proofreading test uk

Are You Ready To Test Your Proofreading Skills?

Even the most grammar-savvy amongst us benefit from a thorough proofreading of our work.

You may rely on an editor to check your work, or like many writers, it might be tempting to do a quick scan of your writing without thoroughly proofreading it.

But proofreading is as essential to your writing as writing is. It allows you to fix any errors that may obscure your intended meaning or distract your reader. It also helps you catch grammar and spelling mistakes , misused words, and punctuation errors.

If you have an editor, he or she can polish your work much more easily (and less expensively) if you’ve given it the careful once-over before the editing process.

If you don’t have an editor, proofreading can save you from embarrassing and critical comments from your readers.

Proofreading makes you a better, more mindful writer and, over time, it will cement the skills you need to be an accomplished writer.

Proofreading Test

Review this letter for mistakes:, corrected letter.

Here’s a checklist of actions you should take to properly proofread your writing:

• Remove any distractions so you can concentrate on proofing your work.
• Look for one type of writing problem at a time (first spelling errors, then word usage, etc.).
• Read your writing out loud and silently.
• Print a copy of your work to proofread it on paper.
• Read it backward to spot any spelling mistakes .
• Look out for homonyms (words that share the same spelling and pronunciation).
• Double check contractions and apostrophes for common mistakes (like it’s and its or there and their).
• Review carefully for punctuation mistakes. Look up anything you aren’t sure about.
• Ask a friend to read your writing after you proofread it to check behind you.

So, why not spend a few minutes assessing your own proofreading skills with an easy and entertaining test?

To make this proofreading test more challenging, I’ve thrown in a variety of hurdles for you to spot and clear as you make your way to the finish line.

May you find the following proofreader and copy editor test as helpful and enjoyable as it was excruciating to write. Don’t let my agony be in vain.

Dear Ms. Adams;

We’ve recieved your manuscript and have read enough of it to offer this constructive critique, which we hope you’ll take unto consideration before sending us another sample of your work, we do value you’re time.

1. The beginning of your story is week. Try to evoke an emotional response within the first few paragraphs.

2. You use to many semicolons. Its distracting.

3. You use third person omiscient POV, which in our humble opinion, weakens the impact of your main characters painful situation.

4. You tell more then show what your characters are feeling. As Anton Checkov wrote: “Dont tell me the moon is shining, show me hte glint of light on broken glass.”

5. You switch points of view, jumping from one persons head to another without warning, it’s confusing and you risk loosing your reader’s trust end attention

6. The dialogue feels forced and unathentic: the southern accent is overdone and painful too read.

7. Your use of ellipsis is… awkward. And you use them quite alot. Consider removing most of them. Noone pauses that much..

8. You’re love of dashes is evident. Please eliminate most of them, and and make your sentences shorter clearer, and less wordy.

9. Please please please stop using dialog tags like “he grinned” or “she sighed”. You can’t sigh or grin words. It can’t be done. Stick with “said” but try to make it more obvious who is saying whom without using dialog tags for every quote. If you must indicate sighs, grins, and other nonverbal gestures set them apart from teh quotes with periods rather than commas .

10. Your main character launches into a stream of conscience monologue and his dialoge partner somehow doesn’t lapse into a coma before he finishes this is wishful thinking and makes it hard to sympathize with the mane character who’s soliloquy is way too long to keep you’re readers attention. We tired but had to skip to the end wear he finally sums it up nicely.

11. We dont really get to now your secondary character well enough to care about what happens to her. She listens to the main character and throws in a few responses hear and their but is otherwise bland and two dimensional. Her boyfriend the main character, does most of the talking, and she stairs out the window a lot and I mean a LOT. Yet we never find out weather she’s waiting for someone or something or if shes just really board. She’s certainly stiff as a board (see what i did they’re?).

12. My fellow editers here at Proper Publishing House agree with all the statements in this letter which I spent ours perfecting ought of sincere gratitude for your efforts and true dat concern for yore development as a writer.

13. We recommend you contact the services of a inexperienced proofreader or copyediter before submitting to us any future writing samples. Good proofreading makes such a deference!

In short let us offer you hour best hopes for the improvement of your writing don’t be discouraged keep at it and remember Proper Publishing House will always bee honest with you because

Sincerely and optimystically

Sarah jane Smythe

Cheif Editer

Now, it’s time to compare your corrections with the letter below. Keep in mind that not all your copyediting corrections have to look exactly like mine. There’s room for some creative improvisation. I’ve highlighted the errors and everything added or crossed out.

Dear Ms. Adams :

We’ve received your manuscript and have read enough of it to offer this constructive critique, which we hope you’ll take into consideration before sending us another sample of your work . We do value your time.

1. The beginning of your story is weak . Try to evoke an emotional response within the first few paragraphs.

2. You use too many semicolons. It’s distracting.

3. You use third person omniscient POV, which , in our humble opinion, weakens the impact of your main character’s painful situation.

4. You tell more than show what your characters are feeling. As Anton Chekhov wrote , “ Don’t tell me the moon is shining ; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”

5. You switch points of view, jumping from one person’s head to another without warning. It’s confusing, and you risk losing your reader’s trust and attention.

6. The dialogue feels forced and inauthentic ; the Southern accent is overdone and painful to read.

7. Your use of ellipses is… awkward. And you use them quite a lot . Consider removing most of them. No one pauses that much.

8. Your love of dashes is evident. Please eliminate most of them, and and make your sentences shorter, clearer, and less wordy.

9. Please , please , please stop using dialogue tags like “he grinned” or “she sighed .” You can’t sigh or grin words. It can’t be done. Stick with “said , “ but try to make it more obvious who is saying what without using dialogue tags for every quote. If you must indicate sighs, grins, and other nonverbal gestures, set them apart from the quotes with periods rather than commas.

10. Your main character launches into a stream of consciousness monologue, and his dialogue partner somehow doesn’t lapse into a coma before he finishes . This is wishful thinking and makes it hard to sympathize with the main character , whose soliloquy is way too long to keep your reader’s attention. We tried but had to skip to the end where he finally sums it up nicely.

