Language learners and native speakers alike: Are you ready for a challenge? I’ve made a mess of my writing and need YOUR help to fix it!
There are two challenges every day. The shorter, INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL ones contain exactly 20 MISTAKES each. The ADVANCED challenges have MORE THAN 30. Errors vary between spelling, verb tense, punctuation – anything’s game!
Lower-level learners, try to find at least 10 errors. Is anyone up to the challenge of fixing everything? Give it your best shot; then, check your answer on the second page. If you have any questions, send me an e-mail and I can walk you through it.
All editing challenges are adapted from https://nationaltoday.com (2023) and https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history (2022).
Holidays this Month: Entrepreneurial Spirit
While Black Friday not originally get it name because sales on that day was sure to brought lagging company out of the “red (or det) and in to the black” for a profitable years’ end. That certainly seems true now a days. Entrepreneurship Month in November followed buy Right a Business Plan Month on December. Its tie month, as well, so dress too impress. Like it or knot, holiday season is god for business, why not start you own?
Holidays this Month: In the Volunteer Spirit
Very easy to loose oneself in the materialism of Modern Christmas traditions, but the holiday season isnt suppose to be all about get. December it’s the Month Of Giving. You have any extra food or old cloth lying around your house reach in to a local charity. Even better, if you can afford, by new toy and donate him still in the box. Remember that you time is just as value, and its Volunteers Month, two.
Holidays this Month: In the “Rights” Spirit
During the holidays, extra important to love are neighbors and treat everyone with kind. No matter were they come from nor what they believing. Are you know that December is also Universal Human Rights Month. Additional, Worldwide Food Service Safety Month promote accountability at the restaurant industry to assure excess to clean, healthy food, and Safe Toys And Gifts Month reminds loved ones which disregarding age limits when it comes to picking off present can to be fatal mistake.
Holidays this Month: In Festive Spirit
Christmas get (by far the more attention this time of year, but its’ no the only major religious observant. Theirs Hanukkah, of course, and Kwanzaa, promoting the cultural values of Africa communities worldwide? Buddhists meditation in observance of Bodhi Day, Muslims celebration the born of Muhammad, and followers of Zoroastrianism, the worlds most oldest monotheistic religion, honors the death Zarathustra, no forget the Solstice, neither. December also National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention month, so be smart and stay save!
On This Day: December 1
Space debry constantly burning up at our atmosphere, but as many fivety largest meteorites hit a surface dayly. Why it is, then, that we dont sea more of they. Incredibly, they’re is only one recorded in modern history of an human was hitted by the space rock. Pour Elizabeth Hodges was napped on her couch in Alabama, in November 30, 1954, when a grapefruit-size meteorite crashed threw his roof, bounced of the radio, and struck him on hip. Luckily, she suffers no more then a bruise large. On 1911, the dog in Egypt dead. Before that, you has to gone all the way back to ancient china to find an records of killer rocks to the sky!
On This Day: December 2
The Monroe doctrine, introduced December 2, 1823 were an brazen bite of political initiative that helps define and protect our young nation. In breef, it forbidden Europeans to interfering through out the hole America hemisphere (north or south) , while also asserting the U.S. neutrality in future abroad wars. Worked surprising good, and United States only has to go to war one, against Spain on 1898, to defend. Today, we have more two worry about from Mother Nature than mother England. Consequentially, the Environmental Protection Agency was opened it’s doors on these same day in 1970. Their job to investigate and address serious environmental abuse. Ensuring that well still have a country for protect in other hundreds years?
On This Day: December 3
With the first skin transplant on 1869, it taken eight-five years four doctors two figure out how to do same with life organs, like kidneys. After that, however , wasnt long be for the first success heart transplant, on December 3 1967. Unfortunate, Louis Washkansky, a south African grocer, still dead eighteen day later from pneumonia, but his knew hart functioning perfect. This date also mark very first SMS text message, in 1992, Neil Papworth’s simple message “Merry Christmas” had to be send over the Vodafone network form a computer, and his college couldn’t to respond from him phone yet. But texting is clearly an other technology which come along way in the very short time.
