Mia
Many proofreaders encounter the same common English grammatical mistakes repeatedly. We think everyone must be aware of their mistakes in written English so they can correct them.
This article should assist a few of you in learning from your errors as well as improving your proofreading techniques. They very definitely emphasize the value of editing and proofreading work before publication, if nothing else. So with that being said, let’s get started.
Spelling
One thing to keep in mind is that your spell check may miss some words. Check your text for spelling errors with a fine-tooth comb. Verify words to make sure no letters have been switched.
Additionally, be sure you are aware of the distinctions between homonyms like “your” and “you’re,” “to,” “too,” and “two,” as well as “they’re,” “their,” and “there” and so much more.
Well, a common mistake that people tend to make in their spelling is the use of homophones. Various writers aren’t sure of what homophones are. Homophones are derived from the Greek homos, which means alike, and phone, which means sounds.
All of those are words that look alike but mean something very different. They happen when we write quickly, but we do not even notice them since they don’t appear to be incorrect. Unfortunately, grammar and spelling checks won’t pick these up. Here, you are on your own to fix them.
Apostrophes
Apostrophes seem to be the part of punctuation that individuals struggle with the most. Here are some fundamental guidelines for apostrophe usage that a lot of proofreaders follow.
Using apostrophes with contractions This is when you place the apostrophe exactly from where the letter has been omitted. These examples will include:
• Do not turn into don’t
• Is not becomes isn’t
• You are turned into you’re
• She becomes she’s
• It is turned into it’s
• Using apostrophes to signify possession
This can also be used to signify ownership of something. This is where the apostrophe will be placed before the “s” to present singular possession. Examples of this include:
• The girl’s dress.
• The teacher’s dress.
• The dog’s house.
Making the noun plural before adding the apostrophe at the end is how you express plural possession as well as ownership:
• The girls’ uniforms.
• The dogs’ houses.
• The actresses’ dresses.
Using Abbreviations From Text Messages
It is highly recommended that people do not use abbreviations when writing formal work. This is because it isn’t considered proper English, plus not many people will be able to understand it, and it will only be assumed gibberish.
Using abbreviations in text messages is completely normal if it’s with a close friend or family member, it should be avoided if you are talking with a professor, however.
If you think that these mistakes are likely to happen when you are writing your essay or perhaps writing a book, then you should get copy editing services right now so your work can be professionally analyzed and fixed right away.
Inconsistency
With so many potential contradictions, it’s hardly surprising that we sometimes fail to catch some. Because they are all correct in their own right, we fail to notice them.
Problems only arise when they recur in the same or a different form later in the manuscript. Here are some common contradictions to watch out for:
• Dates: 4th July 2016, July 4, 2016, July 4th, 2016, 4 July 2016.
• Compound words: usage of the same word but written differently such as; proofreading, proofreading or proof-reading.
• Time: 3 pm, 3:00 pm, 3 o’clock or 15:00.
• American or British English: licence/license, colour/color, programme/program.
• Layout: using one or maybe two spaces after the full stop.
• Headings: Sentence case, Title Case or UPPERCASE.
• Numbers: 3/three, 5/five and so on.
• Symbols: percentage/%, dollar/$, plus/+ or and/&.
Ellipsis
The majority of people make this English mistake, not just ESL students or anybody learning the language. A punctuation mark called an ellipsis is used to indicate that part of a sentence has been left out. It can also be applied to denote a pause.
The ellipsis should be composed of 3 evenly spaced dots (periods), with spaces separating it from the letters or even other markings immediately surrounding it. Many people make mistakes here.
Professional proofreaders frequently need to fix ellipsis punctuation marks with four, five, ten, twenty, or perhaps even thirty spaces between the dots.
Improper syntax
The placement of words or phrases to construct whole sentences is known as syntax. Lack of a crucial word is a common cause of poor syntax; other times, the proper words are just arranged incorrectly.
Because even poorly written sentences can make sense, the poor syntax is simple to overlook. Incorrect syntax examples are as follows:
• Poor syntax: He served food to guests on paper plates.
• Good syntax: He served food on paper plates to guests.
• Poor syntax: After finishing my lunch, the waiter seemed keen to speak.
• Good syntax: After I’d finished my lunch, the waiter seemed keen to speak.
Run-On Sentences, Fragments, And Comma Splices
These are typical issues that can appear during writing. These issues are easily avoidable. As you proofread, make sure each sentence has a subject and a verb and also expresses a single notion.
Additionally, check your sentences to make sure they are punctuated correctly but don’t contain run-on sentences as well as comma splices. Some of these errors can also take the sense away from the text. People can get completely lost or don’t understand the written text at all.
Accuracy is one of the most important things you should be focusing on. Too many lengthy sentences without any full stops or commas or sense can make the reader lose interest as well. Be sure to avoid fluff content along with overly long sentences or paragraphs.
To add on, you should also make sure that the formatting of your writing is accurate and that essays are written in the proper order, so the reader doesn’t feel the content is all over the place. This can make the readers lose interest as well if they don’t understand anything.
Conclusion
To conclude, the mentioned above seven errors should able help you improve your writing material a lot better when you proofread it.
It’s okay if you make mistakes in the error while you write but knowing how to fix them is one of the important things, and I hope this article was successful in helping you with that.
