Typos might be the easiest mistakes to catch while proofreading, but they’re far from the only culprits that can derail your message.
A misplaced comma, unverified information, or even an awkward sentence can make your work look or sound amateurish.
The worst part? You usually don’t catch these mistakes until after you’ve hit ‘publish’.
But worry not! Every writer has been there. It’s practically a rite of passage.
The good news is, you can catch these errors before the draft hits the interwebs. All it takes is a little extra time and a solid proofreading strategy.
That’s why I’ve compiled this checklist of tried-and-true proofreading tips from the best writers and some personal preferences.
Let’s check them out and make sure your content is as polished as possible before it goes live!
1. Take a break after writing
After finishing a piece, resist the temptation to jump right into proofreading.
Take a step back. Your brain is still too familiar with what you’ve just written, making it easy to skim and miss out on mistakes.
Instead, take a well-needed break.
Ideally, taking a day’s break would be best. But that’s not always realistic in a fast-paced content environment (where you have deadlines to meet).
You can take a short break—an hour or two—to rest your brain.
Use that time to relax or focus on something else, then return with fresh eyes. You’ll be surprised at how those errors shriek at you like mandrakes.
2. Read your text out loud
Reading out loud works because speaking activates a different part of your brain. You’re seeing the words and hearing them, too.
When you read out text loud, it forces you to slow down and process each word carefully. You can easily catch awkward phrasing, missing words, or grammatical issues.
However, if you’re in a public, quiet space (or don’t want to get weird looks), try recording yourself and listening to the playback. Hearing your words can highlight mistakes you might have missed while reading silently.
Another great option is to have a friend or colleague read your content to you. Hearing someone else stumble over a sentence you wrote is a dead giveaway that it needs reworking.
Whichever option you choose, reading aloud can help you see your content from your readers’ POV.
3. Check one type of error at a time
Imagine you’re cleaning your room. Can you fix your bed, sweep, mop, arrange your shoe rack, and tidy up your wardrobe all at once?
Not unless you’re an automated Goro. You’d end up running in circles and exhausting yourself in the process.
The smarter way will be to tackle one task at a time.
Proofreading works the same way. You’ll likely overlook some if you try to catch every mistake in one go. Instead, break it down into stages.
Start with grammar and sentence structure. Do your sentences flow well? Are there any awkward constructions or missing words?
Then, move on to punctuation.
Do you have wrong comma placements or missing periods? After that, check for typos and spelling errors. Sometimes, our brains autocorrect familiar words, so slow down and read carefully.
Finally, review formatting and consistency. Are your headings uniform? Is your font size consistent?
Of course, you don’t have to follow this exact order—find a system that works for you.
However, by isolating different types of errors, you’ll ‘underload’ your brain to catch more mistakes than if you tried to fix everything at once.
4. Use a proofreading tool
Tools like Grammarly, Hemingway, and ProWritingAid are great for catching basic errors. They can help flag typos and extra spaces and suggest more precise ways to phrase your sentences.
But they’re not foolproof.
These tools often struggle with context, which means they might miss homophones (like “your” vs “you’re”) or flag things that aren’t actually errors.
Sometimes, they even suggest changes that make your sentence worse or change the context of what you’re saying.
Regardless, they’re a solid addition to your strategy.
So, use a proofreading tool as a first pass, but always do a manual review afterward. Your human brain is still better than any AI tool at catching nuance, tone, and meaning.
Check out some of the most essential tools that you will need as a technical content writer in the modern landscape.
5. Look for inconsistencies
Consistency matters more than you think. It’s one of those subtle things that, when done right, no one notices, but when done wrong, it sticks out like a sore thumb.
Are you capitalizing certain words in one paragraph but not in others? Are you using “capitalizing” in one sentence but “capitalising” in another?
Inconsistencies like these can make your writing look unpolished.
To catch them, create a simple style sheet to reference for preferred spellings, capitalization rules, and formatting choices.
If you’re working on a long document or multiple pieces of content, this will save you from second-guessing yourself later.
When in doubt, read your work with a critical eye. If something feels off, check to see if it matches the rest of your content.
If you follow a specific style guide (e.g., AP, Chicago, or your company’s in-house editing guide), make sure you apply it consistently.
6. Stop at every punctuation mark
Proofreading is about paying attention to little details that help your audience understand your message effortlessly.
And punctuation can make or break the clarity and readability of your content. A missing (or misplaced) comma can change the entire meaning of a sentence.
For example: “I invited my parents, J.K. Rowling and the Queen.” vs. “I invited my parents, J.K. Rowling, and the Queen.”
Do you see the difference? Without the (Oxford) comma, the first version sounds like J.K. Rowling and the Queen are my parents. With the comma, the second version clarifies that I invited three separate parties.
When proofreading, pause at every comma, period, apostrophe, quotation mark, etc., to ensure you’ve used them correctly.
Above all, reading aloud can also help you catch things that are out of context. Like a red light, you get to stop at any punctuation, assess, and proceed only when you’re sure the road is clear.
7. Check for transitions
You need to pay attention to areas where your writing feels disjointed.
Does it feel like you suddenly jumped from one topic to another? Does a paragraph end on one thought while the next starts with something entirely different?
If your readers have to pause and mentally bridge the gap themselves, your transitions need work.
To improve the flow, a subtle tweak in sentence structure or an extra explanatory phrase does the job.