On This Day: December 4
December 4rd has a consistent dark day through out history. From Typhoon Pablo wipeing out 1.000 Filipinos in 2012 too 4000 residents London dying in 1952 by heavy smog. Way back on 1533, three years-old Ivan the Terrible appointed crown Prince after her father death. Griped by raging paranoia, a first tsar of Russia kills and tortured ten of thousand of citizens from all level of society, even beet his pregnant daughter-by-law to the point of miscarriage and killing his own sun when he tryed complain about it. Another mass-murdering dictator who’s birthday just happens to being December 4 was spains Francisco Franco . Appropriate, that day also marks the 1917 psychiatry debut of “shell shock”. Today recognized as PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder”)
On This Day: December 5
The temperance, the movement to prohibiting alcohol, begun in early nineteen century. Lead by women tired of being powerless for do nothing about drunk, abuse husbands. It taken about hundred years, but at least the 18nd Amendment was ratified, and liquor baned, on 1920. Victory short-lived, however. As drinking become more popular then ever . U.S. government agents used violence methods to try and enforcing the law. Even poisoned random bottles, but this just reinforce they’re “bad guy’ image. Instead, gang boss were celebrating as heroes, and NASCAR born from bootleggers outrun police cars. By the time the great depression hitted, everyone had enough. The 21th Amendment finally bringed Prohibition to the end on December 5 1933.
On This Day: December 6
United States had much presidents, but too names always standout for the crowd. George Washington was are first, the only president even elected unanimously . The Washington monument, an 555-foots white-marble obelisk, erected in her honor on December 6, 1884. On 1910, the city law was passing limiting the highs of all other building in Washington d.C. to insure that these monument would to remain tallest. Abraham Lincolns’ passion – and sacrifice for keep our nation by splintering over the thorny issue slavery will also never forgotten. With out, the 13rd Constitutional Amendment would never passed on this same date on 1865. Permanent freeing all slaves. His own memorial builded in 1922.
On This Day: December 7
On December 7 1787 Little Delaware technically becomed the first state buy unanimously ratify the U.S. Constitution. A hundred fivety-for years latter, however, on 1941 . It became “a date which will live in infamy,” accorded to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. On 7:55 that mourning, 360 Japan bomber plans appeared on the horizon with out warning and leaved a swath of destruction across U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii. Besides render much of the pacific fleet useless, 2.400 Americans were killed, mean while, Japanese lost lesser than 100 man. The very next day, a enraged nation – staunch neutral up until that point declares war on Japan. Plunging us in to the middle of the World War II.
On This Day: December 8
Grown up pour at Liverpool, English, never easy, but that didn’t to stop John Lennon Paul McCartney George Harrison and Ringo Starr from rise to stardom and changed popular music for ever . Many considers the beatles the single most influential bands of all times, they’re american debut on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 was saw by over 70 million fans, and they’d sold over 600 millions records. The golden days could no last forever, thou, and the band broken up in 1970. Then, in December 8, 1980, a even greatest tragedy struck when Lennon was shot to ao obsessed fan write outside her Manhattan apartment. His dead mourned all over the world, but least his music live on?
On This Day: December 9
Smallpox, or some thing likes it, plagued human kind for thousand years. Killing million around the word annual. The Egyptian Pharoah Ramses V dead of the variation way back in 1145 BC, and played a huge roll in wipping out native american populations after arrival of Europe. With mortality rates as hi as %90 in some community. The China had already develop a inoculation protect themself buy the 16nd century, but Edward Jenner 1796 vaccine was unique for no spread to anothers. Thanks to this miracle with modern medicinal, the last case of smallpox diagnosed on Somalia on 1977, and on December 9, 1979, the world Health Organization declares a disease completely eliminating, once and four all.
On This Day: December 10
Everyone a winer on December 10 (also know as Human Rights Day)? Most famously, this it’s the date that Nobel prizes have awarded every year sense 1901, recognized those whom make are world a better place. That’s no all their is too celebrate, believe it or knot, Ford produced it’s one-million car on December 10 1915; the 1898 Treaty of Paris is recognizing U.S. victory in Spanish-American War, Wyoming woman were the first in U.S. to won the write to vote in 1869, and in 1922, Canton Bulldogs one the inaugural NFL champion. More recently, this also be the day, in 2009, that “Avatar” premiered for theaters. Going on to became a highest-grossing film in history.
