Help Proofread my DD essay=

Katie

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Please help up proofread this essay. My daughter has attilla the hun for an English teacher and every point is going to count. I have included her essay if you could see if you can see any spelling, grammer, content, ect errors!

Thank you!!!!!
This essay is a ending to the story THE BIRDS.


As Nat smoked his last cigarette and watched his empty pack burn. He hoped that for tonight, just for tonight, that he and his family would be safe from the awful birds. When Nat put out his last cigarette he looked at his wife who was sound asleep along with the kids. He knew he had to stay awake and watch over his family. Even though he knew the house was secure from the birds he had to keep an eye on everything. Nat’s night passed very slowly but as the sun rose, there was still no sign of the birds.
Early that morning as Nat’s family awoke; he told his wife that he needed to go into town for more supplies. Nat made sure everything would be safe for his family to be alone, and headed off to town. Nat approached town and everything seemed to be going well. He went to the store and got the supplies he needed. He stopped to talk with a few friends he saw along the way. He said good bye to the people he was talking to because he knew he should not keep his family from waiting any longer. When Nat got home his family was safe and sound and very happy to see him. Nat took the kids outside for a few hours; however, he knew he needed to be back inside before dusk, in case the birds would return. When Nat and the kids returned inside, Nat made sure the house was locked up securely, and then he started a fire.
Nat and his family sat in the kitchen eating dinner, both were anxiously listening for the arrival of the birds. Every noise made the parents jump, yet every noise was not the birds. There were no signs of the birds. After dinner, Nat and his family laid by the fire. They sang songs and told stories until the children fell asleep. Nat added more wood to the fire. He still was cautious to keep the fire burning. Nat watched closely as his family slept peacefully. It was still very quiet in the cabin, and most importantly outside the cabin. Nat felt hopefully, maybe the birds have moved south he thought. He watched his family sleep and soon fell asleep himself. He was exhausted and needed sleep, and the quiet of the night made it possible for Nat to sleep.
Nat awoke abruptly and quickly checked his watch. It was morning. Nat had sleep through the night and everything seemed to be alright. Nat walked slowly outside. He looked up in the bright sunlight and saw nothing but the beautiful sky. It was then, that Nat realized the birds were gone. He and his family were safe at last!
 
made sure THAT everything
I don't think that headed is a word. "Left for town" would work.
 
In the start of the second paragraph, it flows better without "both were."
 

Nat took the kids outside for a few hours; however, he knew he needed to be back inside before dusk, in case the birds would return.
Instead of "would return" you need "returned." English teacers like it when you stick to the same tense. The last bit is in the conditional, while the rest is in the preterite.
 
thank you thank you..

all changes were done..except, i am not sure where to put the semicolon in the first comment you left...can you explain? please :)

everything else...excellent!
 
very slowly but as the sun

I'd do 2 sentences.

...ver slowly, haunted by nightmares. (I haven't read the book, but something to that extent.) But as the sun rose...
 
Katie said:
thank you thank you..

all changes were done..except, i am not sure where to put the semicolon in the first comment you left...can you explain? please :)

everything else...excellent!
strike that bit-it was a messup

I have more suggestions. How about I quote the whole post and make corrections in red?
 
Katie said:
As Nat smoked his last cigarette and watched his empty pack burn, he hoped that I removed "for." tonight, just See the previous content. I think it flows better this way. tonight, that he and his family would be safe from the awful birds. When Nat put out his last cigaretteadd a comma he looked--change to glance because glance is a stronger word. Some teachers give higher marks for word choice. at his wofe and children, who were all fast asleep. ["Kids" is slang. "Along" didn't flow.] He knew thathe had to stay awake and watch over--change to guard his family. Even though he knew that the house was secure from the birds commahe had to keep an eye on everything. Nat’s night passed very I'd eliminate "very." English teachers don't like it because it is emphasis on a not so strong word. slowly but as the sun rose, there was still no sign of the birds.--I'd try "Nat's night passed fitfully, haunted by nightmares of the birds. But as the sun rose, there was still no sign of the birds.Early that morning, when Nat's family finally woke up comma, not semicolon he told his wife that he needed to go into town for more supplies. Nat made sure everything would be--change to "was" to keep verb tense consistent safe for his family to be alone, and left for AsNat approached town and--change "and" to a comma everything seemed to be going well---normal He went to the store and got the supplies he needed--change to "purchased the necessary supplies. He stopped to talk--change to converse with a few friends thathe saw along the way. His conversations were short; he did not want to keep his family waiting.

Here's the first half.
 
Katie said:
Please help up proofread this essay. My daughter has attilla the hun for an English teacher and every point is going to count. I have included her essay if you could see if you can see any spelling, grammer, content, ect errors!

Thank you!!!!!
This essay is a ending to the story THE BIRDS. The corrected paragraph is below:


As Nat smoked his last cigarette and watched his empty pack burn (take out period and put comma) he hoped that for tonight, just for tonight (take out "for" here), (take out "that" here...it is repetitive) he and his family would be safe from the awful birds. When Nat put out his last cigarette (add comma here) he looked at his wife who was sound asleep along with the kids. He knew he had to stay awake and watch over his family. Even though he knew the house was secure from the birds (add comma here) he had to keep an eye on everything. Nat’s night passed very slowly (add comma here) but as the sun rose (take out comma here) there was still no sign of the birds.
Early that morning as Nat’s family awoke (take out semi-colon and add caoma...the first phrase of this sentence could not stand alone, therefore no semi-colon will work) he told his wife that he needed to go into town for more supplies. Nat made sure everything would be safe for his family to be alone (take out "to be alone", it is awkward structure. In its place, say, "while he was away"), and headed off to town. Nat approached town and everything seemed to be going well. He went to the store and got the supplies he needed. He stopped to talk with a few friends he saw along the way. He said good bye to the people he was talking to because he knew he should not keep his family from waiting any longer (take out the previous from...it is awkward). When Nat got home (add a comma here) his family was safe and sound (add a comma here, or remove "and sound") and very happy to see him. Nat took the kids outside for a few hours; however, he knew he needed to be back inside before dusk, in case the birds would return (would return is the wrong tense...returned would be correct here). When Nat and the kids returned inside, Nat made sure the house was locked up securely, and then he started a fire.
Nat and his family sat in the kitchen eating dinner, both (both who? If the family consists of more than two people, it should read "all") were anxiously listening for the arrival of the birds. Every noise made the parents jump, yet every noise was not the birds (awkward structure again...you might say, "Every noise made the parents jump, yet" and then go right on to the next sentence. Therefore, the sentence would read, "Every noise made the parents jump, but there were no signs of the birds." . There were no signs of the birds. After dinner, Nat and his family laid by the fire (change laid to lay down). They sang songs and told stories until the children fell asleep. Nat added more wood to the fire. He still was cautious to keep the fire burning. Nat watched closely as his family slept peacefully. It was still very quiet in the cabin, and most importantly outside the cabin. Nat felt hopefully change hopefully to hopeful), (either put a semi-colon or a period here) maybe the birds have moved south he thought(either change the sentence structure to read, "Maybe the birds had moved south," he thought. Or, he thought that maybe the birds had moved south. He watched his family sleep and soon fell asleep himself. He was exhausted and needed sleep, and the quiet of the night made it possible for Nat to sleep.
Nat awoke abruptly and quickly checked his watch. It was morning. Nat had sleep (change sleep to slept) through the night and everything seemed to be alright. Nat walked slowly outside. He looked up in the bright sunlight and saw nothing but the beautiful sky. It was then, that Nat realized the birds were gone. He and his family were safe at last!

:wave: All my corrections are in the quote above.

As Nat smoked his last cigarette and watched his empty pack burn, he hoped for tonight, just tonight, he and his family would be safe from the awful birds. When Nat put out his last cigarette, he looked at his wife who was sound asleep along with the kids. He knew he had to stay awake and watch over his family. Even though he knew the house was secure from the birds, he had to keep an eye on everything. Nat’s night passed very slowly, but as the sun rose there was still no sign of the birds.
Early that morning as Nat’s family awoke, he told his wife that he needed to go into town for more supplies. Nat made sure everything would be safe for his family while he was away, and headed off to town. Nat approached town and everything seemed to be going well. He went to the store and got the supplies he needed. He stopped to talk with a few friends he saw along the way. He said good bye to the people he was talking to because he knew he should not keep his family waiting any longer . When Nat got home, his family was safe, sound, and very happy to see him. Nat took the kids outside for a few hours; however, he knew he needed to be back inside before dusk, in case the birds returned. When Nat and the kids returned inside, Nat made sure the house was locked up securely, and then he started a fire.
Nat and his family sat in the kitchen eating dinner, both parents were anxiously listening for the arrival of the birds. Every noise made the pair jump, yet there were no signs of the birds. After dinner, Nat and his family lay down by the fire. They sang songs and told stories until the children fell asleep. Nat added more wood to the fire. He was cautious to keep the fire burning. Nat watched closely as his family slept peacefully. It was still very quiet in the cabin, and most importantly outside the cabin. Nat felt hopeful. "Maybe the birds have moved south," he thought. He watched his family sleep and soon fell asleep himself. He was exhausted and needed sleep, and the quiet of the night made it possible for Nat to sleep.
Nat woke abruptly and quickly checked his watch. It was morning. Nat had slept through the night and everything seemed to be alright. Nat walked slowly outside. He looked up in the bright sunlight and saw nothing but the beautiful sky. It was then that Nat realized the birds were gone. He and his family were safe at last!
 
micki..thanks for the first half..

we are anxiously waiting for the rest :)
 
When Nat returned homecomma his family was thankfully safe and soundcomma and very happy to see him. Nat took his children, rather than "the kids" outside for a few hours;-- change to comma although he knew that he needed to be back inside before dusk, in case the birds would return--change to returned. As soon as, Nat and the kids returnedcame inside, Nat made sure that the house was locked up securely, and then he proceeded to start a fire.
Nat and his family sat in the kitchen eating dinner, both were -- remove anxiously listening for the arrival of the birds. Every noise made the parents jump, yet none of the noises were . There were--was no signsign, not signs of the birds. After dinner, Nat and his family cuddled by the fire. They sang songs and told stories until the children fell asleep. Nat added more wood to the fire. He still was cautious, and consequently kept the fire burning to keep the fire burning. Nat watched closely as his family slept peacefully. It was still very quiet in the cabin, and most importantlycomma outside of the cabin. Nat hoped that the birds had moved south. He watched his family sleep and soon fell asleep himself. He was exhaustedcomma and needed rest.
Nat awoke abruptly and imediately checked his watch. It was morning. Nat had sleep through the night and everything seemed to be alright--not a word-should be all right. Nat stepped outside. He looked up into the bright sunlight and saw nothing but the beautiful sky. It was thenno comma that Nat realized that the birds were gone. He and his family were safe at last!
 
I hope this helps! When is the essay due, and what grade is your DD in?
 
Katie said:
thanks becca....thank you!

You're welcome!! I edited my post to put a corrected paragraph in.

Good luck with Atilla!!!
 
excellent..thanks ladies..
just printed out the final version..wish her luck..
 
she is a freshman...
an a/b student in jr high..and now struggling to pull a C

If you get out of Atilla's class with a C ...you are to consider yourself a genius!

Atilla says the kids are not prepared in jr high and that is why the kids did so well in jr high...she also says after her class High school English is a breeze!

My son finished with a low C 6 years ago.....i hoped for retirement before DD...
oh well...

Thanks so much!
 


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