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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

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Top-Tier Proofreading Tests and Quizzes

This article may contain affiliate links. Please see our affiliate disclaimer in the footer menu for more information. Thank you for your support!

I’ve scoured the internet to bring you some of the best proofreading tests and quizzes!

These assessments cover several areas that proofreaders need to master, including grammar, punctuation, spelling, and word usage.

I recommend using a dictionary and other resources while taking these tests since that’s what professional proofreaders do!

Table of Contents

Proofreading Tests and Quizzes to Assess Your Skills

The exams are listed according to the website where they’re located and are organized from easiest to hardest.

I created a test pertaining to word usage to get the ball rolling!

Two of the proofreading tests are in UK English, and the rest are in US English.

Please keep in mind that there are spelling, punctuation, grammar, and vocabulary differences between British and American English.

The duration of the test is listed as short or long.

Short means it will take you a few minutes to complete.

Long indicates you’ll need several minutes or more to finish it.

I’ve included the number of quizzes on each website whenever more than one is available. Some sites will likely add more tests over time.

I hope you have fun testing your skills and boosting your proofreading prowess! 😊

Om Proofreading

Test Format: Multiple choice

Type of English: US

Duration: Long

Test-Taking Note: This test focuses on mistakes that spellcheckers miss. Most sentences deal with homophones: words with the same pronunciation but different meanings (and often different spellings). I hope you enjoy it!

Note: If you need to rid your writing (or someone else’s) of mistakes with homophones, the free version of Grammarly can catch a lot of homophonic errors!

And if you aced the test above, you may want to check out my article about confusing homophones . It contains a fun quiz at the end to check your understanding!

Edit Republic

Quiz Format: Multiple choice

Type of English: US

Duration: Short

What the Company Offers: Site owner Phon Baillie has 20 years of experience in the publishing industry. She offers several courses for those interested in working as proofreaders or editors.

Portland Proof

Quiz Format: Find the error in each sentence and write the correct word or punctuation mark in the text box

Duration: Short; I’m not sure how many quizzes are on this site, but it seems to have quite a few. I think they’re a ton of fun!

Quiz-Taking Tip: Click the “Begin Game!” button to start the quiz. Your score is based on how many mistakes you make and how long it takes you to correct each sentence. You can compete with other quiz takers for the highest score.

What the Company Offers: This company provides proofreading services.

GrammarBook.com

Test/Quiz Format: Multiple choice; 4 tests and 52 quizzes are available

Duration: Long (the 2 pretests and 2 mastery tests); Short (the other 52 quizzes)

What the Company Offers: This website is based on Jane Straus’s The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation . I own and love this book!

The site is a fantastic resource for proofreaders and copy editors as it teaches the rules for English grammar, punctuation, and usage. It includes 4 free tests and 52 free quizzes. Hundreds of additional quizzes are available with a paid subscription.

Grammar Monster

Test Format: Varies

Duration: Short (334 total tests!!!)

What the Company Offers: This site provides a wealth of knowledge about grammar, punctuation, and commonly misused words. And, of course, truckloads of tests are available. You can hone your English language skills to your heart’s content!

Quiz Format: Find the error in each sentence

Type of English: Not a relevant factor in this case (but UK punctuation is used)

Duration: Long

Quiz-Taking Tip: You have to click on the correct answer (located in the word bank below each sentence).

What the Company Offers: Sporcle provides trivia entertainment online and at live shows. If you’re into trivia, you’ll love this site!

BusinessWritingBlog

Test Format: Find the punctuation error in each sentence

What the Company Offers: This company is dedicated to helping people become experts in business writing.

Proofread NOW .com

Quiz-Taking Tip: As soon as you click inside the bubble to mark your answer, the quiz moves on, and you can’t go back.

What the Company Offers: Proofreading and copyediting for documents written in English and Spanish; English-to-Spanish and Spanish-to-English translation services

Employment for Proofreaders: Yes. However, they weren’t hiring the last time I checked. They require a minimum of five years of experience as a professional proofreader. You must also perform exceptionally well on several complicated editing tests.

You can go here to see if they’re currently hiring.

Grammar Lion

Test Format: Multiple choice

Duration: Short

Test-Taking Note: You need to create an account to access this free test. You can take the test now and then retake it after finishing the Grammar Lion Refresher class to see how much you’ve learned.

Test-Taking Tip: You can’t go back on any questions, so make sure you’re happy with your answer before moving on. After finishing the test, choose “Next Lesson” to see your score.

What the Company Offers: Site owner Ellen Feld has a master’s degree in writing from Johns Hopkins University. She offers a grammar course and a writing course, both suitable for beginners. Ellen also provides coaching services for writers.

The Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP)

Test Format: Finding errors in a passage of text

Type of English: UK

Test-Taking Note: One question requires a bit of copyediting

What the Company Offers: The CIEP is a nonprofit organization that sets editorial standards. It serves as a community that provides support and training to people working in the editorial profession. The organization has useful resources and offers unique benefits to paying members.

CMOS Shop Talk (from The Chicago Manual of Style )

Workout Format: Multiple choice; 47 workouts are available

Workout Tip: Remember to breathe deeply and engage your core. Oops! I mean, enjoy this fabulous resource! These workouts mainly contain questions related to proofreading; however, they also include questions about editing and knowledge of The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS).

I own a hard copy of CMOS and have an online subscription. CMOS is my go-to guide for proofreading and copyediting.

CMOS Shop Talk is an incredibly valuable resource for general proofreaders!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a proofreading test.

A proofreading test evaluates an individual’s proofreading proficiency. These tests are administered for various purposes, such as to assess job candidates, verify progress made in a proofreading class, or determine whether someone should earn a particular credential.

How do I prepare for a proofreading test?

To get ready for a proofreading test , you need to know the details of the exam (e.g., if it has a particular focus, any style guide requirements, or a time limit).