On This Day: December 11
By wars, children ofen suffer the more this certainly true on both side of the World War II. The newly-minted United Nations there for made a priority to establish a international childrens’ emergency fund – UNICEF on December 11, 1946, to support the youths in need as europe setted about rebuilding itselves. “They’re are not enemy children” insisted founding director Pate. Buy 1950, it expanded it’s mission to the rest of world, two, and begun to promoting projects to improving sanitation conditions eliminate preventables diseases, and protect universal writes. There 1989 Convention on the rights of the Child became most widely ratified treaty of its kind on history, remarkable, United States was an only member state no support them.
On This Day: December 12
To years after “Mona Lisa,” was stole, polise finally recovered Leonardo da Vinci famous painting in italy in December 12, 1913. Then, on these same day in 1980, won of her note books sole for over 5 million. Of course, Da Vinci probably wood been equally impressed to Guglielmo Marconi’s success send the first radio signals acrost a Atlantic Ocean, also this date in 1901. Popular belief holded that the earths curvature made transmission far than 200 miles impossible, and its true these radio waves can’t to bend, never the less, not full understanding what he doing yet. Marconi, at England, still able to bounce simple Morse-code letter “s” of the atmosphere’s ionosphere, and backdown to Canadian.
On This Day: December 13
Wall the Holocaust and other atrocityes perpetrate by Nazi’s during the World War II generally good-known, much few are familiar with the equally-horrified acts condoned by there Axis-power ally in the Far East. December 13, 1937 four example marks the Rape of Nanjing, when Japan soldiers burned the former China capital to the ground. Massacring to hundred thousands man, and abused at least twenty thousands women and girl. The three thousand US. civilians which dead on September 11, 2001, pales in compare, but american outrage were just as strength . We started a ware, and hunting the operations elusive master mind, Saddam Hussein, four two years. He finally discovered hideing in a six-to-eight-feet-deep hole, all so on December 13 2003.
On This Day: December 14
Do you no was who the first person to reach North Pole (besides Santa, off course). No one actually, two separate America teams claimed that honor mere weak a part from each other in 1909, but its no a easy thing for prove. Wile Robert Peary and Frederick Cook fighting out they’re differences, norwegian Roald Amundsen changed his own plans and decided to go find the south Pole instead. He also had to faced stiff competition (figuratively at first, and then literal, sense Robert Scott teem frozen to death), but finally, at December 14, 1911, Amundsen planted her flag at Antarctic soil. He eventually maked it to the North Pool, two, via dirigible fiveteen years latter.
On This Day: December 15
You no your Bill Of Rights? Despite promise to promote the general welfare,” U.S. Constitution don’t really talk much to “We the People” after the introduce. Many states only agreed to ratify it there for if an bill was clarifying basic citizen writes was added posthaste. Too years later, on December 15, 1791, ten out of the twelfth proposing amendments passed in to law. Thats right – two didnt made it? One, that Congress couldn’t give itselves any pay raze with out voter consent, just recently approved on 1992 as the 27rd amendment. The other rejected “right” would limited congressional districts to least then 50,000 citizens, meaning we have more than six thousands representatives today. How many we has instead.
On This Day: December 16
The Britain are knew for be composing and polite, but never mess with they’re tea! When king George tried to taxing this, we Americans stubborn switched two coffee. A culture preference that continue this day. About sixy “Sons of Liberty” took a thing even farther when they dress up as native Americans and dumped one hundred thousands pounds of tee in to the Boston harbor on December 16, 1773, this the final straw for the King, whom lashed back with the intolerable acts, imposed strict military rool and crippling the citys economy. Instead of crushed revolutionary spirit that he had hopped, however, fanned public outrage even hoter, convincing the colonists one and four all that Britain had gone.
On This Day: December 17
Learn the first plain only stayed a loft for 12 seconds during it’s inaugural fly on December 17, 1903, doesn’t really sound that impression. None the less, it taked brother Orville and Wilbur Wright years of experiment to get that fur, they even builded their own wind tunnel. What more by the end of the day they was up to a hole minute, and with in to years, their plan could remain in the air for up to 39 minutes ? Hollywood stuntman Stan Barrett may have overcame other seemingly-impossible boundary of fisics this same day in 1979 by broken the sound barrier for the first time at land. The Air Force cloaked him at near 740mph, but the officially speedometers malfunctioned. Resulted in controversy.