11. We don’t really get to know your secondary character well enough to care about what happens to her. She listens to the main character and throws in a few responses here and there but is otherwise bland and two-dimensional . Her boyfriend , the main character, does most of the talking, and she stares out the window a lot — and I mean a LOT. Yet we never find out whether she’s waiting for someone or something or if she’s just really bored. She’s certainly stiff as a board (see what i did they’re?).

12. My fellow editors here at Proper Publishing House agree with all the statements in this letter , which I spent hours perfecting out of sincere gratitude for your efforts and true dat concern for your development as a writer.

13. We recommend you contract the services of an experienced proofreader or copyeditor before submitting to us any future writing samples. Good proofreading makes such a difference !

In conclusion , let us offer you our best hopes for the improvement of your writing . Don’t be discouraged , keep at it , and remember Proper Publishing House will always be honest with you . because

Sincerely and optimistically ,

Sarah Jane Smythe

Chief Editor

More Related Articles:

12 Effective Tips On How To Write Faster

The Hemingway Editor And App Review

Hiring The Right Book Editor

Recovery Time

Maybe it’s time for a soothing cup of something. No hard feelings, I hope.

If you found value in this proofreading practice test, please share it with others. The purpose of this article, after all, is to help you and your fellow writers more accurately proofread your own work before submitting or publishing it.

It doesn’t hurt that while it was often painful not to proofread the sample letter while writing it, it was also pretty fun. I hope you enjoyed the exercise enough to pass it on.

And may your good humor and selfless commitment to the edification of your fellow writers infuse everything else you do today.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

• Customer Login
• Create New Account

Call Us NOW! 1-855-687-3348

• Who We Help
• Clarity Proofreading
• Style Copyediting
• Comparison Chart
• Style Guides
• What We Do Not Do
• English Proofreading and Copyediting Prices
• Spanish Proofreading and Copyediting Prices
• Spanish Translation
• How to Submit Documents
• E-Books & White Papers
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Ask the Grammar Experts
• Client Referral Program
• Testimonials
• Our Proofreaders and Editors
• Privacy Policy
• Nondisclosure Agreement
• GrammarPhile
• Words! Words! Words!

Grammar Phile Blog

Can you ace this basic proofreading quiz.

Posted by Phil Jamieson   Mar 22, 2018 7:30:00 AM

Take our quiz to test your basic proofreading knowledge and see if you can catch every single typo. See if you can get every question right and ace the entire quiz. And don’t look for any of the answers online, so you can really step up to the challenge!

Let us know how you did in the comments below. Good luck!

Topics: proofreading quiz , typos, typographic errors

Subscribe to Email Updates

Sign up for our emails!

Search Our Blog

Recent posts, posts by topic.

