Proof-reading Skills: Review

1
Proof-reading Skills Review
2
Introduction

• Proofreading tests whether we are able to
  identify
• common grammatical errors
• easily confused words (e.g. practice VS practise)
• In this lesson, we are going to review
• How to correct mistakes
• Identify the types of mistake

3
How to correct mistakes

• The marking symbols change from time to time
• Read the instructions carefully
• Situation 1
• The word is wrongly spelt or used
• Underline it
• Write the correct one in the blank provided /
  above the mistake
• e.g. This envelop is too smaller. Have you got
  another one?
• Answer (smaller small)

4
How to correct mistakes

• Situation 2
• An extra word in the sentence
• Put a cross ? on it
• Write it in the blank provided
• e.g. Its time to go to home. See you tomorrow.
• Answer ( go ?to)

5
How to correct mistakes

• Situation 3
• A missing word
• Add a in the place where you want to insert a
  word and write it in the blank provided.
• e.g. My puppy is tired playing with the ball.
• Answer (tired after / of playing )

6
How to correct mistakes

• Situation 4
• No mistake
• Put a tick ? in the blank provided
• e.g. I completely agree with George. How about
  you?
• Answer (? )

7
Identifying types of mistakes

• Parts of speech (e.g. Preposition Noun)
• e.g. The audience are filled with excited
  (adj.).
• Answer (excitement) (noun)
• Sentence structure
• e.g. It is very cold that we have to switch off
  the air-conditioner.
• Answer (very - so)

8
Identifying types of mistakes

• Homonyms (words that sound the same)
• e.g. That department store is now on sail.
• Answer (sail - sale)
• Verb-to-be (is /were / being / been)
• e.g. The parents surprised that their kids
  could perform so well.
• Answer (parents were surprised )

9
Identifying types of mistakes

• Articles (a / an / the)
• e.g. She bought a expensive vase in the auction.
• Answer ( a an )
• Spelling
• e.g. This leaflet is published by the goverment.
• Answer (goverment government )

10
Identifying types of mistakes

• Gerunds (V-ing Noun)
• e.g. They enjoyed watch the new film.
• Answer (watch watching)
• Participles (V-ing/-ed Verb / Adjective)
• e.g. It is the first time David Copperfield has
  performing at the Hong Kong Coliseum.
• Answer (performing performed)

11
Identifying types of mistakes

• Phrasal verbs (Verb Preposition a new
  meaning)
• e.g. We have to call in the conference.
• Answer (in off)
• Nouns or verbs that have similar meanings but are
  used in different contexts (e.g. fast VS quick)
• e.g. After paying the school fare I did not have
  enough money for the concert.
• Answer (fare fee)

12
Exercise

• Proofread these sentences and make suitable
  correction without changing the meaning.
• 1. Apart from Henry, whose going?
• whose whos
• 2. Can you talk Cantonese or shall I
  translate?
• talk speak

13
Exercise

• 3. I am sure I can success in this job.
• success succeeded
• 4. My father is a man of strong principals.
• principals - principles

14
Exercise

• 5. Please take a sit and wait for a moment.
• sit seat
• 6. The fare from Hong Kong to Bangkok is
  2500.
• Correct

15
Exercise

• 7. I dont know where she is. May be she got
  lost.
• she has got
• 8. Hes much taller then I expected.
• then - than

16
Now, try to finish the rest of the exercise!!