You can take practice proofreading tests to boost your confidence and uncover areas that need improvement, such as specific aspects of grammar and punctuation. Then, you can use online resources and reference books to improve your skills.

What are five items to check when proofreading?

Five items to check while proofreading are grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and formatting. Proofreaders fix errors and inconsistencies in these areas. They also look for proper usage and repeated or omitted words. Finally, verifying that writing adheres to a style guide is often needed.

How can I practice proofreading?

You can practice proofreading by looking for mistakes in documents you encounter in daily life. You can proofread your writing or someone else’s. For example, students can practice with papers and essays, teachers with lesson plans and textbooks, and businesspeople with reports and emails.

We can all mine for mistakes in books, newspapers, billboards, brochures, menus, and anything else we see in print. The opportunities are endless! The more you train your eyes to spot slipups, the better you’ll get.

I hope you’ve enjoyed putting your proofreading skills to the test!

Please see my post about the skills proofreaders possess if you’d like more information about this topic.

Om Proofreading also has an article about the signs you would make a good proofreader !

Best wishes to you!

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” – Maya Angelou

Lindsay Babcock

Lindsay is the creator of Om Proofreading. She has a BA in psychology and earned a certificate in proofreading by passing the final exam in Proofread Anywhere’s general proofreading course. She shares what she’s learning in the field and through research to inform and inspire her readers.

Online Proofreader

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Nobody's perfect all the time—and now, you don’t have to be!

There are times when you just want to write without worrying about every grammar or spelling convention. The online proofreader immediately finds all of your errors. This allows you to concentrate on the bigger picture. You’ll be 100% confident that your writing won’t affect your grade.

What does a proofreader do?

The proofreading process is your last chance to catch any errors in your writing before you submit it. A proofreader makes sure your spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors are reviewed and fixed. This can be done automatically by an AI-powered tool like the one at the top of this page or by a real human. Both options have their advantages, so pick the one that suits you most.

Fix mistakes that slip under your radar

✔ Fix problems with commonly confused words, like affect vs. effect, which vs. that and who vs. that.

✔ Catch words that sound similar but aren’t, like their vs. they’re, your vs. you’re.

✔ Check your punctuation to avoid errors with dashes and hyphens, commas, apostrophes, and more.

✔ Avoid sentence fragments, subject-verb agreement errors, and problems with parallelism.

How does the proofreader work?

The online proofreader.

It’s really straightforward. Just paste the text into the tool. All your errors will now be underlined in red. You can hover over these mistakes to see how they can be addressed. If you agree, just click on the button “Fix all errors,” and your mistakes will be fixed instantly!

The professional proofreader

Upload your entire document first. Choose the pages you want proofread, the extra services you want to use, and the deadline. Then fill in some key details like your field of study so that we can find you the best proofreader. When you’re done, you pay for your order, and we make sure that your writing is checked by a proofreader. You’ll be contacted when the job is done!

Who should use this proofreader?

Avoid a bad grade and hand in your documents with absolute confidence.

Businesspeople

Look like a pro by writing error-free emails, reports, and more.

Ensure your work is clear and readable to increase the chance that it’ll get published.

Want your whole document checked and corrected in a matter of minutes?

Would you like to upload your entire document and check all your documents for 100+ language issues? Then Scribbr’s AI-powered proofreading is perfect for you.

With AI-powered proofreading, you can correct your text in no time.

Upload document
Wait briefly while all errors are corrected directly in your document
Correct errors with one click

Proofread my document

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“Excellent review of a paper that was deciding my grade. I appreciate both the edits and the feedback to increase my knowledge of correct APA formatting and accurate citations. I needed the paper returned quickly, and the team worked hard to make sure I had what I needed. I just got my grade back, A+. I would 100% use this service again, it was worth every penny!!!!!!”

A proofreader for everyone

Don’t let typos and grammar keep you down. make your writing count, ask our team.

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

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Frequently asked questions

Our support team is here to help you daily via chat, WhatsApp, email, or phone between 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. CET.

Yes! Our personal statement editors can help you reduce your word count by up to 25%. You can choose to receive this feedback through direct edits or suggestions in comments – just select your choice when you upload your personal statement.

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.

It is not necessary to reserve a time slot for your edit. As soon as your document is ready to be proofread, you can upload it at any time via our website . Based on your chosen deadline, our editor(s) will then proofread your document within 24 hours, 3 days, or 7 days.

If you are unsure about the availability of our services or are planning to upload a very large document (>13,000 words) with a 24 hour deadline, we recommend that you contact us beforehand via chat or email .

Scribbr is following the guidelines announced by the WHO (World Health Organization). As an online platform, all our services remain available, and we will continue to help students as usual.

Can I still place an order? Will my order be completed within the deadline? Yes, you can still place orders and orders will be delivered within the agreed upon deadline. Scribbr is an online platform – our proofreading & editing services are provided by editors working remotely from all over the world. This means Scribbr can guarantee that we will process your order with the same diligence and professionalism as always. The same holds true for our Plagiarism Checker .

Can I still contact customer support? Yes. Our support team is available from 09.00 to 23.00 CET and happy to answer any questions you might have!

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 12 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

When you upload a large document (20,000+ words), we will ask your editor to send a sample edit of approximately 2,000 words as soon as possible. This sample edit gives you a first impression of your editor’s editing style and what you can expect from the service. You will receive it within 12 hours after uploading your order.

Why do we provide you with a sample edit?

We always aim to make you 100% happy, and Proofreading & Editing is a complex service. We want to make sure that our editing style meets your expectations before the editor improves your entire document.

Our editors are trained to follow Scribbr’s academic style . However, your preferences might deviate from our conventions. The sample edit gives you the chance to provide feedback – you can let us know if you’re happy with the sample or if there’s something you would like the editor to do differently.

