We all make mistakes. It's natural.
We are all perfectly imperfect. 😽
That's why after you write something, it's important to proofread.
Proofreading means checking for any mistakes in spelling, grammar, capitalization, and punctuation.
When you proofread, make sure that:
Every sentence starts with a capital letter, and ends with a punctuation mark. ✅
The word I is capitalized. ✅
Commands and sentences end with a period. ✅
Questions end with a question mark and exclamations end with an exclamation point. ✅
All proper nouns are capitalized, like people's names and titles. ✅
Commas are used to join two independent clauses, after the greeting and closing of a letter, and correctly in dates. ✅
All words are spelled correctly. ✅
Tip: when you're reading, underline any words that you're not sure are spelled right.
Then, use dictionary.com or google.com to check their spelling.
Tip: Read your writing out loud. It helps to hear any mistakes. 📣
Proofread the sentence for any mistakes.
I fell off my bike but i wasn’t hurt.
It starts with a capital letter and ends with a period, which is great. ✅
But the word I is not capitalized in the sentence ❎. We always capitalize I.
Can you spot another mistake?
Yes, we need a comma before the "but"!
I fell off my bike, but I wasn’t hurt.
This is a compound sentence. It has two complete sentences joined with a conjunction ("but").
We always add a comma before the conjunction in a compound sentence.
Ok, great job finding 2 mistakes in that last sentence.
Now, let's proofread this sentence for mistakes. 👇
I like hamburgers and my mom likes hot dogs.
Should there be a comma?
Yes! This is a compound sentence. It has two complete sentences joined with a conjunction (and), so a comma needs to be before the conjunction. 🎉
I like hamburgers, and my mom likes hot dogs.
Let's practice proofreading one more sentence:
What time is the football game.
This sentence is asking you something, so it's a question.
Should there be a question mark at the end instead of a period?
Yes! 😸
What time is the football game?
Great job! You just learned how to proofread writing for mistakes.
Complete the practice to become a proofreading master. 🎉