• business writing (34)
• punctuation (30)
• proofreading (24)
• misused words (23)
• grammar (20)
• vocabulary test (20)
• capitalization (16)
• hyphenation (14)
• writing tips (14)
• pronouns (13)
• possessives (11)
• adjectives (10)
• vocabulary quiz (10)
• adverbs (9)
• common mistakes (9)
• numbers (9)
• word test (9)
• conjunctions (8)
• effective writing (8)
• grammar errors (8)
• legal writing (8)
• writing (8)
• Chicago Manual of Style (7)
• grammar quiz (7)
• prepositions (7)
• quotation marks (7)
• word quiz (7)
• GrammarTip video (6)
• Popular Style Guides (6)
• Style Guides (6)
• marketing writing (6)
• quiz answers (6)
• typos, typographic errors (6)
• vocabulary (6)
• word usage (6)
• Oxford comma (5)
• abbreviations (5)
• business communications (5)
• email marketing (5)
• passive voice (5)
• question mark (5)
• apostrophe (4)
• artificial intelligence (4)
• clarity proofreading (4)
• consistency in writing (4)
• editing (4)
• homonyms (4)
• infinitives (4)
• plural or singular verb (4)
• possessive form (4)
• preposition (4)
• proofreaders (4)
• proofreading tips (4)
• proofreadinq quiz (4)
• subjunctive form (4)
• website copy (4)
• word meaning (4)
• writing style (4)
• writing techniques (4)
• active voice (3)
• apostrophes (3)
• cliches (3)
• common proofreading mistakes (3)
• contest (3)
• creative writing (3)
• dictionary (3)
• gerunds (3)
• grammar rules (3)
• grammatical errors (3)
• medical writing (3)
• periods (3)
• professional proofreading (3)
• proofreader (3)
• proofreading for legal documents (3)
• proofreading quality (3)
• proofreading quiz (3)
• proofreading websites (3)
• spacing (3)
• spelling (3)
• style copyediting (3)
• style guide (3)
• technical writing (3)
• trends in language (3)
• typographical errors (3)
• what to expect from proofreaders (3)
• word choices (3)
• writing about boring topics (3)
• writing mistakes (3)
• writing numbers (3)
• 10 helpful tips (2)
• AP style (2)
• Associated Press Stylebook (2)
• English language (2)
• I or me (2)
• Latin abbreviations (2)
• Modern Language Association Style Manual (2)
• Oxford Style Manual (2)
• The Elements of Style (2)
• alot/a lot (2)
• automated grammar checker (2)
• business proofreading (2)
• clauses (2)
• collective noun (2)
• comparatives (2)
• copyright (2)
• correct pronunciation (2)
• correcting grammar (2)
• dangling modifiers (2)
• em dash (2)
• financial writing (2)
• formal writing (2)
• grammar checker (2)
• grammar checker software (2)
• grammar mistakes (2)
• grammar tips (2)
• how are words added to the dictionary (2)
• how to write out money in text (2)
• informal writing (2)
• italicize (2)
• legal proofreading (2)
• maintain consistency in writing (2)
• malapropism (2)
• misspellings (2)
• nonrestrictive clauses (2)
• parallel structure (2)
• parallelism (2)
• parts of speech (2)
• percent (2)
• percent sign (2)
• percentage (2)
• percentage points (2)
• persuade (2)
• plurals (2)
• possessives of proper nouns (2)
• prefixes (2)
• pronunciation (2)
• proofread (2)
• proofreading for business (2)
• proofreading quiz answers (2)
• proofreading tricks (2)
• proposals (2)
• public relations writing (2)
• public speaking (2)
• punctuation quiz (2)
• quotations (2)
• redundancy (2)
• restrictive clauses (2)
• sentence structure (2)
• split infinitive (2)
• suffixes (2)
• synonyms (2)
• they're (2)
• typographic errors (2)
• using I or me (2)
• using jargon (2)
• what to expect from a proofreader (2)
• writers (2)
• writing for your audience (2)
• writing guidelines (2)
• writing quiz (2)
• writing voice (2)
• #writersblock (1)
• AP stylebook (1)
• B2B Writing (1)
• Find and replace (1)
• Greek word roots (1)
• Gregg Reference Manual (1)
• Latin word roots (1)
• Midnight (1)
• O or oh (1)
• academic terms (1)
• affixes (1)
• ahold/a hold (1)
• alright/all right (1)
• antecedents (1)
• antonym (1)
• appositives (1)
• articles (1)
• avoiding gender bias (1)
• awhile/a while (1)
• b2b writing help (1)
• beat writer's block (1)
• beside or besides? (1)
• bibliography (1)
• bizspeak (1)
• bloated writing (1)
• blog posts (1)
• business phrases to stop using (1)
• buzzwords (1)
• casual writing (1)
• comparison of proofreading services (1)
• complementary infinitives (1)
• complements (1)
• compound modifiers (1)
• compound nouns (1)
• compound sentences (1)
• compound verbs (1)
• compound words (1)
• conditional clauses (1)
• confusing words (1)
• conjugating verbs (1)
• consistency in proofreading (1)
• consistent messaging (1)
• content (1)
• continuously and continually (1)
• convince (1)
• copyediting (1)
• copyeditor (1)
• cursive writing (1)
• documents (1)
• double negative (1)
• double negatives (1)
• dumbing down of language (1)
• each other and one another (1)
• editorial occupations (1)
• eggcorns (1)
• either as a pronoun (1)
• en dash (1)
• essential clauses (1)
• exclamation point (1)
• exempli gratia (1)
• false subject (1)
• farther (1)
• fighting writer's block (1)
• figures (1)
• first-person pronouns (1)
• footnotes (1)
• foreign phrases (1)
• foreign words (1)
• fractions (1)
• functional shift (1)
• further (1)
• gender bias (1)
• government writing (1)
• government-related words (1)
• grammar fails (1)
• headline errors (1)
• holidays (1)
• homographs (1)
• homophone (1)
• hypallage (1)
• hyperbole (1)
• if and whether (1)
• imperative mood (1)
• in behalf of and on behalf of (1)
• independent clauses (1)
• indicative mood (1)
• infinitive (1)
• interrogative pronouns (1)
• into versus in to (1)
• irregardless (1)
• irregular verbs (1)
• is "or" singular or plural? (1)
• liable and likely (1)
• literally (1)
• literary devices (1)
• main clauses (1)
• marketing email (1)
• misplaced modifiers (1)
• missing dates (1)
• misspelled words (1)
• mistakes (1)
• modifiers (1)
• multiple subjects (1)
• negatives (1)
• neither (1)
• neither as a pronoun (1)
• noun clauses (1)
• objective pronouns (1)
• onomatopoeia (1)
• onto versus on to (1)
• or that (1)
• paragraph (1)
• paragraph construction (1)
• participle (1)
• participles (1)
• past participle (1)
• past tense (1)
• personal profile (1)
• placement of only (1)
• plural pronouns (1)
• pluralize (1)
• preposition at end of sentence (1)
• prepositional phrases (1)
• present participle (1)
• present perfect tense (1)
• presently (1)
• press release length (1)
• press releases (1)
• professional proofreader (1)
• project management (1)
• pronoun (1)
• pronouncing words beginning with h (1)
• pronouns with than (1)
• proofeading technique (1)
• proofreader myths (1)
• proofreading errors (1)
• proofreading mistakes (1)
• proofreading red flags (1)
• published documents (1)
• readability (1)
• redundant phrases (1)
• reflexive pronouns (1)
• regular verbs (1)
• relative clauses (1)
• relative pronouns (1)
• religious words (1)
• repeating words (1)
• resume writing (1)
• rules for writing (1)
• run-on sentences (1)
• scientific terms (1)
• scientific writing (1)
• search engines (1)
• semicolon (1)
• sentence fragments (1)
• sentence restructure (1)
• sentences (1)
• singular (1)
• singular pronouns (1)
• singular they (1)
• singular verb (1)
• skills needed for proofreading (1)
• skills-based resume (1)
• slang expressions (1)
• social media (1)
• space issues (1)
• speech writing (1)
• spell check (1)
• spell-check software (1)
• squinting modifiers (1)
• starting sentences with and (1)
• style sheet (1)
• subject complements (1)
• subjective pronouns (1)
• subjunctive mood (1)
• superscript (1)
• supposably (1)
• technical editing (1)
• templats (1)
• thank you notes (1)
• that is (1)
• that vs. which (1)
• this versus that (1)
• time of day (1)
• time-related modifiers (1)
• toward or towards (1)
• two letter word (1)
• under way (1)
• underway (1)
• use of because (1)
• using a colon (1)
• using spaces in abbreviations (1)
• verbosity (1)
• video content (1)
• were or was (1)
• what proofreaders don't do (1)
• what proofreaders want you to know (1)
• what to expect from a copyeditor (1)
• what to expect from an editor (1)
• when to omit that (1)
• when to use that (1)
• whereas (1)
• which word is correct (1)
• who and whoever (1)
• whom and whomever (1)
• word processing (1)
• word roots (1)
• words to avoid (1)
• writing bios (1)
• writing currency (1)
• writing dates (1)
• writing marketing copy (1)
• writing myth (1)
• writing number in dialogue (1)
• writing portfolio (1)
• writing press releases (1)
• writing rituals (1)
• writing skills (1)
• writing thank you notes (1)
• writing topics (1)
• writing web copy (1)
• you or yourself (1)

• Our Editors
• How to Submit a Document

Professional editing and proofreading services by academic editors

Scribbr’s highly rated editing and proofreading services help you submit your work with confidence knowing it’s free of language errors and flows well from beginning to end.