Once your editor has completed your sample edit, you will receive a notification via email. You have 24 hours to reply to this email and provide us with feedback. If we receive your feedback in time, your editor will go the extra mile and adjust the edit according to your input.

What sort of feedback can you give?

Give us feedback that will help your editor meet your requirements. For example:

“I am completely happy. The editor can continue editing like this.”
“I forgot to mention that my school has the following rules for gendered pronouns.”
“The editor changed the spelling of a technical term, but my professor spells it differently. Please keep the original spelling of this term.”

The Structure and Clarity Check can only be purchased in conjunction with Proofreading & Editing . Providing feedback on structure and clarity requires extensive knowledge of the text, which the editor acquires while proofreading and editing your text.

However, our Paper Formatting Service, Citation Editing Service and Plagiarism Checker can be purchased separately.

Yes, Scribbr will proofread the summary in another language as well.

Who will proofread my summary?

If your document contains a summary in a different language, we will send this part to another editor who is a native speaker of that language. The editor will check your summary, applying our standard Proofreading & Editing service.

If you ordered any additional services, such as the Structure Check or Clarity Check, the editor will not apply them to your summary. This is because the summary is a translation of your abstract – you already receive Structure and Clarity feedback on the text in the original language. Therefore, when proofreading your summary, the editor will focus on making sure your language and style is correct.

How does it work?

We will create a new assignment within your order and send you a confirmation email. This also means that you will receive a separate email/SMS notification from us when the editor has finished proofreading your summary. Once your summary is proofread, you can download it via your Scribbr account and read the editor’s feedback.

Yes, we can provide a certificate of proofreading.

As soon as the editor delivers the edit, you can email us at [email protected] to request a certificate.

Please indicate the following in your email:

Your order number
Your full name
The title of your work

We will create a PDF certificate and email it to you as soon as possible.

Scribbr specializes in editing study-related documents . We proofread:

PhD dissertations
Research proposals
Personal statements
Admission essays
Motivation letters
Reflection papers
Journal articles
Capstone projects

Yes, when you accept all changes and delete all comments your document is ready to be handed in.

How to accept all changes:

Word for Mac 2011

How to remove all comments:

When you’ve finished this, others will no longer be able to see the changes made by the editor.

Read your last version one last time to make sure everything is the way you want it.
Save your document as a .pdf file to come across more professional and to ensure the format of your document doesn’t change.

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, you can upload your thesis in sections.

We try our best to ensure that the same editor checks all the different sections of your thesis. When you upload a new file, our system recognizes you as a returning customer, and we immediately contact the editor who helped you before.

However, we cannot guarantee that the same editor will be available. Your chances are higher if

You send us your text as soon as possible and
You can be flexible about the deadline.

Please note that the shorter your deadline is, the bigger the risk that your previous editor is not available.

If your previous editor isn’t available, then we will inform you immediately and look for another qualified editor. Fear not! Every Scribbr editor follows the Scribbr Improvement Model and will deliver high-quality work.

However, every editor has a slightly different editing style, so you may notice small inconsistencies in editing choices. As with every proofreading order, be sure to carefully review your editor’s changes and suggestions as you finalize your text to ensure that everything is as you want it.

The fastest turnaround time is 12 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.

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

Scribbr not only specializes in proofreading and editing texts in English , but also in several other languages . This way, we help out students from all over the world.

As a global academic writing proofreading service, we work with professional editors – all native speakers – who edit in the following languages :

This way, you can also have your academic writing proofread and edited in your second language!

Please note that we do not offer Finnish proofreading, but students can still upload English papers on scribbr.fi .

Yes, regardless of the deadline you choose, our editors can proofread your document during weekends and holidays.

Example: If you select the 12-hour service on Saturday, you will receive your edited document back within 12 hours on Sunday.

The footnotes are not automatically included in the word count.

If you want the language errors in your footnotes to be corrected by the editor, you can indicate this in step 3 of the upload process . The words in the footnotes are then automatically added to the total word count.

Need help with your references?

If you use the APA reference style, you can use our free APA Citation Generator or the articles about APA in our Knowledge Base.
If you’d like us to check your references for consistency, you can use our Citation Editing Service .

To keep our prices competitive, we do not offer a free trial edit. However, if your document is longer than 30,000 words, we are happy to provide you with a sample edit of 2,000 words to ensure you are satisfied with the editor’s editing style.

Rest assured, our customers are very satisfied with our proofreading services. We’re proud that they have rated us with an excellent 4.7 on Trustpilot. In the unlikely event that you have a less positive experience, we’ll solve that with our 100% happiness guarantee !

After your thesis has been edited , you will receive an email with a link to download the edited document.

The editor has made changes to your document using ‘ Track Changes ’ in Word. This means that you only have to accept or ignore the changes that are made in the text one by one.

It is also possible to accept all changes at once. However, we strongly advise you not to do so for the following reasons:

You can learn much by looking at what mistakes you have made.
The editors do not only change the text, they also place comments when sentences or sometimes even entire paragraphs are unclear. We therefore advise you to read through these comments and take into account your editor’s tips and suggestions.
Because of the many changes, sometimes there may be double spaces, double periods, or other minor mistakes in a sentence. Checking the changes one by one, you can easily detect these minor errors.

We have written a manual in which we explain step by step how ‘Track Changes’ works.

Check out an example

Our editors are very experienced and will do their utmost to correct all errors in your thesis .

However, with our current rates, an editor can only check your thesis once. This may cause an editor to overlook an error. We can therefore not guarantee that your thesis is 100% error free after you have had your thesis edited.

The editor uses ‘Track Changes’ in Word when editing your thesis.

Don’t know how this works? Then read the following guide in which we explain step by step how ‘Track Changes’ works.

No, we do not provide you with a clean copy. You will always receive a file edited with tracked changes .

