Tuesday, August 19, 2008

We all need learnin'

Everyone could use a little education. That includes reporters and copy editors. With this post, we'll offer a quiz based on recent education-themed sentences that were edited before getting into The Forum.

See if you can pick out the flubs.

1. About 40 percent of Minnesota students in grades 5 and 8 are proficient in science.

2. Seven members of her cabinet joined her on stage.

3. Many of the south side schools will be full because of the south side's growth.

4. The district anticipates an enrollment of 860 kindergarteners.

5. It's the first year both districts are offering all-day kindergarten district-wide.

6. Thirty-two percent of the state's 12th graders smoke.

7. But five-year-old Ellen is excited she gets to be like her big brother.

1. About 40 percent of Minnesota students in grades five and eight are proficient in science.

2. Seven members of her Cabinet joined her on stage.
AP Stylebook says: cabinet Capitalize references to a specific body of advisers heading executive departments for a president, king, govvernor, etc. The capital letter distinguishes the word from the common noun meaning cupboard, which is lowercase.
The example refers to Minnesota State University Moorhead President Edna Szymanski's Cabinet of advisers.

3. Many of the southside schools will be full because of the southside's growth.

4. The district anticipates an enrollment of 860 kindergartners.

5. It's the first year both districts are offering all-day kindergarten districtwide.
AP Stylebook says: -wide No hyphen. Some examples: Citywide, nationwide, continentwide, statewide, countrywide, worldwide, industrywide.

6. Thirty-two percent of the state's 12th-graders smoke.

7. But 5-year-old Ellen is excited she gets to be like her big brother.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Can you guess who wrote these sentences?

See if you can find the flubs in this week's sentences that were edited before they appeared in The Forum.

1. "Everyday I get a customer from the old store and everyday we get new customers."

2. A career soldier had his life spared on two different occasions because of a decision made by two different individuals.

3. City Commissioners voted Monday to approve a rate increase.

4. The Kennedy's met while attending Marin Bible College.

5. "This is Democracy at its best."

6. The City of Moorhead will reveal an update to a feasability study.

7. The commercial features elementary school children.

8. "There's a lot going on under those grey hairs."


1. "Every day I get a customer from the old store and every day we get new customers."

2. A career soldier had his life spared on two occasions because of a decision made by two individuals.

3. City commissioners voted Monday to approve a rate increase.

4. The Kennedys met while attending Marin Bible College.

5. "This is democracy at its best."

6. The city of Moorhead will reveal an update to a feasability study.

7. The commercial features elementary schoolchildren.

8. "There's a lot going on under those gray hairs."

Monday, August 4, 2008

Never a bankruptcy of flubs

See how many flubs you can find in this week's quiz. These are all sentences that appeared in stories edited by copy editors before they appeared in The Forum.

1. A chapter 7 bankruptcy case does not involve filing a repayment plan.

2. Graduation ceremonies are at 7 p.m. tonight.

3. It's one of the lynchpins.

4. "1st Avenue needs to have a spark of improvement on it," Lee said.

5. Controversy surrounds the long-time comedian.

6. Judges on the Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals have been reluctant to equate illegality with unconstitutionality.

7. Fargo received 0.04 inches of rain Thursday evening.

1. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy case does not involve filing a repayment plan.

2. Graduation ceremonies are at 7 tonight.

3. It's one of the linchpins.

4. "First Avenue needs to have a spark of improvement on it," Lee said.

5. Controversy surrounds the longtime comedian.

6. Judges on the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals have been reluctant to equate illegality with unconstitutionality.

7. Fargo received 0.04 inch of rain Thursday evening.