We’re always on the lookout for tips that help us work smarter – and that includes polishing our words to perfection. So we invited the expert team at Full Proof to share their insights on the art (and importance) of proofreading. Whether you’re a freelancer, a business owner, or just someone who wants to sound sharp, their advice will help you catch those sneaky slip-ups before you hit “send.”
Proofreading is a highly skilled profession that is often underestimated. Far more than just checking spelling, it involves carefully reviewing text for grammar, punctuation, consistency and clarity. A skilled proofreader ensures that the final version of a document is polished, professional and free from errors that could undermine its credibility.
Whether you’re a copywriter, an author, a businessperson, a student or anyone else who needs to ensure their written output is as good as it can be, hiring a professional proofreader is highly recommended. However, if budget constraints prevent this, another option is to proofread it yourself.
Now, proofreading your own work is a high-risk approach because by the time you’ve finished writing, you’re so close to the text that it’s hard to spot your own errors. For this reason, I recommend taking a break from the document first. Then, when you’re ready, you can refer to this top five list of common proofreading mistakes to help ensure that your final product is error-free.
1. Overlooking Typos and Spelling Errors
The most obvious mistake you can make when proofreading is to miss typos and spelling errors. This happens because the brain often sees what it expects to see. Even with spellcheck tools, some errors can slip through – see tip 4 for some examples of this – so you need to be hypervigilant at all times!
How to Avoid It:
- Read your text slowly and out loud to catch errors your eyes might skim over.
- Use spellcheck tools, but don’t rely on them entirely.
2. Forgetting to Check for Grammatical Issues
Grammatical issues can be more subtle than typos but just as damaging. Common errors include subject-verb disagreement (e.g. if you are writing in US English and write “The team are working hard” instead of “The team is working hard”) and misplaced modifiers (e.g. “Running down the street, my bag slipped off my shoulder” – which wrongly suggests the bag was running!).
How to Avoid It:
- If you’re not confident in your grammar knowledge, grammar-checking tools like Grammarly or Scribendi AI can help. However, don’t follow them blindly – they can miss context.
3. Ignoring Consistency of Style
Proofreading isn’t just about correcting mistakes – it’s also about maintaining consistency of style. This includes ensuring consistent use (or non-use) of the serial comma, sticking to either single or double quotation marks for speech and avoiding a mix of UK and US English.
How to Avoid It:
- Proofread in rounds: one for spelling, one for grammar and one for style. This will help you focus and will avoid overwhelm.
- Create a style guide as you’re writing. This will help you stick decisively to a style throughout.
4. Missing Homophones
Homophones – words that sound the same but have different meanings – are a common pitfall and are often missed by spellcheck. Examples include “duel” vs. “dual” and “discreet” vs. “discrete”. If a homophone slips through the net, it can change the meaning of a sentence and potentially confuse – or amuse – or your readers.
How to Avoid It:
- Pay special attention to context when proofreading.
- Create a checklist of commonly confused words to refer to as you review.
5. Neglecting Punctuation
Punctuation is possibly the hardest aspect of writing to get right. You might be good at spelling, but do you know when to use a colon instead of a semicolon? Do you understand whether a full stop should come before or after a closing quotation mark? Commas are particularly tricky, with Oscar Wilde capturing it perfectly: “I was working on the proof of one of my poems all the morning, and took out a comma. In the afternoon I put it back again.”
How to Avoid It:
- Familiarise yourself with punctuation rules.
- When in doubt, use reference materials such as style guides (e.g. New Hart’s Rules).
Conclusion
Proofreading requires patience, attention to detail and a systematic approach. By avoiding these common mistakes and implementing the tips shared here, your writing will be clearer, more professional and perhaps even error-free. I say ‘perhaps’ because we are all blind to our own mistakes to some extent – and there’s no substitute for a fresh pair of eyes.
Author Information
Nick Jones is a proofreader, editor, copywriter and award-winning children’s author. He runs Full Proof, a UK proofreading agency established in 2005.