We do this for two main reasons:

In most papers, there are sentences that the editor cannot edit without additional information from the author. In these cases, your editor will provide guidance but leave you to implement the feedback. If we were to simply accept the changes for you, then these issues would be left unaddressed.
We believe students should be accountable for their work. Our editors can correct language errors and coach you to be a better writer. However, the end product belongs to you and should reflect your ideas and decisions.

All Scribbr editors are language experts with interests in different subject areas.

You can indicate your field of study when you upload your document . We’ll make sure that the editor who proofreads your work is familiar with your discipline and its specialist vocabulary.

These are the fields of study you can choose from, and examples of the main subjects in each field:

Business and Management: Business Administration, Hotel Management, Accountancy, Marketing
Economics: Business Economics, Econometrics, Finance
IT and Engineering: ICT, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Applied Mathematics, Civil Engineering, Industrial Design, Electrical Engineering
Natural and Life Sciences: Biomedical Sciences, Biology, Chemistry
Geography, Agriculture and Environment: Ecology, Earth Sciences, Environmental Studies, Urban Planning
Health and Medical Sciences: Medicine, Obstetrics, Pharmacy, Nutrition, Dentistry
Arts and Humanities: Philosophy, History, Literature, Cultural Studies, Theology
Law and Policy: Law, Political Science, Public Policy, Human Rights
Social and Behavioral Sciences: Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Communication Sciences

Editors don’t have to be experts in the content of your paper, but they do know how to present it in the best way possible! Our goal is to improve your writing and give you feedback on the readability, structure, logic, and clarity of your text. We know from experience that the most effective editors are specialists in language and academic writing.

We’ve carefully selected and trained all of our editors to proofread theses and other academic documents. Once they’re qualified, we continue to carefully monitor their work to make sure we always deliver the highest quality .

The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Editing and Proofreading

What this handout is about.

This handout provides some tips and strategies for revising your writing. To give you a chance to practice proofreading, we have left seven errors (three spelling errors, two punctuation errors, and two grammatical errors) in the text of this handout. See if you can spot them!

Is editing the same thing as proofreading?

Not exactly. Although many people use the terms interchangeably, editing and proofreading are two different stages of the revision process. Both demand close and careful reading, but they focus on different aspects of the writing and employ different techniques.

Some tips that apply to both editing and proofreading

Get some distance from the text! It’s hard to edit or proofread a paper that you’ve just finished writing—it’s still to familiar, and you tend to skip over a lot of errors. Put the paper aside for a few hours, days, or weeks. Go for a run. Take a trip to the beach. Clear your head of what you’ve written so you can take a fresh look at the paper and see what is really on the page. Better yet, give the paper to a friend—you can’t get much more distance than that. Someone who is reading the paper for the first time, comes to it with completely fresh eyes.
Decide which medium lets you proofread most carefully. Some people like to work right at the computer, while others like to sit back with a printed copy that they can mark up as they read.
Try changing the look of your document. Altering the size, spacing, color, or style of the text may trick your brain into thinking it’s seeing an unfamiliar document, and that can help you get a different perspective on what you’ve written.
Find a quiet place to work. Don’t try to do your proofreading in front of the TV or while you’re chugging away on the treadmill. Find a place where you can concentrate and avoid distractions.
If possible, do your editing and proofreading in several short blocks of time. Your concentration may start to wane if you try to proofread the entire text at one time.
If you’re short on time, you may wish to prioritize. Make sure that you complete the most important editing and proofreading tasks.

Editing is what you begin doing as soon as you finish your first draft. You reread your draft to see, for example, whether the paper is well-organized, the transitions between paragraphs are smooth, and your evidence really backs up your argument. You can edit on several levels:

Have you done everything the assignment requires? Are the claims you make accurate? If it is required to do so, does your paper make an argument? Is the argument complete? Are all of your claims consistent? Have you supported each point with adequate evidence? Is all of the information in your paper relevant to the assignment and/or your overall writing goal? (For additional tips, see our handouts on understanding assignments and developing an argument .)

Overall structure

Does your paper have an appropriate introduction and conclusion? Is your thesis clearly stated in your introduction? Is it clear how each paragraph in the body of your paper is related to your thesis? Are the paragraphs arranged in a logical sequence? Have you made clear transitions between paragraphs? One way to check the structure of your paper is to make a reverse outline of the paper after you have written the first draft. (See our handouts on introductions , conclusions , thesis statements , and transitions .)

Structure within paragraphs

Does each paragraph have a clear topic sentence? Does each paragraph stick to one main idea? Are there any extraneous or missing sentences in any of your paragraphs? (See our handout on paragraph development .)

Have you defined any important terms that might be unclear to your reader? Is the meaning of each sentence clear? (One way to answer this question is to read your paper one sentence at a time, starting at the end and working backwards so that you will not unconsciously fill in content from previous sentences.) Is it clear what each pronoun (he, she, it, they, which, who, this, etc.) refers to? Have you chosen the proper words to express your ideas? Avoid using words you find in the thesaurus that aren’t part of your normal vocabulary; you may misuse them.

Have you used an appropriate tone (formal, informal, persuasive, etc.)? Is your use of gendered language (masculine and feminine pronouns like “he” or “she,” words like “fireman” that contain “man,” and words that some people incorrectly assume apply to only one gender—for example, some people assume “nurse” must refer to a woman) appropriate? Have you varied the length and structure of your sentences? Do you tends to use the passive voice too often? Does your writing contain a lot of unnecessary phrases like “there is,” “there are,” “due to the fact that,” etc.? Do you repeat a strong word (for example, a vivid main verb) unnecessarily? (For tips, see our handouts on style and gender-inclusive language .)

Have you appropriately cited quotes, paraphrases, and ideas you got from sources? Are your citations in the correct format? (See the UNC Libraries citation tutorial for more information.)

