A Few Tips When Proof-Reading


A few tips for when you proofread is to look out for misused words, or spelling errors, for example: Its and It's. Its is possessive, while, It's mean that it is or occasionally it has. Here are another few commonly misused words, with their definition for your convenience.

Your and You're. Your is used as a possessive pronoun; example: Your gown is absolutely beautiful. While you're is a contraction for you are; example: The trial would be useless if you're not there.

Then and Than. Then is an adverb meaning next, or immediately followed. Than is a conjunction used relatively after adverbs and adjectives to express a form of comparison; example: She's taller than I am.

There, Their and They're. These can commonly be misused even with professional writers. One may not be thinking too hard and therefore use whatever spelling of 'there' pops into their mind first.

There is an adverb meaning in or at a unspecific place; example: I found the pencil over there, rather than; I found the pencil by her computer.

Their, is used as a possessive pronoun; example: For their wedding they eloped. They're, is used as a contraction for they are; example: They're the cutest couple I have ever seen!

Of and Off. These are misused extensively. Of is a preposition meaning derived or coming from; originating at or from. Caused by; resulting from. Away from; at a distance from. Composed or made from. There are many definitions for 'of' and how it can be used.

Off, means to be shut down; cease to operate; be no longer supported to or attached to.

Were, Where and We're. Were is a plural, past-tense form of the verb 'are'; example: We were there yesterday.[/b] Many of times when spelling 'where' were falls into place. Remember that where means 'in or at what place'. We're is used as a contraction for we are; example: We're glad it stopped raining.

I know even I can get confused sometimes when it comes to homophones. Such as scene and seen or threw and through. A lot of time we don't even catch it ourselves, the best thing to do when proof-reading or critiquing is idolize every word to make sure it fits.

Another common mistake for one to do, having done it myself, is add silent 'e's' where they don't belong; example: on and one or her and here. After writing for a while one may not even notice that they're adding unnecessary 'e's'.

A spelling error I'm practically always guilty of is form and from. I'm sure it's probably a common mistake. When proof-reading remember that form means to take shape or the external appearance. It can also mean a document to be filled out or completed for various purposes.

Adjective order. I'm sure you all are probably thinking “What? Whatever idiot created the English language must have been a picky, vain genius!” because that was my very first thought as well. It is common to us more than one adjective before a noun; example: He's a silly young fool. In the English language there is a specific order that the adjectives must obtain. Opinion; example: silly, beautiful, difficult. Then comes size, age, shape, color, origin; example: English, French, lunar, western. Then comes material: cotton, silk, wooden, paper; and last but not least purpose: sleeping, roasting, drinking; usually these adjectives end with 'ing'. To help you remember the order you could come up with some sort of acronym such as: Only Sally and Sam can operate my processor.

When writing it is wise to used high, elevated words; thus whatever is being read will be more intriguing, rather than just using primitive words to describe or explain an occurrence or setting.