On This Day: December 18
Fun fact: The Tokens The Lion Sleeps Tonight, which adapted from an recording buy South Africa Zulu singers, hitted number one on the Billboard pop chart the same date on 1961 that newly ratified 13rd Amendment officially outlaws slavery in 1865. President Lincoln the earlier Emancipation Proclamation had declared already America’s enslaved population “then, thenceforward, and forever free,” but it lacked Constitutional authorities. This also the day Donald Trump was impeaching – the first time) for foreign election interfere in 2019 (almost exact eleventh years after Clinton, and the Pilgrims docked the Mayflower at Plymouth Harbor at 1620. Who show up in Massachusetts on December expecting to built a town form the ground up. People who got lost on there way to Virginia that who.
On This Day: December 19
It cold day on Deciember 19, 1777, when general Washington ordered her defeat, bedraggled troupes to set up a longterm camp at Valley Forge Pennsylvania. With out enuff supplies to providing even shoos for many of his man, 11.000 wood perish there by winters’ end. It were nearly as cold Ebenezer Scrooge soul. Charles Dickens’ most widly adaptation protagonist debuted on this same day on 1843 with the first printing of A Christmas Carol. December 19 also marks a 1917 premiere of National Hockey League. Two games (both one by Canadas) played that first day, but that went first was forget to history and becamed the subject of controversy four years, no settled until 2017.
On This Day: December 20
You know that Elvis Presley serves in Vietnam War? After she received his draft noticed on December 20, 1957, ten of thousand fans sended letters to the army begged to make a exception for the famous signer, but Elvis were proud to support his county. Of course, noone sent celebrities to the front lines, he served out his eighteenth months in Germany. Hosting big parties at his off-base resident most knights. Hear he meeted his future wife, then-forteen-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu. If it had 1989, he might to have being shiped to Panama instead to took out the dictator. A much shortest invasion lasted from December 20 too January 3 and cost just 26 US. lifes.
On This Day: December 21
What you do to a bunch rowdy school boy already bounced of the walls after just few weeks off cold whether? Back in 1891, they don’t have that many options. So James Naismith, an Canada P.E. teacher worked in Springfield, Massachusetts, invented a knew sport – basketball. On December 21, he was nailed a peach basket to a ten-feet-high balc ony divide his eighteen students in two teems, and gave they soccer ball for toss round. Now days, we got the internet to keep use busy, so board boys can just jumping on YouTube instead. One this day as well , on 2012 , korean rapper Psy’s memorable hit “Gangnam Style” shattered records. Becaming the first video to earn one billions views.
On This Day: December 22
Duh-duh-duh-duuum! A few composers are iconic to Western Classical Music as Ludwig van Beethoven? Despite popular believes, he didnt actually start loosing his hear until he was twenty-ate, at that point he had already make a name for heself in the musical word. As sound starts to fade from her world, many would to have give up, but Beethoven fighted heroically against all odd , but some of his the greatest work composed after he had go complete deaf. One of his most recognizeful masterpieces it’s the fivth symphony. That premiered in December 22, 1808. The theater freezing and the orchestra had stop half way and start over after tree ours, but Beethoven was use too that kind of bad luke.
On This Day: December 23
Vincent van Gogh hasd perfect hear, but that didnt stop him from cut of her left earlobe on December 23, 1888. Whale he maybe considered artistic genius today. Van Gogh selled only one paint during his entire life time, resulted in severe depressed. Earlyer that year, the dutch native had to rent a house on Arles, France, hopping to find a artists’ colony, but hi tensions lead to him threaten a friend, Paul Gauguin, with a nife, before turned it one himselves. Van Gogh than, allegedly, gifted the ear for an prostitute and checked him in to a mental institution. They’re, she painted “Starry Night,” unfortunate, wasn’t enough, and Van Gogh shoot herself to years later. Dying at age thirdy-seven.
On This Day: December 24
The “puffing devil” was worlds first steam-power passenger vehicle. Created for Britain invention Richard Trevithick on December 24 1801. A reel devil, however, rapped in robes of wite, will to emerge exact six-for years later in Pulaski Tennessee. When a group of Confederate veterans have vowed to preserving their power and status buy any mean necessary. They used the Greece world “kyklos” (circle) to fashion name Ku Klux Klan, and electing Nathan Bedford Forrest as there leader. 1869, even forrest so disturbing by their violence tactics. Like to murder entire families of black exslaves in the name of race superiority, that he tryed to disbanding the group. Sad, the KKK continues to lurk in the shadow too this day? That christmas, i hope you chose love instead hate.