As you edit at all of these levels, you will usually make significant revisions to the content and wording of your paper. Keep an eye out for patterns of error; knowing what kinds of problems you tend to have will be helpful, especially if you are editing a large document like a thesis or dissertation. Once you have identified a pattern, you can develop techniques for spotting and correcting future instances of that pattern. For example, if you notice that you often discuss several distinct topics in each paragraph, you can go through your paper and underline the key words in each paragraph, then break the paragraphs up so that each one focuses on just one main idea.

Proofreading

Proofreading is the final stage of the editing process, focusing on surface errors such as misspellings and mistakes in grammar and punctuation. You should proofread only after you have finished all of your other editing revisions.

Why proofread? It’s the content that really matters, right?

Content is important. But like it or not, the way a paper looks affects the way others judge it. When you’ve worked hard to develop and present your ideas, you don’t want careless errors distracting your reader from what you have to say. It’s worth paying attention to the details that help you to make a good impression.

Most people devote only a few minutes to proofreading, hoping to catch any glaring errors that jump out from the page. But a quick and cursory reading, especially after you’ve been working long and hard on a paper, usually misses a lot. It’s better to work with a definite plan that helps you to search systematically for specific kinds of errors.

Sure, this takes a little extra time, but it pays off in the end. If you know that you have an effective way to catch errors when the paper is almost finished, you can worry less about editing while you are writing your first drafts. This makes the entire writing proccess more efficient.

Try to keep the editing and proofreading processes separate. When you are editing an early draft, you don’t want to be bothered with thinking about punctuation, grammar, and spelling. If your worrying about the spelling of a word or the placement of a comma, you’re not focusing on the more important task of developing and connecting ideas.

The proofreading process

You probably already use some of the strategies discussed below. Experiment with different tactics until you find a system that works well for you. The important thing is to make the process systematic and focused so that you catch as many errors as possible in the least amount of time.

Don’t rely entirely on spelling checkers. These can be useful tools but they are far from foolproof. Spell checkers have a limited dictionary, so some words that show up as misspelled may really just not be in their memory. In addition, spell checkers will not catch misspellings that form another valid word. For example, if you type “your” instead of “you’re,” “to” instead of “too,” or “there” instead of “their,” the spell checker won’t catch the error.
Grammar checkers can be even more problematic. These programs work with a limited number of rules, so they can’t identify every error and often make mistakes. They also fail to give thorough explanations to help you understand why a sentence should be revised. You may want to use a grammar checker to help you identify potential run-on sentences or too-frequent use of the passive voice, but you need to be able to evaluate the feedback it provides.
Proofread for only one kind of error at a time. If you try to identify and revise too many things at once, you risk losing focus, and your proofreading will be less effective. It’s easier to catch grammar errors if you aren’t checking punctuation and spelling at the same time. In addition, some of the techniques that work well for spotting one kind of mistake won’t catch others.
Read slow, and read every word. Try reading out loud , which forces you to say each word and also lets you hear how the words sound together. When you read silently or too quickly, you may skip over errors or make unconscious corrections.
Separate the text into individual sentences. This is another technique to help you to read every sentence carefully. Simply press the return key after every period so that every line begins a new sentence. Then read each sentence separately, looking for grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors. If you’re working with a printed copy, try using an opaque object like a ruler or a piece of paper to isolate the line you’re working on.
Circle every punctuation mark. This forces you to look at each one. As you circle, ask yourself if the punctuation is correct.
Read the paper backwards. This technique is helpful for checking spelling. Start with the last word on the last page and work your way back to the beginning, reading each word separately. Because content, punctuation, and grammar won’t make any sense, your focus will be entirely on the spelling of each word. You can also read backwards sentence by sentence to check grammar; this will help you avoid becoming distracted by content issues.
Proofreading is a learning process. You’re not just looking for errors that you recognize; you’re also learning to recognize and correct new errors. This is where handbooks and dictionaries come in. Keep the ones you find helpful close at hand as you proofread.
Ignorance may be bliss, but it won’t make you a better proofreader. You’ll often find things that don’t seem quite right to you, but you may not be quite sure what’s wrong either. A word looks like it might be misspelled, but the spell checker didn’t catch it. You think you need a comma between two words, but you’re not sure why. Should you use “that” instead of “which”? If you’re not sure about something, look it up.
The proofreading process becomes more efficient as you develop and practice a systematic strategy. You’ll learn to identify the specific areas of your own writing that need careful attention, and knowing that you have a sound method for finding errors will help you to focus more on developing your ideas while you are drafting the paper.

Think you’ve got it?

Then give it a try, if you haven’t already! This handout contains seven errors our proofreader should have caught: three spelling errors, two punctuation errors, and two grammatical errors. Try to find them, and then check a version of this page with the errors marked in red to see if you’re a proofreading star.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Especially for non-native speakers of English:

Ascher, Allen. 2006. Think About Editing: An ESL Guide for the Harbrace Handbooks . Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Lane, Janet, and Ellen Lange. 2012. Writing Clearly: Grammar for Editing , 3rd ed. Boston: Heinle.

For everyone:

Einsohn, Amy. 2011. The Copyeditor’s Handbook: A Guide for Book Publishing and Corporate Communications , 3rd ed. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Lanham, Richard A. 2006. Revising Prose , 5th ed. New York: Pearson Longman.

Tarshis, Barry. 1998. How to Be Your Own Best Editor: The Toolkit for Everyone Who Writes . New York: Three Rivers Press.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Proofreader teaches your students editing skills by having them proofread passages. Students edit passages and receive personalized exercises based on their results. With over 100 expository passages, Proofreader gives students the practice they need to spot common grammatical errors.

In Quill Proofreader, students are tasked with finding and correcting grammatical errors embedded within a passage. In this exercise on Ernest Shackleton, students have to find and correct 11 errors.

Students are provided instant feedback on their work once they’ve completed the proofreading. The errors the student missed are highlighted in red, while the errors the student caught are highlighted in green.

Teachers can use their scorebook report to quickly see which concepts the student mastered and which ones the student needs to practice.