• Proofreading & Editing

Specialised in academic texts

Impress your supervisor and graduate with a flawless thesis.

» Thesis editing

• Dissertations

Stand out from your peers with an error-free dissertation that flows well from beginning to end.

» Dissertation editing

Essays & papers

Boost your marks with a well-structured, clear, and error-free essay.

» Essay editing

AI Proofreader

AI-powered proofreader specialised in correcting academic texts. Fix your documents on 100+ language issues within just a few minutes.

» Proofread my document

Secure funding or approval from supervisors with a well-written proposal.

Manuscripts & articles

Improve your chances of publication with a polished manuscript.

Literature reviews

Set the foundation for a great piece of academic writing with a well-written literature review.

Professional editing in just 12 hours

Meet Scribbr’s carefully chosen academic editors

Scribbr’s editors go through a rigorous selection and training process called the Scribbr Academy . Only 5% of applicants are good enough to become qualified editors.

You can rest assured that only the best academic editors will edit your work.

• Native speakers
• University graduates
• Academic writing experts
• Knowledgeable in various fields of study

Proofreading and editing beyond the basics

Every Scribbr order includes both proofreading and editing. Your editor will make direct changes using Word’s Track Changes feature and provide feedback in comments to help you become a better academic writer. See an editing example .

Your editor will directly correct errors related to:

• Spelling (e.g., typos and hyphenation)
• Punctuation
• Grammar and syntax (e.g., sentence structure and prepositions)

Academic style

They’ll make sure your work meets academic writing standards.

• Style and tone (e.g., avoiding subjective language and overuse of passive voice)
• Academic writing conventions (e.g., abbreviations and equations)
• Consistency (e.g., dialect and style choices)

Feedback & suggestions

They’ll leave thoughtful comments and queries to:

• Indicate unclear text
• Suggest improvements
• Offer general advice

Popular add-on editing services

Your editor will make sure that your document is well organised and contains all the essential elements.

You’ll receive in-text feedback about:

• Whether or not each individual chapter supports your document’s main goal
• The organisation and focus of individual chapters and sections
• Repetitive and redundant information
• The content and weight of titles and headings
• The numeration of figures and tables
• Paragraph structure

You’ll also receive a personalised Structure Check Report meant to help you identify missing elements in each chapter or section and prioritise improvements.

The Structure Check starts at £0.0055 per word and can only be purchased in combination with Proofreading & Editing.

Your editor will help you tell a clear and logical story with feedback on your presentation of concepts and the logic behind your argumentation.

Through in-text comments and the Clarity Check checklists , your editor will:

• Make sure your text tells a clear and logical story
• Check that you’ve clearly presented concepts and ideas
• Comment on the logic behind your argumentation
• Highlight contradictions within the text

The Clarity Check starts at £0.0055 per word and can only be purchased in combination with Proofreading & Editing.

Our formatting experts can format your document according to APA guidelines or customise the format of your document.

APA Style formatting

Your APA formatting expert will make sure all elements in your paper are formatted according to the 7th edition APA Style guidelines.

• Make margins, line spacing, font, and indentation consistent
• Set your running head and page numbers
• Check your headings for consistency
• Format your title page
• Format your abstract and keywords
• Format your footnotes
• Make sure your tables are formatted consistently

Note that we cannot make changes to the content of your paper.

APA formatting costs £1.00 per page and can only be purchased in combination with Proofreading & Editing.

Customised formatting

Your formatting expert can:

• Generate an automatic table of contents
• Generate lists of tables and figures
• Ensure consistent paragraph formatting
• Insert page numbering

Customised formatting starts at £1.95 per page per item and can only be purchased in combination with Proofreading & Editing.

A dedicated citation expert will ensure your in-text citations and reference list meet your style guide’s requirements. This service includes:

• Applying the correct page formatting (e.g., margins and indentation)
• Ensuring that your in-text citations and references meet your style guide’s requirements
• Providing feedback on incomplete in-text citations and reference entries
• Cross-checking your in-text citations against your reference list to highlight inconsistencies and missing sources

Our experts are familiar with all common citation styles , including Vancouver and APA .

Citation editing costs £2.20 per source and can be purchased separately or in combination with Proofreading & Editing.

Structure Check

Clarity check, citation editing, customers rate our proofreading service excellent, he was very detailed in his….

He was very detailed in his explanations and correction suggestions. His excellent work made me feel I got a fair return for what I paid. I will be using this service again. Thank you. Great job

Great Citation Generator

Great Citation Generator Very helpful for college papers, school assignments, and projects! It would be 5 stars if it could better pick up omitted information such as authors and publishers on extension shortcuts so do not solely rely on the generator for complete citations.

This website has made it very easy and…

This website has made it very easy and stress-free to document my citations.

Accuraat, snel en relatief volledig. Heeft af en toe nog wel een check nodig, anders hadden ze 5 sterren gekregen

Een goed platform voor je…

Een goed platform voor je bronvermelding die handig is voor studenten en leer je ook op de juiste manier te documenteren.

Makkelijk te gebruiken.

Other citation generators do not compare to Scribbr

I have been using Scribbr ever since I found it. I refuse to go back to any other citation machine or plagiarism checker because they do not compare to Scribbr. It is more user-friendly than the rest and it is FREE with no strings attached.

Duidelijk en gemakkelijk

Duidelijk en gemakkelijk! Zo fijn niet te hoeven nadenken op welke manier ik de bronvermelding voor mijn stukken moet vastleggen. Scheelt veel tijd.

