Proofreading

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Proofreading

• INTRODUCTION TO SKILL ANALYSIS
• This type of proof-reading exercise reflects your
  ability to write grammatically accurate
  sentences.
• This pattern of test demands a great deal of
  alertness and awareness in grammar and usage. The
  emphasis lies mainly on accuracy and the ability
  to spot errors and make appropriate changes in
  spellings, tenses, prepositions and punctuation.
• This serves a utilitarian purpose because you
  might be asked to proof-read articles, notes or
  documents in either your particular field of
  study or work, and identify and correct mistakes.

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Proofreading

• INTRODUCTION TO SKILL ANALYSIS
• This type of proof-reading exercise reflects your
  ability to write grammatically accurate
  sentences.
• This pattern of test demands a great deal of
  alertness and awareness in grammar and usage. The
  emphasis lies mainly on accuracy and the ability
  to spot errors and make appropriate changes in
  spellings, tenses, prepositions and punctuation.
• This serves a utilitarian purpose because you
  might be asked to proof-read articles, notes or
  documents in either your particular field of
  study or work, and identify and correct mistakes.

3
Common Errors

• -spelling.
• -the use of tenses.
• -the use of articles (a/an/the).
• -the use of prepositions.
• -subject and verb agreement, i.e. a singular
  subject takes a verb in the singular and
  a plural subject takes a verb in the plural.
• -the use of active and passive voices.
• -the use of adjectives and adverbs. As a general
  rule, adjectives are used with nouns and they are
  preceded by the verb to be when they are not used
  with nouns, whereas adverbs are used with other
  adverbs or with adjectives.
• -extra words or missing words.
• -the inappropriate use of words

4
Common Errors

• -spelling.
• -the use of tenses.
• -the use of articles (a/an/the).
• -the use of prepositions.
• -subject and verb agreement, i.e. a singular
  subject takes a verb in the singular and
  a plural subject takes a verb in the plural.
• -the use of active and passive voices.
• -the use of adjectives and adverbs. As a general
  rule, adjectives are used with nouns and they are
  preceded by the verb to be when they are not used
  with nouns, whereas adverbs are used with other
  adverbs or with adjectives.
• -extra words or missing words.
• -the inappropriate use of words

5
Common Errors

• -spelling.
• -the use of tenses.
• -the use of articles (a/an/the).
• -the use of prepositions.
• -subject and verb agreement, i.e. a singular
  subject takes a verb in the singular and
  a plural subject takes a verb in the plural.
• -the use of active and passive voices.
• -the use of adjectives and adverbs. As a general
  rule, adjectives are used with nouns and they are
  preceded by the verb to be when they are not used
  with nouns, whereas adverbs are used with other
  adverbs or with adjectives.
• -extra words or missing words.
• -the inappropriate use of words

6
Common Errors

• -spelling.
• -the use of tenses.
• -the use of articles (a/an/the).
• -the use of prepositions.
• -subject and verb agreement, i.e. a singular
  subject takes a verb in the singular and
  a plural subject takes a verb in the plural.
• -the use of active and passive voices.
• -the use of adjectives and adverbs. As a general
  rule, adjectives are used with nouns and they are
  preceded by the verb to be when they are not used
  with nouns, whereas adverbs are used with other
  adverbs or with adjectives.
• -extra words or missing words.
• -the inappropriate use of words

7
Common Errors

• -spelling.
• -the use of tenses.
• -the use of articles (a/an/the).
• -the use of prepositions.
• -subject and verb agreement, i.e. a singular
  subject takes a verb in the singular and
  a plural subject takes a verb in the plural.
• -the use of active and passive voices.
• -the use of adjectives and adverbs. As a general
  rule, adjectives are used with nouns and they are
  preceded by the verb to be when they are not used
  with nouns, whereas adverbs are used with other
  adverbs or with adjectives.
• -extra words or missing words.
• -the inappropriate use of words

8
Common Errors

• -spelling.
• -the use of tenses.
• -the use of articles (a/an/the).
• -the use of prepositions.
• -subject and verb agreement, i.e. a singular
  subject takes a verb in the singular and
  a plural subject takes a verb in the plural.
• -the use of active and passive voices.
• -the use of adjectives and adverbs. As a general
  rule, adjectives are used with nouns and they are
  preceded by the verb to be when they are not used
  with nouns, whereas adverbs are used with other
  adverbs or with adjectives.
• -extra words or missing words.
• -the inappropriate use of words