Teachers may access, for free, over 100 expository passages.

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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?

woman on Mac computer at desk Proofreading 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

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

Screenshot of the Authority Pub homepage

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

Screenshot of the Earn Smart Online Class webpage

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

Screenshot showing the Edit Republic homepage

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

Screenshot showing the FreelanceWriting homepage

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

Screenshot showing the LoveToKnow homepage

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

Screenshot showing the Business Writing Blog homepage

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

Screenshot showing the Om Proofreading homepage

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

Screenshot showing the The New York Times proofreading test webpage

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.

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Where Do I Begin?

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Proofreading is primarily about searching your writing for errors, both grammatical and typographical, before submitting your paper for an audience (a teacher, a publisher, etc.). Use this resource to help you find and fix common errors.

Proofreading can be a difficult process, especially when you’re not sure where to start or what this process entails. Think of proofreading as a process of looking for any inconsistencies and grammatical errors as well as style and spelling issues. Below are a few general strategies that can help you get started.

General Strategies Before You Proofread

General strategies while you proofread, when you are done.

Make sure that you leave plenty of time after you have finished your paper to walk away for a day or two, a week, or even 20 minutes. This will allow you to approach proofreading with fresh eyes.
Print out a hard copy. Reading from a computer screen is not the most effective way to proofread. Having a hardcopy of your paper and a pen will help you.
Have a list of what to look for. This will help you manage your time and not feel overwhelmed by proofreading. You can get this list from previous assignments where your instructor(s) noted common errors you make.
Don’t rush . Many mistakes in writing occur because we rush. Read slowly and carefully to give your eyes enough time to spot errors.
Read aloud to yourself. Reading a paper aloud encourages you to read each word and can help you notice small mistakes.
Read aloud to a friend and have the friend give you oral feedback.
Have a friend read your paper aloud while you don’t read along.
Use the search in document function of the computer to look for common errors from your list.
Read from the end. Read individual sentences one at a time starting from the end of the paper rather than the beginning. This forces you to pay attention to the sentence itself rather than to the ideas of the paper as a whole.
Role-play. While reading, put yourself in your audience's shoes. Playing the role of the reader encourages you to see the paper as your audience might.
Have a friend look at your paper after you have made all the corrections you identified. A new reader will be able to help you catch mistakes that you might have overlooked.
Make an appointment with a Writing Lab tutor if you have any further questions or want someone to teach you more about proofreading.
Ask your teacher to look at the areas you usually have trouble with to see if you have made any progress.

Freelance Tips

5 of the Best Online Proofreading Courses for Beginners

By Bethan McGloin
Jun 21, 2023
How To Become A Freelancer
Online Learning

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If you’re thinking of starting a career as a professional proofreader, online courses can get you started on your journey.

But with so many options available, how do you decide which course to take?

Our guide to five of the best online proofreading courses on the market will help you compare what’s on offer. We’ll take a look at:

Knowadays: Becoming A Proofreader
Proofread Anywhere: General Proofreading (Theory and Practice)
CIEP: Proofreading 1 (Introduction)
The Publishing Training Centre: Essential Proofreading Skills (Editorial Skills One)
Udemy: (Proofreading Power Basics)

The Best Online Proofreading Courses for Beginners

We’re going to take a look at five popular proofreading courses and explore what they offer in terms of:

Key features
Learning support
Certification

We’ll then summarize the key takeaways in the next section so you can make the best decision on which course is right for you.

1. Knowadays: Becoming A Proofreader

Our Becoming A Proofreader course comes complete with modules covering common errors in punctuation, spelling, and grammar, methods for approaching more complex issues such as tone, and specific training in proofreading business, creative, and academic writing.

Tutors are available 24/7 for free support, and the course includes a one-to-one support call, tutor feedback, and group seminars.

Our courses are CPD-accredited , and learners who successfully pass the final assignment will receive a certificate of completion.

If you complete both our Becoming a Proofreader and Becoming an Editor courses and achieve a score of more than 80% in both, you will qualify for a paid trial with our partner company, Proofed , so you can start earning immediately.

Becoming A Proofreader costs £399. If you purchase the course bundle – which includes Becoming A Proofreader and the Becoming An Editor course – you get 15% off the price of both courses.

2. Proofread Anywhere: General Proofreading (Theory and Practice)

The General Proofreading (Theory and Practice) course that Proofread Anywhere offers explains the basics of proofreading, including spotting and fixing common errors, before providing in-depth, practical information on how to develop and market a freelance proofreading business.

Proofread Anywhere offers access to dozens of ebooks and workshops for learners, and for those who successfully complete the final assignment, the opportunity to network with professional proofreaders and editors is available.

You can access tutor support for at least $40 per 30-minute session. Learners also gain free lifetime access to a support group of peers and other learners.

General Proofreading (Theory and Practice) costs $497, or $597 if learners opt for the Ignite Plus version of the courses. The Ignite Plus version provides learners with the opportunity to take the final test and receive a certificate of completion.

3. CIEP: Proofreading 1 (Introduction)

The Proofreading 1 (Introduction) course that the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) offers covers a variety of proofreading techniques, including how to proofread PDFs, how to work in Microsoft Word, and how to edit on paper using proofreading marks . The course is designed to provide an introduction to proofreading and covers topics such as the difference between proofreading and copy editing, the nature of the proofreading process, common proofreading conventions, and approaches to working with clients.

You can take the class either as a self-assessed online course or as a single-day, in-person workshop . Either form provides learners with three CIEP upgrade points, which can be put toward upgrading your CIEP membership .

Tutors provide all learners with one hour of email-based support, and additional time is available at a cost of £35 per hour.

CIEP courses are not accredited, but CIEP does provide certificates for successful completion that are widely respected in the industry.

As an online course, Proofreading 1 (Introduction) costs £128 for CIEP members and £213 for non-members.