Super handig

Easy to use

Easy to use, game changer when writing a thesis so all your sources are connected in one place

Great for university citations

I love the simplicity of citing my sources, the guides to citing different information and guidance on when and how to use different in-text citations. I also really like that I can leave my list of sources and they will remain for at least 30 days.

Staff will check to make sure your…

Staff will check to make sure your expectations are met, The editor was descriptive and clear explanation given

Easy and convenient!

Super Korrektur. Empfehlenswert. Mit viel Engagement korrigiert.

Absolutely amazing and I would've never…

Absolutely amazing and I would've never survived highschool or college without it!

Super happy with the review!

I am very pleased with receiving such a detailed and professional proof reading! I would absolutely recommend for other students writing their master thesis 😊

This is a simple

This is a simple, handy tool that's easy to use, thank you!

Super Easy and Hassle Free to Use

I like that it is super easy to select the citation style, then all you have to do is enter the URL and your citation is ready to go. There isn't any hassle, there aren't any annoying pop-up ads that block the screen, and there isn't any limitations to how many citations are used.

Super helpful!!

Professional proofreading in 3 simple steps

Place your order

Choose a turnaround time of 12 hours, 24 hours, 3 days, or 7 days and select the add-on services you need.

Get matched with your editor

We handpick the best editor (or team of editors) for the job, based on your field of study and other requirements.

Revise and submit

Use the feedback from your editor to guide your final revisions and submit your work with confidence.

Your editor is ready. Are you?

Our editors can edit and proofread your work within 12 hours so you can meet your deadline without unnecessary stress.

Why choose Scribbr?

100% happiness guarantee

We aim for 100% happiness . If you’re not satisfied with your edit, we will re-edit your work or give you a refund – that’s a promise!

Authority in academic writing

With over 250 free articles on academic writing and 5 million monthly visitors, the Scribbr Knowledge Base is the starting point for many students writing their papers.

2,000-word sample edit

If your document is longer than 20,000 words, we’ll first provide you with a 2,000-word sample edit to ensure the service meets your expectations.

Excellent reviews

We have an impressive track record, with 12,639 independent Trustpilot reviews and an average score of 4.6 . We aim to make you just as satisfied.

Ask our team

Want to contact us directly? No problem. We are always here for you.

• Chat with us
• Email [email protected]
• Call +44 (0)20 3917 4242
• WhatsApp +31 20 261 6040

Frequently asked questions

Scribbr is specialised in editing study related documents. We check:

• Graduation projects
• Admissions essays
• College essays
• Application essays
• Personal statements
• Process reports
• Reflections
• Internship reports
• Academic papers
• Research proposals
• Prospectuses

Calculate the costs

The fastest turnaround time is 24 hours.

You can upload your document at any time and choose between three deadlines:

At Scribbr, we promise to make every customer 100% happy with the service we offer. Our philosophy: Your complaint is always justified – no denial, no doubts.

Our customer support team is here to find the solution that helps you the most, whether that’s a free new edit or a refund for the service.

Yes, if your document is longer than 20,000 words, you will get a sample of approximately 2,000 words. This sample edit gives you a first impression of the editor’s editing style and a chance to ask questions and give feedback.

How does the sample edit work?

You will receive the sample edit within 24 hours after placing your order. You then have 24 hours to let us know if you’re happy with the sample or if there’s something you would like the editor to do differently.

Read more about how the sample edit works

Yes, in the order process you can indicate your preference for American, British, or Australian English .

If you don’t choose one, your editor will follow the style of English you currently use. If your editor has any questions about this, we will contact you.

Yes, our editors also work during the weekends and holidays.

Because we have many editors available, we can check your document 24 hours per day and 7 days per week, all year round.

If you choose a 72 hour deadline and upload your document on a Thursday evening, you’ll have your thesis back by Sunday evening!

Our APA experts default to APA 7 for editing and formatting. For the Citation Editing Service you are able to choose between APA 6 and 7.

Every Scribbr order comes with our award-winning Proofreading & Editing service , which combines two important stages of the revision process.

For a more comprehensive edit, you can add a Structure Check or Clarity Check to your order. With these building blocks, you can customize the kind of feedback you receive.

You might be familiar with a different set of editing terms. To help you understand what you can expect at Scribbr, we created this table:

View an example

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

Side Hustles

Side Hustles For All

Home Writing & Editing Gigs Free Proofreading Tests

12 Free Proofreading Tests to Check Your Skills

April 2, 2024

Written by:

Jessica Norris

Jessica is a writer for SideHustles.com. Her side hustles include freelance academic writing and editing, which she's done for...

Time Required

If you’re thinking about becoming a proofreader, you might be wondering whether your skills are good enough. To find out, you can take a proofreading test.

Tests can highlight gaps in your knowledge and help you work out whether you need more training and practice. They’re also a good way to identify the skills you need to improve.

We’ve compiled a list of 12 sites with proofreading tests you can take—all for free.

01. Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP)

Who they are : The Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) is a British association that provides training and support for editorial professionals. They’re a well-recognized authority in the editing and publishing industries.

The test : The CIEP proofreading test comes in the form of a document that contains common mistakes and an accompanying answer sheet showing you how to correct them. The test covers many of the different types of problems that proofreaders have to deal with, including mistakes in punctuation, spelling, and language use.

Other resources : As well as their proofreading test, the CIEP site has a lot of different quizzes on proofreading-related topics, from punctuation to formatting. There’s also a blog for editorial professionals, a selection of high-quality paid courses, and lots of free resources—fact sheets, booklets, and more.

Anything else I should know? While the CIEP proofreading test is very comprehensive, it uses British English. Watch out for the differences between British and American English.

02. ProofreadNOW.com

Who they are : ProofreadNOW.com is a company that offers paid proofreading services.

The test : The test on the ProofreadNOW.com website is multiple-choice and mainly checks your spelling and punctuation. A couple of the questions are a little tricky, but there are only 10 of them, so it’s fairly easy overall.

