A teacher gives a lesson on the difference between revising and editing pieces of writing. Which of the following actions provides an example of a revision?

• A. adding citations to credit sources for the facts used in the piece
• B. changing the opening lines of the piece to create a compelling lead
• C. checking the spelling of words in the piece that might be misspelled
• D. placing quotation marks in the right spots around dialogue in the piece

Answer: (B)

Revision focuses on changing how ideas are presented—what is being said, the order in which ideas appear, and how the piece flows—so the writing communicates more clearly and effectively. Editing, on the other hand, deals with fixing mistakes in language: spelling, punctuation, grammar, capitalization, and how sources are cited.

Changing the opening lines to create a compelling lead is a revision because it alters how the piece introduces the topic and hooks the reader. This kind of change affects meaning, emphasis, and structure, guiding readers into the writer’s argument or story in a stronger way.

The other actions deal with surface-level corrections or attribution rather than reshaping the content or structure: adding citations is about giving credit and ensuring factual support, spelling is a mechanical fix, and placing quotation marks around dialogue is a punctuation/editing task.