Proofreading Steps

2. Check the ends of every sentence.  Does every sentence end in a period, question mark or exclamation point, as appropriate?

3. Check commas.  Have you used commas correctly in your essay?  (See the section entitled "Punctuation Rules" for help.)

4. Check quotation marks.  Have you used quotation marks correctly?  (See "Punctuation Rules" for help.)

5. Check subjects and verbs.  Do your subjects and verbs agree in number (singular/plural)?

6. Grammar - Have you used correct grammar throughout the essay?

7. Check transitional words and phrases.  Have you used transitional words or phrases to connect your sentences?  (See the section entitled "Transitional Words/Phrases" for help.)

8. Verbs - Are all your verbs in the correct tense (time)?

9. Check your spelling. Using a spell checker helps, but sometimes it does not catch all the errors.  YOU are responsible for making sure there are no errors.

10. Check sentences for clarity.  Make sure you have not left out any words in a sentence.  We think faster than we write/type and sometimes we leave out words.

Once you have revised and proofread your draft, create a clean final copy.  Always check your final draft for errors before you hand it in!

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