4. The Publishing Training Centre: Essential Proofreading Skills (Editorial Skills One)

The Publishing Training Centre’s Essential Proofreading Skills (Editorial Skills One) course covers page and on-screen proofreading, with a particular focus on using Adobe Reader and Microsoft Word. The course also addresses how proofreaders can work with publishers and provides an overview of where proofreading fits into the publishing industry.

The course has multiple self-assessed exercises, with four longer assignments that tutors check and grade. Each learner is paired with a personal tutor for the duration of the course and receives access to tutor support for up to three months after completing the course.

Learners who successfully pass the course receive a recognized qualification from the Publishing Qualifications Board as well as 10 to 20 CIEP membership points.

Essential Proofreading Skills costs £395, with the option to split the cost into three installments. You can also receive the Publishing Training Centre’s Essential Grammar course for half the price if you buy it alongside Essential Proofreading Skills.

5. Udemy: Proofreading Power Basics

The Proofreading Power Basics course on Udemy’s online platform covers common proofreading errors and ways to fix them. There are also in-depth sections on how to work with style guides, how to use proofreading marks, and how to proofread numbers. Also included are proofreading checklists and a practice proofreading test.

In contrast to other proofreading courses, Udemy’s is delivered mainly through video, with accompanying exercises and resources available for learners to download and try themselves.

The course does not come with tutor support, but learners have lifetime access to the course and all available resources, which include self-assessed aptitude tests. Upon completing the course, learners receive discount codes for proofreading books and guides.

Proofreading Power Basics costs £89.99. Udemy often has sales on its courses for new users, though, so keep an eye out for a discount.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Which proofreading course is best for you.

Ultimately, the proofreading course you choose should be the one that’s right for you.

Before making your decision, consider:

How much time you can dedicate to a course
What your budget will cover
When (and how) you want to start proofreading

If you’re still struggling to pick one, you can always give our courses a go for free . And if you change your mind after purchasing the full course, we’ve got a 14-day money-back guarantee ready for you.

Any questions? Get in touch with our customer support team, available 24/7.

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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
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Page owner: Professional standards director

Anyone can be a proofreader, can't they? How hard can it be? All they do is find typos, don't they?

See for yourself!

If you're thinking of training to become a proofreader, or if you're just curious, here's a chance to see whether you would enjoy some of the things that editors and proofreaders do.

It's based on straightforward text that contains a number of very common errors. See if you can spot all twenty errors, then check the answer sheet. If you haven't found everything, that doesn't mean that you won't be a good proofreader: it takes training and experience to do it well, and the CIEP can help.

Take the test (118KB PDF) See the answers (130KB PDF)

Take our quizzes just for fun!

Challenge yourself to take our language quizzes. They're just for fun but you'll test your knowledge of grammar and current usage, and we'll explain what we think are the right answers. There's a new one every two months, so check back here when you want to tackle the next one.

Quiz 1 : Punctuation
Quiz 2 : Language use
Quiz 3 : Spellings, phrases and punctuation
Quiz 4 : More punctuation, dashes and hyphens
Quiz 5 : Spooky Halloween-themed language dilemmas
Quiz 6 : Fa-la-la-la, it's a festive one
Quiz 7 : Pluralisation, superfluities and easily confused words
Quiz 8 : Numbers, names, italics and accents
Quiz 9 : Getting into summer with subjunctives, pronouns and more
Quiz 10 : All about publishing terminology
Quiz 11 : Parenthesis, capitalisation and ampersands, with a sprinkling of dogs, bats and stars
Quiz 12 : Santa, Charles Dickens and cheese. It must be another festive edition!
Quiz 13 : To-ing and fro-ing with titles, numbers and italics
Quiz 14 : Verbs, references, Star Wars and Pringles
Quiz 15 : Adverbs, possessives and word definitions, with crisps and cosy crime
Quiz 16 : Internal dialogue, interjections, and interruptions by leopards in this fiction-themed edition
Quiz 17 : Another quiz for Halloween (or should that be Hallowe'en?)
Quiz 18 : From reindeer to superheroes, apostrophes to false ranges
Quiz 19 : Slashes, flares and portmanteaus
Quiz 20 : Aluminium, cheese footballs and a not-so-silent ‘h’
Quiz 21 : Are things going downhill or uphill? Plus school holidays, Pulitzer Prizes and the complicated letter C
Quiz 22 : Sleepy cats and suncream, word endings and Westward Ho!
Quiz 23 : From football excitement to citing right

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Proofreading

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In most of the lines, there is one extra word. It is either grammartically incorrect or does not fit in with the sense of the text. Some lines, however, are correct. - If a line is correct, write CORRECT. - If there is an extra word in the line, write the extra word with CAPITAL LETTER.

