Proofreading means examining your text carefully to find and correct typographical errors and mistakes in grammar, style, and spelling.

It means carefully checking for errors in a text before it is published or shared. It is the very last stage of the writing process, when you fix minor spelling and punctuation mistakes, typos, formatting issues and inconsistencies.

Proofreading is essential for any text that will be shared with an audience, whether it’s an academic paper, a job application, an online article, or a print flyer.

Proofreading vs. editing

Editing and proofreading are different steps in the process of revising a text. Editing can involve making major changes to content, structure and language, but proofreading focuses only on minor errors and inconsistencies.