For example, you can:
- Use linking words and phrases such as “additionally,” “on the other hand,” or “as a result” to clarify relationships between ideas.
- Pose a question at the end of a sentence if the next section answers a question.
- Echo key ideas by repeating a word or an earlier concept to create a natural connection.
8. Check for repetition:
Certain words tend to sneak into our writing more than we realize.
You might be discussing marketing strategies, and before you know it, you’ve used “effective” in every other sentence—effective campaign, effective strategy, effective tools.
At first, it seems fine. But by the third or fourth repetition, your writing starts to sound robotic.
Instead, switch things up with synonyms that best fit the context. A little variety keeps your writing fresh and engaging.
Beyond single words, repeated phrases weigh your writing down, too. If every other paragraph starts with “Another important point is…” or “It’s important to remember…,” your readers will skim past it because they’ve already seen that structure.
Moreover, another subtle form of repetition is restating the same idea in slightly different words. It happens when you try to emphasize a point but end up overexplaining.
So, when proofreading, be ruthless about cutting redundant words and phrases. Aim for crisp, compelling, and easy-to-read content.
9. Read backward, sentence by sentence:
Read backward? How does that even work?
It may sound strange, but it’s actually an incredibly effective proofreading trick.
Here’s how it works: instead of reading your text from beginning to end like you normally would, you start with the last sentence and work your way backward to the first, sentence by sentence.
This technique works because it disrupts your brain’s natural reading flow.
When you read normally, your mind anticipates meaning and fills in gaps, which makes it easier to skip mistakes.
But when you read from the back, your brain isn’t focused on the overall narrative. It zeroes in on individual sentences, forcing you to zero in on each word and spelling.
Besides, reading in reverse is useful when you’re on a tight deadline and don’t have the luxury of stepping away before proofreading. It gives your brain that “fresh eyes” perspective.
Yes, it might feel unnatural at first, but the reward is worth the hassle.
10. Verify names, dates, and facts
Fact-checking isn’t reserved just for journalists. If you want people to take your work seriously, get your facts right.
Don’t assume you’re right if you’re quoting a statistic, referencing a brand name, or mentioning a person. Double-check the accuracy.
A small typo or factual mistake can hurt your credibility. After all, “Bang & Olufson” is not the same as “Bang & Olufsen,” and “Fedex” is not the same as “FedEx.”
When proofreading, keep a Google search tab open and verify the correct spelling of names, places, and company names.
If you’re unsure about a date or a statistic, confirm it with a reliable source. Uncertain about the spelling of a company’s name? A quick Google search will rescue you from this dilemma.
Remember links. If you’re referencing an external source, click the link to make sure it works and leads to the correct information.
11. Simplify long and complex sentences
Long, complex sentences can make your content harder to read. This is another error you can pick out from reading out loud.
If you find yourself running out of breath while reading a sentence, it’s probably too long for the reader. Or if a sentence has too many commas or semicolons, it’s time to trim it.
Try breaking long sentences into two or more shorter ones. Shorter sentences improve readability and make your message clearer.
Also, look for unnecessary words, redundant phrases, or overly technical terms that you can replace with something simpler.
Your goal is to be understood. And trust me, your readers will appreciate the clarity.
12. Scrutinize hyperlinked text
Hyperlinks are usually a different color from the rest of your writing, yet we mostly skip them when proofreading.
If your content includes hyperlinks, don’t just assume they’re correct—click on them and test them. Make sure they’re not broken or incorrect to avoid frustrating your readers and hurting your credibility.
Next, ensure your anchor text is descriptive. Instead of “click here,” use something more meaningful like “check out this guide.”
This makes your content more accessible, improves SEO, and improves the reader’s experience.
13. Get a second pair of eyes
Yes, you’ve read your content a dozen times. You’ve rewritten sentences, adjusted punctuation, and even run it through a proofreading tool.
However, for extra caution and as a two-factor authentication, have someone else review your content.
No, your reviewer doesn’t have to be a professional editor. A colleague, a friend, or even a family member can take on the job. What you’re after is a fresh human perspective.
You can give them specific instructions to make their feedback more useful. Depending on the content type, ask them to focus on clarity, tone, grammar, or technical accuracy.
The more guidance you provide, the more thorough and valuable their review will be.
This might be controversial, but your second pair of eyes might also be an AI-powered solution like Undetectable AI. This tool can help you adjust the tone or complexity of sentence fragments.
Read our review of Undetectable AI, focusing on all the key features as well as actual implementation for guaranteed content humanization.
RoninPoint Services For Content Proofreading
Proofreading is a crucial step in producing high-quality content. A polished, error-free article boosts your credibility and improves readability and engagement.
By following the proofreading tips in this article, you’ll catch those avoidable goofs, tighten up your writing, and present your content in the best possible light.
And if you need external help, don’t hesitate to reach out to us right away. Our experts will go through your content with a microscope to ensure everything is in order.
Who wrote this?
Joanna is a versatile content writer with a knack for creating helpful content that resonates with others. When she’s not typing away, she finds solace in quiet moments, music, and cinematography videos. She believes she has an untapped well of creativity inside her and she’s willing to dig deep to fetch it out.
- Joanna Alihttps://roninpoint.com/author/joanna/
- Joanna Alihttps://roninpoint.com/author/joanna/
- Joanna Alihttps://roninpoint.com/author/joanna/
- Joanna Alihttps://roninpoint.com/author/joanna/