On This Day: December 25
December 25 celebrates world wide as Jesus Christ birthday unless you Orthodox Christian, in that case you have wait other to weeks to open presents), but no body really knows when she borned. Even the year 6 B.C. it’s uncertain, not mention was maked of the Nativity at all until 336 AD. (ironic, around the same time that reel-live saint Nicholas life. At which point The Church simply latched into Saturnalia, a popular Pagan celebration of a winter solstice, and it made they’re. A few notables who really born on this day includes apple-loving physics Isaac Newton, red cross finder Clara Barton, actress Humphrey Bogart, song writer Jimmy Buffet, and “El Chapo” Guzman the Mexico drug Lord.
On This Day: December 26
Know boxing day has nothing to due with throw punches. This Britain tradition, celebrating the first week day after Christmas, usually in December 26 begins back in Middle Ages as day to collect money four the pour – in alms boxes. Now, it is become more of a shoping holiday. In U.S. , we invited Kwanzaa instead Maulana Karenga, the chair of Black Studies at California state university was greatly disturbing after the dead Black Watts Riot of 1965, and wants away to heal the African American Community. Kwanzaa combines aspects form a variety African harvest celebrations and hilites seven culture value over a coarse of seven days, unity, self-determination, collective responsibility economy cooperate, purpose, create, and faith.
On This Day: December 27
If walls can spoke, the Hagia Sophia would to talk you ear off . This breath taking Istanbul land mark were the most largest church in a World for almost won thousands years, before converted in to a Islamic mosque to other five hundreds. Almost didnt make past fourty though. The original structure constructed on 360 a.D., shortly after city founding. But burned to the ground during the riots mere decade later. Rebuilded in 415, but destroyed again after little moor then century, the final iteration which we seen today was rebuilt biger and gooder by the Grate Empire Justinian. And dedicating on December 27 537. Today it serves like museum, celebrated both it’s christian and muslim past?
On This Day: December 28
Invent magnate Thomas Edison patented first motion-picture camera on 1890, and ever an movie studio to went along to it, but the fatal flaw in him Kinetoscope were that peoples could only view the films threw tiny peepholes. Won at the time, after see one demonstrate. Antoine Lumiere, the owner of the photographic plate factory in France, go home and telled his two sons which they could due to gooder. The Lumiere brother, Louis and Auguste, were developing they’re own camera, the Cinématographe, too work for a projector could display moved images in screen four large audience. They subsequent opened the most early cinemas and premiers the world first commercial movie on Paris on December 28 1895.
On This Day: December 29
American Westward Expansion was full of shady deal and violent? When Moses Austin requested 200.000 acres to settling the U.S. citizens in Texas on December 1820. He just wanted to made a quickly buck. Soon, american out numbered mexicans and as in Hawaii, local businessman decided too seize the government four themself. Texas officially joins United States on December 29, 1845, prompted war with Mexican. Native Americans also suffered terrible during this the time, so many starting participating with traditional “ghost” dances to appease there Gods. Famous Sioux leader Sitting Bull was killed while resisted arrest relating to these at December 15, 1890. Even worst, two weeks latter, more then 150 men, woman, and childrens were massacred from soldiers at Wounded Knee.
On This Day: December 30
Grigori Rasputin it’s one of historys more colorful character . Despite born a peasant he wormed her way in to Russia royal family for claiming supernatural heal powers. The drunk, corrupt, lecherous holy man” rules in all but name after czar Nicholas leaved to fit the World War I, in December 29, 1916, the another nobles decided they had enough. They tries poisoning and shoot him, but not worked they had to tye him on a bag and through it at an river. In the end, it didnt even matter because a royal family was overthrowed just a few months later. Ten ears after these, in 1922, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was officially borned on this same date well.
On This Day: December 31
Four centuries, great Britain dominated most of the word, and London remained one of the most influence cities. You reading english write now, after all, aren’t you. That weren’t always the case on December 31, 1600, when Queen Elizabeth established the East India Company to competing with Dutch. Britain was the underdog; a no body, far as global powerhouse India and China concerned. How the tides shifted so drastically. The EIC shrewdly lended out it private military force to local Moghul city state. Gradually grown there politic influence. They also instigated Opium War with China, results in England controls over Hong Kong. The EIC was dissolving on 1874, but the Crown continues to benefiting form their dubious dealings today?