How to Proofread Sentences

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.

Proofreading Checklist

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. 📣

Let’s Practice!

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. 🎉