9
Common Errors

• -spelling.
• -the use of tenses.
• -the use of articles (a/an/the).
• -the use of prepositions.
• -subject and verb agreement, i.e. a singular
  subject takes a verb in the singular and
  a plural subject takes a verb in the plural.
• -the use of active and passive voices.
• -the use of adjectives and adverbs. As a general
  rule, adjectives are used with nouns and they are
  preceded by the verb to be when they are not used
  with nouns, whereas adverbs are used with other
  adverbs or with adjectives.
• -extra words or missing words.
• -the inappropriate use of words

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Checklist for proof-reading

• 1.    Check the spelling of each word, especially
  long words,
• altogether VS alltogether
• explanation VS explaination
• furthermore VS futhermore
• government VS goverment
• maintenance VS maintainence
• particularly VS particulary
• undoubtedly VS undoubtly
• weaponry VS weaponary

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Checklist for proof-reading

• 1.    Check the spelling of each word, especially
  long words,
• altogether VS alltogether
• explanation VS explaination
• furthermore VS futhermore
• government VS goverment
• maintenance VS maintainence
• particularly VS particulary
• undoubtedly VS undoubtly
• weaponry VS weaponary

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2.    Beware of commonly confused words in
misused form

• e.g. to Vs too
• no VS not
• its VS its
• forth VS fourth
• pass VS past
• quite VS quiet
• than VS then
• though VS through VS thorough VS thought

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3. Note the spelling of commonly confused parts
of speech

• advise VS advice
• practise VS practice
• confident VS confidence
• convenient VS convenience
• coincident VS coincidence
• complain VS complaint
• extend VS extent
• lose VS lost VS loss

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4. If the noun is plural, use the correct plural
form

• Criterion VS criteria
• memorandum VS memoranda
• phenomenon VS phenomena
• life VS lives VS lifes
• shelf Vs shelves VS shelfs
• belief VS believes VS beliefs

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4. If the noun is plural, use the correct plural
form

• Criterion VS criteria
• memorandum VS memoranda
• phenomenon VS phenomena
• life VS lives VS lifes
• shelf Vs shelves VS shelfs
• belief VS believes VS beliefs

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5. Keep your eyes on some commonly used nouns
that have no plural form

• accommodation, advice, assistance, baggage,
  behaviour, breakfast, conduct, congestion,
  co-operation, dinner, education, entertainment,
  equipment, evidence, food, furniture, health,
  homework, information, knowledge, labour, litter,
  luck, luggage, lunch, machinery, medicine, money,
  news, pollution, practice, progress, research,
  rubbish, scenery, staff, transport, trouble,
  vocabulary, weaponry, speed, class work, work

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6. A An

• Note that we never use the article a or an
  before these nouns instead, we place other words
  of classifiers before or after them to form the
  singular or the plural.
• e.g. Believe me! This is a piece of good advice.
• In Hong Kong at night, you can find many
  different forms of entertainment in red-light
  districts.
• According to numerous research projects
  conducted by experts, vitamins can help to fight
  cancer.
• The government should send a member of
  staff to check the situation and do something
  about it.

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• 7.      Note that the singular and the plural of
  some nouns like means, series, species have the
  same form
• e.g. He has tried every means to catch her, but
  in vain. All these means are not applicable.
• The first series is very boring, but
  the later series are extremely breath-taking.
• There are numerous species of herbs,
  but which species is the most toxic?

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• 8.      Be alert on the difference in meaning
  between the singular form and the plural form of
  some nouns,
• air(s), arm(s), ash(es), brain(s),
  custom(s), damage(s), glass(es), ground(s),
• manner(s), paper(s), people(s), time(s),
  water(s), work(s), youth(s)
•  
• e.g. He lost an arm in the accident.
• The rebels took up arms fighting
  against the government.
• The typhoon did great damage to the
  building. Will the insurance company pay for
  the damages?
• I will not appreciate the manner
  that you adopt.
• The student has no manners at all.
• She has written down the message on
  a piece of paper.
• The tourist shows his papers at the
  Customs.

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• Sometimes, inappropriate word choice occurs in
• e.g. famous thief VS notorious thief
• interesting meal VS delicious meal
• beautiful manner VS handsome manners