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COMMENTS

Free Proofreading Quiz
Michael Sellars offers The No-Nonsense Proofreading Course about the basics of proofreading and building a career. While the online program costs a few bucks, they also provide free proofreading exercises to practice your skills. They developed twenty proofreading exercises to simulate actual proofreading work you might encounter in your career ...
Can You Ace This Basic Proofreading Quiz?
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.
Proofreading Tips and Exercises
Proofreading Exercises Proofreading exercises provide a way for you to test your knowledge and sharpen your editing skills. Here are some good exercises and quizzes available online: Purdue OWL Exercises - The Purdue OWL offers exercises and answers on a number of topics including punctuation, grammar, sentence style, spelling and more.
Top-Tier Proofreading Tests and Quizzes
The site is a fantastic resource for proofreaders and copy editors as it teaches the rules for English grammar, punctuation, and usage. It includes 4 free tests and 52 free quizzes. Hundreds of additional quizzes are available with a paid subscription. Go to the Tests and Quizzes!
20 FREE Proofreading Exercises! Ready To Download Right Now!
Download File. These free proofreading practice exercises are suitable for adults and children, including key-stage 4 pupils, keystage 5 pupils, high-school students, middle-school students, college students, university students and ESL students. And if you don't find these exercises particularly challenging, it could be you're a proofreading ...
Proof It!
"In my latest project, I found the services of Portland Proof to be invaluable in creating a quality work that is both readable and accurate. Laura gets an A+ for her attention to detail and ability to polish a sentence or a paragraph."
Online Proofreader
The online proofreader. It's really straightforward. Just paste the text into the tool. All your errors will now be underlined in red. You can hover over these mistakes to see how they can be addressed. If you agree, just click on the button "Fix all errors," and your mistakes will be fixed instantly!
Quill.org
Quill.org offers interactive exercises to improve your writing and grammar skills. Try Quill Proofreader and practice editing texts with punctuation errors.
Editing and Proofreading
The proofreading process becomes more efficient as you develop and practice a systematic strategy. You'll learn to identify the specific areas of your own writing that need careful attention, and knowing that you have a sound method for finding errors will help you to focus more on developing your ideas while you are drafting the paper. ...
Quill Proofreader
Quill Proofreader. Proofreader teaches your students editing skills by having them proofread passages. Students edit passages and receive personalized exercises based on their results. With over 100 expository passages, Proofreader gives students the practice they need to spot common grammatical errors. Students are provided instant feedback on ...
Take The Proofreading Test
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).
Free Online Proofreader
Free proofreading tool. With QuillBot, you have the best free proofreading tool in your pocket, on your browser, or in Word whenever you need it.. Writing is a lot of work, and doing it well means revising and revising again. For writers with high standards in every genre and field, online proofreading is an invaluable resource—a must-have.
The Best Proofreading Quiz with Answers to Test Your Skills
Proofreading Quiz PDF (with Answers) This proofreading quiz is a valuable tool that can be used over and over again as you gradually increase your skills. Practice your proofreading exercises online, or download a blank copy of the proofreading quiz PDF and a copy of the answers to utilize in a classroom setting, for training purposes, or for ...
12 Free Proofreading Tests to Check Your Skills
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.
Beginning Proofreading
This will allow you to approach proofreading with fresh eyes. Print out a hard copy. Reading from a computer screen is not the most effective way to proofread. Having a hardcopy of your paper and a pen will help you. Have a list of what to look for. This will help you manage your time and not feel overwhelmed by proofreading.
5 of the Best Online Proofreading Courses for Beginners
You can also receive the Publishing Training Centre's Essential Grammar course for half the price if you buy it alongside Essential Proofreading Skills. 5. Udemy: Proofreading Power Basics. The Proofreading Power Basics course on Udemy's online platform covers common proofreading errors and ways to fix them.
10 Best Proofreading Tests to Test Your Skills & Abilities
This is a great website to use if you want to challenge yourself and your proofreading skills. 4. Om Proofreading. The Om Proofreading test is a multiple-choice proofreading quiz that focuses on spelling mistakes. Most of the words are homophones, which are words that sound the same but are spelled differently.
An Introduction to Proofreading
This free online course features various skills and techniques to help you identify and correct mistakes in the drafting of business articles or documents. With this proofreading course, you will learn to identify the most common proofreading pitfalls so that you are equipped with the right skills to avoid making errors as well as special ...
Test yourself
Challenge yourself to take our language quizzes. They're just for fun but you'll test your knowledge of grammar and current usage, and we'll explain what we think are the right answers. There's a new one every two months, so check back here when you want to tackle the next one. Quiz 1: Punctuation. Quiz 2: Language use.
Reading comprehension exercises esl
Reading comprehension exercises for all levels esl. Free interactive reading exercises. Fables, short stories, English talks, ebooks. English second language, English foreign language, ESL , EFL, ielts
Proofreading online exercise
In most of the lines, there is one extra word. It is either grammartically incorrect or does not fit in with the sense of the text. Some lines, however, are correct. - If a line is correct, write CORRECT. - If there is an extra word in the line, write the extra word with CAPITAL LETTER.
Teens are spending nearly 5 hours daily on social media. Here are the
41%. Percentage of teens with the highest social media use who rate their overall mental health as poor or very poor, compared with 23% of those with the lowest use. For example, 10% of the highest use group expressed suicidal intent or self-harm in the past 12 months compared with 5% of the lowest use group, and 17% of the highest users expressed poor body image compared with 6% of the lowest ...

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CMOS Shop Talk (from The Chicago Manual of Style )

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I prepare for a proofreading test?

What are five items to check when proofreading?

How can I practice proofreading?

Recent Posts

Online Proofreader

Instantly correct your entire document in minutes

Nobody's perfect all the time—and now, you don’t have to be!

What does a proofreader do?

Fix mistakes that slip under your radar

How does the proofreader work?

The professional proofreader

Who should use this proofreader?

Businesspeople

Want your whole document checked and corrected in a matter of minutes?

A proofreader for everyone

Frequently asked questions

How does the sample edit work?

Why do we provide you with a sample edit?

What sort of feedback can you give?

Need help with your references?

Editing and Proofreading

Is editing the same thing as proofreading?

Some tips that apply to both editing and proofreading

Overall structure

Structure within paragraphs

Proofreading

Why proofread? It’s the content that really matters, right?

The proofreading process

Think you’ve got it?

Works consulted

Especially for non-native speakers of English:

For everyone:

Quill Proofreader

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Stephanie L. , Kipp D.C.

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Proofreading Test

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12 Free Proofreading Tests to Check Your Skills

Written by:

Jessica Norris

01. Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP)

02. ProofreadNOW.com

03. Authority Pub

04. Using English for Academic Purposes (UEfAP)

05. Earn Smart Online Class

06. Edit Republic

07. Freelance Writing

08. LoveToKnow

09. Sporcle

10. Business Writing Blog

11. Om Proofreading

12. The New York Times

13. Other free grammar and writing tests

Robert Jellison

Reader Interactions

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