Other resources : The site also has a resources section where you can get free ebooks and white papers . There’s also a page where you can ask grammar questions (they’ll reply via email).

Anything else I should know? One of the proofreading test questions is contested by people in the comments, so this question probably has two correct answers.

03. Authority Pub

Who they are : Authority Pub is a site that’s designed to help writers build a self-publishing business.

The test : The Authority Pub proofreading test is an entertaining letter riddled with errors that you have to correct. The answer sheet has a corrected version of the letter, which you can review when you’ve finished proofreading.

Other resources : Authority Pub has lots of informative articles on writing (and a self-publishing course for $397), but not much for proofreaders, although the website has a few tips on how to improve your proofreading skills.

Anything else I should know? The answers given on the corrected version of the letter in the proofreading test aren’t necessarily the only correct answers. Some of the errors can be corrected in more than one way.

04. Using English for Academic Purposes (UEfAP)

The test : This website has 10 proofreading tests that focus on different writing skills, including grammar, punctuation, and word use. There’s also a mixed test covering all 10 subjects. In these tests, you select the incorrect words and then type in the correct words, so it’s harder than a multiple-choice quiz. Luckily, there’s a “hint” button to help you if you get stuck.

Other resources : In addition to the tests mentioned above, the UEfAP site has another general test . Unfortunately, this one doesn’t include answers. The UEfAP also has a wealth of other resources to develop your proofreading skills, including exercises and explanations of many different aspects of language use.

Anything else I should know? This is another site that uses British English. It also focuses on academic English, and some of the tests are very advanced. Academic writing makes for great practice, as it’s one of the hardest types of writing to proofread. However, academic proofreading is quite different from many other types of proofreading (e.g., fiction proofreading), so the UEfAP’s tests aren’t all-purpose.

05. Earn Smart Online Class

Who they are : Earn Smart Online Class is a website that offers advice about how to earn money working from home with jobs like proofreading, transcription, writing, and more.

The test : Earn Smart Online Class has a 20-question proofreading test that covers common errors in spelling and grammar, as well as homophones (words that sound the same but mean different things). It’s common for people to mix up homophones in their writing and also for spell checkers to miss these types of errors, so they’re important for proofreaders.

Other resources : The Earn Smart Online Class site features a few tips on how to get good at proofreading (including links to a free proofreading webinar from the company Proofread Anywhere ). There are also job listings, but these aren’t very up-to-date.

Anything else I should know? The test has a few tricky questions, but overall, it isn’t very hard. You should be able to get a high score fairly easily. If you don’t, you should consider whether you need to spend more time training your language skills before you take on proofreading projects.

06. Edit Republic

Who they are : Edit Republic is a company that offers professional courses in proofreading and editing, as well as how to start an editorial business.

The test : The Edit Republic proofreading quiz is a very quick multiple-choice test with 10 questions. It’s one of the easiest tests on our list, and you should be able to complete it in a few minutes.

Other resources : As well as the editing and proofreading courses that Edit Republic sells, they offer free training materials and other resources you can check out.

Anything else I should know? You’ll have to enter your email to get your proofreading test results.

07. Freelance Writing

Who they are : Freelance Writing is a platform for freelance writers to find work. It also directs businesses who want to hire writers to the website of a content-writing service.

The test : This proofreading test is a little different from the others on this list. Arguably, it’s more realistic. You have to find just three errors in several paragraphs, which is similar to what you’d expect if you were proofreading a text that had already gone through a round of copyediting (or was well-written enough not to need it), which will be the case for most of the pieces you’ll actually review as a proofreader.

Other resources : The Freelance Writing site has lots of resources for writers (including how-to articles, free ebooks, and information about writing competitions), but just a handful of articles specifically for proofreaders.

Anything else I should know? In theory, you’re supposed to complete the Freelance Writing proofreading test in 10 minutes. However, the site doesn’t time you, so you have to time yourself.

08. LoveToKnow

Who they are : LoveToKnow is an online media company that features news, content on parenting and family life, resources for pet owners, home and garden advice, and more.

The test : The LoveToKnow site has a downloadable proofreading test, which features an email containing lots of errors. You have to correct them on a printout (or you can mark up the PDF file they provide). The answer sheet has all of the errors highlighted and provides explanations of how a proofreader should correct each one.

Other resources : There aren’t many resources for proofreaders on this site, but there’s a grammar test on the same page as the proofreading test. The site also has an article on how to proofread your own writing .

Anything else I should know? Throughout most of the proofreading test answer sheet, the errors are highlighted and left uncorrected (with annotations explaining what changes should be made). However, a couple of the corrections are made directly onto the highlighted answer sheet. Watch out for this—it can be a bit confusing.

09. Sporcle

Who they are : Sporcle is a trivia website with hundreds of different quizzes.

The test : The 25-question Sporcle proofreading test takes a different format from the others on this list. It will show you a sentence featuring an error, and underneath it, there are many possible corrections. You have to pick the right one.

Other resources : There are plenty of other Sporcle quizzes that are relevant for proofreaders, covering grammar, spelling, word definitions, and more.

Anything else I should know? Sporcle times how long it takes to complete their proofreading quiz. You have a maximum of 8 minutes to complete it.

10. Business Writing Blog

Who they are : Business Writing Blog publishes articles for writers working in a “professional, academic, and social setting,” according to their About Us page .

The test : This proofreading test features three emails that contain a number of errors (which you can correct on a printout or in a Word document). There’s an answer sheet for each test. The errors are highlighted and corrected.

Other resources : The Business Writing Blog site has an entire section dedicated to proofreading-related posts, plus more articles on useful topics like grammar and punctuation. They also offer a paid course on proofreading (for $159).

Anything else I should know?  As you’d expect, this test focuses on business English, but it’s still good for general proofreading practice. Note that some of the errors on their test have more than one possible fix.

11. Om Proofreading

Who they are : Om Proofreading is a website run by Lindsay Babcock, a proofreader who offers services for new age and spiritual content.

