Why small errors matter
Most readers do not read with a red pen. They read to understand something and decide what to do. But a misplaced apostrophe or a wrong word can make them pause, and a pause breaks the flow of the message. When errors pile up, some readers begin to wonder how carefully the writer handled everything else, including facts and figures. That reaction is not entirely fair, and attitudes differ from reader to reader, but it is common enough to be worth guarding against.
The aim is not perfection. Nobody catches every slip, and a message that is clear and useful will usually be forgiven an occasional typo. The aim is to remove the most predictable distractions so that readers can focus on what you are saying. This is especially valuable in documents where first impressions count, such as applications, proposals and public profiles. Our notes on application proofreading cover that situation specifically.
Words that get confused
Homophones and near-homophones cause a large share of everyday errors, and spell checkers often miss them because each word is spelled correctly.
- its / it’s: “Its” shows possession (the team changed its plan). “It’s” means “it is” or “it has.” A quick test: if you can replace it with “it is,” use the apostrophe.
- your / you’re: “Your” is possessive. “You’re” means “you are.”
- their / there / they’re: Possession, place, and “they are.”
- then / than: “Then” relates to time or sequence; “than” is used for comparison.
- affect / effect: Usually, “affect” is the verb (to influence) and “effect” is the noun (a result). There are exceptions, so check a dictionary when unsure.
- loose / lose: “Loose” means not tight; “lose” is the verb for misplacing or failing to win.
- principal / principle: A principal is a head person or the main thing; a principle is a rule or belief.
When a pair gives you trouble, keep a short personal list and look at it before editing.
Punctuation slips
Apostrophes in plurals. Plurals rarely need apostrophes: “two meetings,” not “two meeting’s.” The same goes for years in most styles: “the 1990s.”
Comma splices. Joining two complete sentences with only a comma (“The report is ready, I will send it today”) is a common error. Fix it with a period, a semicolon, or a conjunction: “The report is ready, and I will send it today.”
Missing commas after introductory phrases or in lists. “After the meeting we sent the notes” is understandable, but a comma after “meeting” often helps. In lists, choose a style (with or without the final serial comma) and stay consistent.
Overusing exclamation points and ellipses. A few can add warmth; many look unsteady or overexcited. The same holds for ALL CAPS, which readers often take as shouting.
Sentence-level slips
Dangling and misplaced modifiers. “Walking into the office, the printer was broken” suggests the printer was walking. Rewrite so that the subject matches: “When I walked into the office, I saw that the printer was broken.”
Subject-verb disagreement. This is more likely when a long phrase separates them: “The list of requirements are long” should be “is long,” because the subject is “list.”
Shifting tense or point of view. Switching between past and present, or between “we” and “you,” without reason can confuse readers. Choose one and hold it unless the meaning changes.
Unclear pronouns. “Tom told Ben he had missed the deadline” leaves it unclear who missed it. Name the person when there is any doubt.
Parallel structure. Items in a list should have the same form: “reviewing the draft, sending feedback and attending the call” rather than “reviewing the draft, to send feedback and the call.”
Style slips
Style slips are not strictly errors, but they distract.
- Filler and hedging. Words such as “very,” “really,” “just,” “basically” and “I think that maybe” dilute your message. Cut them where they add nothing.
- Jargon and buzzwords. Phrases that signal activity without meaning can feel empty. A plainer alternative is nearly always available, as discussed in plain language.
- Inconsistent formatting. Mixed fonts, uneven bullet styles and irregular capitalization look careless in longer documents.
- Inconsistent spelling conventions. Switching between American and British spelling inside one document is noticeable. Pick one and apply it.
- Overly long sentences. If readers must reread a sentence to follow it, split it.
- Unexplained abbreviations. Spell out an abbreviation the first time unless every reader knows it.
- Names and titles. Misspelling someone’s name is one of the most noticeable slips. Check it against their signature or profile.
How to catch slips
- Wait before proofreading. A pause of even a few minutes helps you see what is on the page rather than what you intended.
- Read aloud. Your ear catches missing words and awkward rhythm.
- Change the view. Increase the font size or print the page. A new look makes familiar text look unfamiliar.
- Read backward by sentence. Starting from the last sentence helps you focus on each one without following the story.
- Use tools wisely. Spell checkers and grammar tools catch many errors but also make wrong suggestions and miss real ones. Treat them as a first pass, not an authority.
- Search for your known habits. If you tend to overuse a word or mix up a pair, search for it.
- Ask a second reader for anything important.
Our step-by-step approach to self editing places this kind of proofreading last, after content and structure have been settled. Polishing sentences you later delete is wasted effort.
Keeping perspective
Language rules also vary by context. Chat and text messages are informal, and some rules that apply to formal writing are relaxed there. Style guides sometimes disagree with each other. When in doubt, consider your reader and choose what will be clear to them.