the five program for approximately two and a half hour.
Delete paragraph
The Schools Division of Occidental Mindoro Province, through its
Social Mobilization (SocMob) Unit, celebrated World Teachers Day
(WTD) 2021 via Facebook live stream, October 5.

This paragraph is not making any sense in the entirety of the

article.

Maximizing the use of technology while…

Arrange paragraphs
¶2 Maximizing the use of technology while minimizing the costs in
organizing an event for more than 12,000 teacher participants,
Department of Education (DepEd) Cavite aired the live program for
approximately two and a half hour.

¶1 The schools Division of Occidental Mindoro Province, through its

Social Mobilization (SocMob) Unit, celebrated World Teachers Day
(WTD) 2021 via Facebook live stream, October 4.

¶3 The Provincial Government of Occidental Mindoro expressed its

support by providing the technical equipment and venue, the Provincial
Ceremonial Hall.
Justify the text
The schools Division of Occidental Mindoro Province,
through its Social Mobilization (SocMob) Unit, celebrated World
Teachers Day (WTD) 2021 via Facebook live stream, Ocotber 4.
Maximizing the use of technology while minimizing the costs
in organizing an event for more than 12,000 teacher participants,
DepEd Cavite aired the live program for approximately two and a half
hour.
The Provincial Government of Occidental Mindoro expressed
its support by providing the technical equipment and venue, the
Provincial Ceremonial Hall.
MECHANICS, CONVENTIONS AND USAGE
Common Grammar Errors
Abbreviation, Numbers, Symbols, Punctuations, Capitalization
and Editing Symbols
Common Grammar Errors
Source: CALABARZON Campus Journalism Stylebook 2018
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Subject-verb agreement should always be observed in sentence
construction. A singular subject needs singular verb, while plural subject
needs a plural verb. Oftentimes, an error occurs when compound
subjects or indefinite pronouns are used.

Example:
Incorrect: These drug related crimes and activities continues to terrorise
and slowly destroy the lives of many Filipinos. (Forum, 2016)
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Subject-verb agreement should always be observed in sentence
construction. A singular subject needs singular verb, while plural subject
needs a plural verb. Oftentimes, an error occurs when compound
subjects or indefinite pronouns are used.

Example:
Incorrect: These drug related crimes and activities continues to
terrorise and slowly destroy the lives of many Filipinos. (Forum, 2016)

Correct: These drug related crimes and activities continue to terrorize

and slowly destroy the lives of many Filipinos.
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Subject-verb agreement should always be observed in sentence
construction. A singular subject needs singular verb, while plural subject
needs a plural verb. Oftentimes, an error occurs when compound
subjects or indefinite pronouns are used.

Example:
Incorrect: Some of the apples are gone.
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Subject-verb agreement should always be observed in sentence
construction. A singular subject needs singular verb, while plural subject
needs a plural verb. Oftentimes, an error occurs when compound
subjects or indefinite pronouns are used.

Example:
Incorrect: Some of the apples are gone.
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Subject-verb agreement should always be observed in sentence
construction. A singular subject needs singular verb, while plural subject
needs a plural verb. Oftentimes, an error occurs when compound
subjects or indefinite pronouns are used.

Example:

Correct: Some of the apple is gone.

Misplaced or Dangling Modifier
A modifier does exactly what it sound like: it changes, alters,
limits, or adds more information to something else in the sentence. It is
considered dangling when in the sentences, it’s not clear about the thing
being modifies.

Incorrect: Technical Drafting (TechDraft) and Bread and Pastry

Production (BPP) students from the senior high school and the
Caregiving students from junior high school took and successfully passed
the assessments for their respective fields conducted by the Technical
Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in order to comply
with the requirements as mandated in the curriculum. (Forum 2016)

What is the misplaced or Dangling Modifier?

Misplaced or Dangling Modifier
A modifier does exactly what it sound like: it changes, alters,
limits, or adds more information to something else in the sentence. It is
considered dangling when in the sentences, it’s not clear about the thing
being modifies.

Incorrect: Technical Drafting (TechDraft) and Bread and Pastry

Production (BPP) students from the senior high school and the
Caregiving students from junior high school took and successfully passed
the assessments for their respective fields conducted by the Technical
Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in order to
comply with the requirements as mandated in the curriculum.
(Forum 2016)
Misplaced or Dangling Modifier
A modifier does exactly what it sound like: it changes, alters,
limits, or adds more information to something else in the sentence. It is
considered dangling when in the sentences, it’s not clear about the thing
being modifies.