The test : Om’s proofreading test is fairly short and easy, featuring 20 multiple-choice questions on homophones.

Other resources : As well as a proofreading test, the Om Proofreading site offers general advice for proofreaders and a quiz on adverbs .

Anything else I should know? The Om Proofreading test doesn’t cover grammar, punctuation, syntax, or other areas that are important for proofreaders to know about.

12. The New York Times

Who they are : In case you’ve been hiding under a rock, the New York Times is one of the most widely circulated and well-respected newspapers in the US.

The test : The New York Times test assesses your proofreading and fact-checking skills. You have to find 14 errors that have been inserted into extracts from five of the newspaper’s articles. You can then check the PDF under the test to see all of the correct answers.

Other resources : There are also many other quizzes on the website that test your copyediting skills. All of them are part of a series called Copy Edit This! Unfortunately, these tests aren’t collected on a single page on the NYT’s website, but you can find them easily by googling. You can view the first few for free, but eventually you’ll need a subscription.

Anything else I should know? The New York Times proofreading and fact-checking test focuses more on fact-checking than proofreading. Also, it’s from 2014, so some of the information is obsolete.

13. Other free grammar and writing tests

These tests don’t specifically cover proofreading, but they do cover topics that are useful for proofreaders to know about:

• Portland Proof : This is a proofreading service that also hosts free tests on their website. Their quizzes feel more like games. You have to pick the erroneous word and then correct it, but your speed is tested along with how many right answers you get. The errors mostly involve spelling and homophones.
• GrammarBook.com : You can find quizzes on all kinds of language skills here, including grammar, punctuation, and how to use numbers in writing.
• Grammar Monster : This site also has lots of tests on grammar, punctuation, and other topics that proofreaders need to know about.
• Grammar Lion : This site, where you can sign up for paid grammar courses, offers a 20-question test that asks about various grammar points rather than getting you to correct errors in a text.
• CMOS Shop Talk : This is a blog about the Chicago Manual of Style. It has a page full of multiple-choice tests on using Chicago style, including one on how to proofread .

Robert Jellison

Managing Editor

Robert is a writer and editor for SideHustles.com. He has 7+ years of experience in freelance writing and previously worked as the in-house editor for Compose.ly, a platform for remote and part-time writers.

Reader Interactions

Leave a reply cancel reply.

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Related Articles

May 6, 2024

How to Get Paid for Proofreading & Find Online Jobs

If you’re interested in getting into online proofreading, use these tips to find jobs and get started.

Startup Time

Startup Costs

July 14, 2023

How to Become a Proofreader: Qualifications, Resources, and More

Find out what you need to become a proofreader and check out these 12 easy steps you can follow to get started.

9 Best Proofreading Courses You Can Do Online

Many universities and other organizations offer online proofreading courses that you can use to brush up your skillset.

May 26, 2023

Proofreading Certification: How to Become a Certified Proofreader

There’s no universally accepted proofreading certification, but many organizations offer their own certificates, which can still be valuable.

January 1, 2024

29 Best Freelance Writing Websites to Find Work and Hone Your Skills

Do you have aspirations of becoming a freelance writer? Here’s a list of some of the top freelance writing websites you can use to find work.

Remote-Friendly

College Required

January 17, 2024

How Much Do Proofreaders Make?

Proofreading can be reasonably lucrative, but it depends on your experience and qualifications, as well as the kind of proofreading you do.

Average Pay

Earnings Factor

Job Competition

Your Side Hustle Story

• Choose a Side Hustle
• Read App Reviews
• Improve Your Skills
• Discover Your Earning Potential
• Maximize Earnings
• Manage Your Money
• Become a Contributor
• Advertising & Sponsorships
• Partner With Us
• Editorial Guidelines

Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading

• About CIEP training courses
• Art of Querying
• Copyediting 1: Introduction
• Copyediting 2: Headway
• Copyediting 3: Progress
• Copyright for Editorial Professionals
• Editing Digital Content
• Editorial Project Management
• Efficient Editing: Strategies and Tactics
• Getting to Grips with Grammar and Punctuation
• Health Editing
• Introduction to Fiction Editing
• Medical Editing
• Non-Fiction Developmental Editing
• Plain English for Editors

Proofreading 1: Introduction

• Proofreading 2: Headway
• Proofreading 3: Progress
• Proofreading Theses and Dissertations
• Web Editing
• Word for Practical Editing
• Course booking
• Course booking terms and conditions
• Course fees
• Curriculum for professional development
• Exercise Bank
• In-house training
• Promoted courses
• Virtual learning course dates
• Individual membership
• Corporate membership
• Upgrading your membership
• Continuing Professional Development
• Editorial syllabus
• Environmental values
• Equality, diversity and inclusion
• Qualifications
• Membership Codes
• Book reviews
• Fact sheets
• Newsletters
• Online shop
• Recommended books
• Suggested minimum rates
• Test yourself
• Calendar of events
• CIEP discovery meetings
• Conferences
• Local groups
• Special interest groups
• About proofreading and editing

What is proofreading?

• What is copyediting?
• Working as a proofreader or editor
• Basic editorial test
• Advertise with the CIEP
• CIEP: An edited history
• CIEP ambassadors
• CIEP publicity leaflets
• Honorary members
• Judith Butcher Award
• Media and public relations
• Meet the team
• Our partners
• Special offers for members
• Privacy notice

Page owner: Professional standards director

This page explains what to expect from a proofreader: what they do, how they work, the kinds of errors they correct, what standards they adhere to and how long proofreading takes. It also explains how to brief a proofreader, and how to objectively judge the effectiveness of their work.

What does a proofreader do?

In traditional publishing, proofreading is the stage in the workflow that comes after copyediting – once the text is in layout and before publication.

Often the word ‘proofreading’ is used more loosely, to describe almost any editorial intervention and correction to a text. Because proofreading and copyediting are different tasks and need professionals with specific skills, it’s important for both client and professional to understand which service the text needs.

