Quick grammar and proofreading tips

[gil45]

Hi,

I always conduct grammar checking and proofreading after I complete any of my writing assignments, although it occupies much of my time I see it as vital part of any writing assignment in order to avoid delivering my emails or documents with grammar or punctuation errors.

What are the best tips for a quick and effective proofreading?

Thanks,

Gilbert.

[PCGames]

God Bless!

One of the good methods to improve the grammar is learning it with our subconscious mind. The more we read English writings, the more we learn and the words order and grammatical patterns settle in our mind.

Maybe there are other methods as well.

Thanks!

[RonBee]

What are the best tips for a quick and effective proofreading?

Well, it's probably a good idea not to have the TV on in the background while you are trying to proofread something. In any case, look for punctuation errors.

[janelove]

Hello Gilbert. Here some tips which may help you..

• 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 Aruba. 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 what 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, rather than all at once—otherwise, your concentration is likely to wane.

• If you're short on time, you may wish to prioritize your editing and proofreading tasks to be sure that the most important ones are completed.

[RonBee]

A tip:

You can't count on your spellchecker to find the spelling errors (even though that's its job). For example, a spellchecker cannot tell whether the right word is to, too, or two.