More appropriate: In order to comply with the requirements as

mandated in the curriculum, Technical Drafting (TechDraft) and Bread
and Pastry Production (BBP) students from the senior high school
Caregiving students from junior high school took and successfully passed
the assessments conducted by the Technical Education and Skills
Development (TESDA) for their respective fields.
Ambiguous Pronoun Reference
Pronouns replace a noun in a sentence. Its antecedent should be
the person, place, or thing to which the pronoun refers. An ambiguous
pronoun reference (including words such as it, that, this and which) can
be very confusing for the reader if the antecedent being referred to by the
pronoun doesn’t agree with it.

Example:
Incorrect: The Calamba City Science High School (CCSHS) implemented
their project to increase the education growth of their partner school
Makiling National High School (MNHS). (Interiors 2016)
Ambiguous Pronoun Reference
Pronouns replace a noun in a sentence. Its antecedent should be
the person, place, or thing to which the pronoun refers. An ambiguous
pronoun reference (including words such as it, that, this and which) can
be very confusing for the reader if the antecedent being referred to by the
pronoun doesn’t agree with it.

Example:
Incorrect: The Calamba City Science High School (CCSHS) implemented
their project to increase the education growth of their partner school
Makiling National High School (MNHS). (Interiors 2016)
Ambiguous Pronoun Reference
Pronouns replace a noun in a sentence. Its antecedent should be
the person, place, or thing to which the pronoun refers. An ambiguous
pronoun reference (including words such as it, that, this and which) can
be very confusing for the reader if the antecedent being referred to by the
pronoun doesn’t agree with it.

Example:
Incorrect: The Calamba City Science High School (CCSHS) implemented
its project to increase the education growth of its partner school Makiling
National High School (MNHS). (Interiors 2016)
Misplaced Comma after Introductory Elements
A comma allows a breather after an introductory is given: be it a
word, a phrase, or a clause. It delivers a slight pause in the sentence that
helps the reader avoid misconception or meaning in a given though.

Example:
Incorrect: Due to intensified campaigns against dengue cases of the viral
infection in Dasmariñas High School drastically dropped by 95% this
year.
Misplaced Comma after Introductory Elements
A comma allows a breather after an introductory is given: be it a
word, a phrase, or a clause. It delivers a slight pause in the sentence that
helps the reader avoid misconception or meaning in a given though.

Example:
Incorrect: Due to intensified campaigns against dengue, cases of the
viral infection in Dasmariñas High School drastically dropped by 95% this
year.
Misplaced Comma after Introductory Elements
A comma allows a breather after an introductory is given: be it a
word, a phrase, or a clause. It delivers a slight pause in the sentence that
helps the reader avoid misconception or meaning in a given though.

Incorrect: From the 38 reported cases in 2015 the number was down to
only cases this year.
Misplaced Comma after Introductory Elements
A comma allows a breather after an introductory is given: be it a
word, a phrase, or a clause. It delivers a slight pause in the sentence that
helps the reader avoid misconception or meaning in a given though.

Correct: From the 38 reported cases in 2015, the number was down to
only cases this year. (The Glimpse 2016)
Missing Comma in a Compound Sentence
To separate two independent clauses a comma is necessary.
Place it before the coordination conjunction that reparates the clauses.

Example:
Incorrect: The constant search is never-ending and might as well stay in
the books however there is a scientific reason that suggests that it might
possibly be.
Missing Comma in a Compound Sentence
To separate two independent clauses a comma is necessary.
Place it before the coordination conjunction that separates the clauses.

Correct: The constant search is never-ending and might as well stay in

the books, however there us a scientific reason that suggests that it might
possibly be. The Glimpse 2016)
Missing Comma in a Compound Sentence
To separate two independent clauses a comma is necessary.
Place it before the coordination conjunction that reparates the clauses.

Correct: The constant search is never-ending and might as well stay in

the books, however there us a scientific reason that suggests that it might
possibly be. The Glimpse 2016)
Missing Comma in a Compound Sentence
To separate two independent clauses a comma is necessary.
Place it before the coordination conjunction that reparates the clauses.

Incorrect: The purpose of the bill may be for good intentions and aims
for self-improvement but users will still decide to use the opportunity
given to them.

Correct: The purpose of the bill may be for good intentions and aims for
self-improvement, but users will still decide to use the opportunity given
to them. (The Sea Brezze 2016)
Abbreviations
Numbers
Symbols
Source: CALABARZON Campus Journalism Stylebook 2018
 Abbreviations

DepEd

It is mostly written with capital D (Department) and ED (Education)

however most writers use DepEd.

Example: Lerma V. Peña, GEANHS Principal IV, said that the Special
Education Division of DepEd has mandated the learners with special
needs who are 16 years old should be taught in the secondary level and
be integrated in regular classes. (The Patriot, Imus City)
 Abbreviations

Junior/Senior
Abbreviate and capitalize the first letter in junior and senior after an
individual’s name.

Example: RCian netter Ernelio Villa Jr. secured the badminton crown after
annihilating his brother, general Trias’ pride Emilio Villa III in a 30-24
championship dominance in the 2016 Provincial Meet. (The Forum)
 Abbreviations

Company name

The word corporation is abbreviated and the first letter is capitalized when used
after the name of such corporate entity.

Example: San Miguel Corp. donated 20, 000 worth of school supplies to select
incoming Grade seven students of Cotta National High School. (The Port)
 Abbreviations

School’s Initials
Initials of a school confuse the readers since there are many schools
with the same initials. This is particularly true in headlines. It is necessary to spell
out the first letter.

Example:
Gumaca National High School
Candelaria ES retains DSPC title
Quezon NHS beefs up security measure amid brawl, theft incidents
 Abbreviations

Mr., Mrs., Ms. And Dr. etc.

Abbreviated especially when used before a name.

Example: Mr. Efren V. Guinoban, with a rare blood type ‘AB,’ said he is happy to
donate his blood so others may live. He pledged to continue giving blood as long
as he can. (The Peacemaker)
Common Style in Writing Numbers and Symbols

This standard form in writing numbers is commonly used.

one to nine (in words) 10 and above (in figures)

Example: Six SJP students brought home honor in the recent UP Kalilayan
National competition held at the University of the Philippines- Diliman on August
10. (The Coconut)
Common Style in Writing Numbers and Symbols

Exception to the Rule

The figures 10 and above are spelled out when used as sentence opener
especially in the beginning of a paragraph.

Example: Twenty six teachers from different learning areas were taught how to
utilize software designed to facilitate easy learning on statistical tools used in
quality learning assessment. (The Coconut)
Common Style in Writing Numbers and Symbols

Exception to the Rule

The figures one to nine are written in numbers if they pertain to age, dates,
percentage, speeds, times and weights.

Example:
Melissa Reyes, 9, a grade III pupil and her brother Nico, 7, grade 1 received the
Pamaskong Handog sponsored by the Atimonan Central School (ACS). (The Mermaid)

Oplan Tokhang operations cut down crime rates to 7 percent for the last three months,
Mauban PNP said. (The Gat-Uban)
Common Style in Writing Numbers and Symbols

Ages
Expressed as adjectives or placed before a noun/ used as noun substitutes, are
hyphenated.

Example:
An 11-year-old grade VII student of Quezon NHS known as the crab-handed
prince was team Bambo’s bet in the ABS-CBN’s The Voice Kids finals. (The Coconut)
Common Style in Writing Numbers and Symbols
Amount of Money
Is usually written in figures with a peso sign (P).

Example:
DepEd allocated P9 million budget for Quezon National High School in 2016 in
which the 19percent increase is intended for special programs being offered in school. (The
Coconut)
Common Style in Writing Numbers and Symbols

Grade level is written in numbers (as observed) for grades 7 to 12,while it is

presented in numerals for grades I to VI.
Common Style in Writing Numbers and Symbols
Time/Date
Hours and Minutes. Use figures to express time except for noon and midnight.
Use a colon to separate hours from minutes. Generally the hours are written before the day.

Example:
Guinayangan National High School (GNHS) conducted at 9 a.m. Monday (June
22) the 2nd National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill to enhance the level of preparedness
among teachers and students for the possible movement of the West Valley Fault. (The
Rays)
Common Style in Writing Numbers and Symbols
Days/Dates
Since the school paper is published once or twice a year, most news articles
cover at least five-month period. In this case, date comes as less significant. It can be
written as this school year, this semester, etc.
However, if we wish to include them in the story for emphasis, months are spelled
out and day is written in numbers.

Example: Teachers in Values Education, English and Social Studies of Dagatan National
High School (DNHS) have started this school year the use of anti-cyberbullying modules in
their lessons.