• A proofreader should help to ensure that a text is ready to be published. You can think of it as the final quality check .
• Because the proofreader works near the end of the publication process, they are usually looking for remaining errors that must be corrected.
• Unless they have been specifically briefed to do so as extra paid tasks, the proofreader will not be rewording sentences, making larger structural interventions such as reordering blocks of text or inserting headings, or fact-checking (but they may raise a query about anything that seems wrong).

To find out whether you’re suited to proofreading, try our introductory course.

Will a proofreader make my text perfect?

No professional proofreader should promise to make your text perfect. This is partly because no matter how well trained, experienced and diligent they are, they are still human (and that’s a good thing!). It’s also because perfection is a subjective concept. While some errors are indisputable, others are not.

Is there an acceptable rate of errors for proofreading?

Having said that proofreaders can’t make text perfect, it is important that they catch almost all errors, because that is the main purpose of their work. Some people will assert that proofreaders should catch a certain percentage of errors, but we don’t believe this is helpful – because of the subjective nature of errors, and also because the proofreader will be working within other constraints. Excellent work depends not only on the skill of the proofreader but on the budget and schedule being adequate for the job.

Rather than using percentages to express an acceptable (or unacceptable) error rate, it’s better to think in terms of the proofreader making the text ready for publication – suitable, and of a high enough standard, for the purpose and audience required. There should be consistency and clarity, and no barriers to the reader understanding the message of the text.

What is an error?

Some errors are subjective, but many are not. The proofreader is tasked with ensuring a text is fit for purpose – not with making it unimpeachably perfect. And some errors are more important than others, for example where they relate to accuracy in the context of a technical document.

A professional proofreader should find and correct almost all of these in a text:

• spelling errors (where different spellings are acceptable, the word should be spelled consistently within a document)
• serious, unarguable errors of punctuation, especially where they allow ambiguity or obscure the meaning
• inconsistently spelled or hyphenated names
• bad word breaks that make reading the text difficult
• incorrect text headings and page headers/footers (checked against the contents list if there is one)
• incorrect page numbers and cross-references
• missing text
• repeated text
• wrongly placed or incorrect captions and annotations.

Upholding proofreading standards

The CIEP is committed to upholding and promoting high editorial standards, which is why all of its members formally agree to abide by its Code of Practice . Although we receive few complaints about our members’ work, we have a formal procedure for complaints and appeals .

How do proofreaders work?

The proofreader marks up a ‘proof’ – which is a copy of the text laid out in its final format. Usually this is a PDF, or less often now it might be a printout (hard copy). The designer or someone else then makes the proofreader’s corrections to the actual layout document.

Sometimes proofreaders work directly in the layout file, such as in Word, using Track Changes, or in software such as InDesign (for print), or in the content management system or web editor (for online publication).

Once the proofreader’s changes have been made and checked, the text should be ready for publication.

While a professional proofreader will always aim for the highest standards, it’s important to note that any remaining errors are ultimately the responsibility of the publisher.

Most PDF reader programs (such as Adobe Reader) have built-in editing tools, and these are commonly used for proofreading markup. The list of corrections (comments) can then be checked off by the person making the changes to the layout document for publication, or imported direct into the design software.

The British Standards Institution (BSI) publishes proof-correction marks (BS 5261C:2005). Until fairly recently this was the standard system of proofreading markup in the British publishing industry, with similar systems in use around the world. Proofreaders are still routinely trained to use the marks, because there are times when they are required by clients, and sometimes they are the clearest and most effective way of marking corrections.

It is possible to use a set of pre-prepared ‘stamps’ to mark up proofreading corrections on a PDF. For example, CIEP members Louise Harnby and Claire Ruben have both produced stamps that can be imported into various PDF reader programs. This has the advantage of allowing the proofreader to mark up the PDF using industry-standard BSI proof correction marks. However, there is a risk that the stamps might move, and not all clients insist on or understand BSI marks.

At the start of a project, the proofreader should check with the client what markup method is preferred.

What do proofreaders check the text against?

Often, proofreaders only read the final text – with nothing else to check against. In this case, they simply have to put themselves in the place of the intended reader and ensure that the document makes complete sense on its own terms.

Or, they might be provided with the draft manuscript against which to check the laid-out text. This is to ensure that all the text has been placed, and in the correct order.

The proofreader might also follow a house style, or a style sheet compiled by the copyeditor if there was one.

If you don’t have a style guide for your documents, you can learn how to create one in our short guide Your House Style .

I want to buy the guide

How long does proofreading take?

This depends on how complex, difficult or badly written the text is. Unless the material is straightforward, the proofreader will probably need to go through it at least twice – once for headings, numbering and layout and once for content. A proofreader cannot work for hours at a time and remain efficient. It also takes time to get up to speed, reading or rereading the brief and style guide, so short jobs are proportionately slower.

With the caveat that each job is different and must be assessed on its own factors, an experienced professional can typically proofread and correct around 2,000 to 3,000 words per hour.

This rate only applies to the limited tasks traditionally done at proof stage. If in fact it needs editing, the work will take longer (and should be done by a copyeditor, not a proofreader). If the budget or schedule turns out to be too tight, the concept of what is ‘good enough’ may need to be adjusted accordingly and agreed with the client. In that case, the proofreader will minimise and simplify any changes, to reduce the time needed to take in corrections.

How should I brief a proofreader?

To get excellent results from a proofreader, the client must do their bit. A good brief will ensure the proofreader understands your needs, so they can meet your expectations.

If you want the proofreader to check that all the text is present in the layout, for example, it’s best to provide the edited draft as well as the page proofs.

If you have particular style preferences, it will help the proofreader if you can provide a house style, or the style sheet for the job that was compiled by the copyeditor (if there was one).

And if there were particular problems or idiosyncrasies that arose during the production process, you can advise the proofreader of specific things to watch out for.

You can find further guidance in our free booklet Proofreading or editing? A quick guide to using editorial professionals (PDF download).

Get me my free guide

​ ​ ​

Members can help boost the CIEP’s funds

© 2024   Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading