Year 6 — Writing

Register and process

Write confidently in both formal and informal letters, and use a genuine EDITING and PROOFREADING process to improve your own writing before it's finished.

Back to Year 6

💡Understand

EDITING means improving your writing's content and structure (better word choices, clearer sentences, stronger organisation). PROOFREADING means checking for surface errors (spelling, punctuation, grammar) AFTER editing, as a separate final step.

“Draft: 'The thing happened and it was bad.' After editing: 'The collision happened suddenly, leaving the street in chaos.' After proofreading: (checking the final version for any spelling or punctuation slips before submitting).”

Editing improved the vague, weak sentence into something specific and vivid. Proofreading is a SEPARATE, final check — editing focuses on making the writing better, while proofreading focuses on making it correct.

🔍Spot it

Is this editing or proofreading?

Question 1

"I changed 'nice' to 'exhilarating' to make the description more vivid."

💡 This is about improving the quality of the writing itself, not fixing errors.

Question 2

"I noticed I'd spelled 'definately' incorrectly and fixed it."

💡 This is checking for a surface-level spelling mistake, not improving content.

Question 3

"I reorganised my paragraphs so the argument built more logically."

💡 Reorganising for logical flow is an editing decision about content and structure.

🧠Think about it

Why is it more effective to edit BEFORE proofreading, rather than doing both at the same time?

✍️Try it

Identify whether this step is editing or proofreading.

You're reviewing your own persuasive letter before submitting it.

Question 1

Which step should come FIRST in your review process?

💡 Think about which step should happen before checking the final surface details.

📝Practise

Identify editing versus proofreading, or the correct register.

Question 1

"I replaced three short, choppy sentences with one flowing, well-structured sentence."

Question 2

"I added a missing full stop and fixed a comma splice."

Question 3

Which register suits a formal letter of complaint to a company?

Question 4

In one word, what step checks for spelling, punctuation and grammar errors AFTER editing?

💡 It's the second of the two steps introduced in this lesson.

Question 5

Which register suits an informal letter to a pen pal?

Question 6

Why should editing happen before proofreading, not at the same time?

🎯Apply

Read the passage, then answer the questions below.

Draft: 'Dear Sir, I am writing about the thing that happened with my order which was bad and I want it fixed.' After editing: 'Dear Sir, I am writing to report a fault with my recent order and to request a replacement.' After proofreading, the writer confirmed there were no remaining spelling or punctuation errors.

Question 1

What changed between the draft and the edited version?

💡 Compare the specific word choices between the two versions.

Question 2

What register does the edited version use, and why is it appropriate?

Question 3

What does the writer request in the edited version?

💡 It's stated at the end of the edited sentence.

🏆Challenge

Take this weak sentence and show both an edited version AND confirm it's been proofread: 'The place was cool and we did stuff and it was fun.'

🔄Review

A quick mastery check — 3 questions.

Question 1

Editing focuses mainly on...

Question 2

Proofreading focuses mainly on...

Question 3

A formal letter should typically...