practice proofreading test for employment

Proofreader

Basic Proofreading Test (Quiz)

By Ben Long

Have you been brushing up on your proofreading skills, or do you want to gauge where you're at? Our free proofreading test is perfect for you. This online proofreading test will get you ready for interviews, tests, and more.

• Proofreading tests are a great way to prepare for an upcoming school test or a job interview.
• Our free online proofreading test covers the major issues you can expect to see.
• Practicing common types of spelling and grammar questions is a great way to prepare for an upcoming proofreading quiz.

What does our free online proofreading test cover?

This English proofreading test covers all the main proofreading tasks: common grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. It helps you pay attention to details and refresh your knowledge. The test is 10 questions long and multiple choice, so it's easy to complete in a few minutes.

Proofreading test (10 questions)

1. choose the correct sentence:, 2. identify the error:.

Each of the players have their own water bottle.

3. Choose the correct sentence:

4. identify the error:.

The dress that she bought was different than the one she had before.

5. Identify the error:

She said, "I can't wait to go back"!

6. Choose the sentence with correct grammar and punctuation:

7. identify the error:.

The scientists published their results in several highly respected, journals.

8. Identify the error:

It's essential to bring your laptop home each day.

9. Choose the sentence with the correct punctuation:

10) identify the error.

Between you and I, this school has a few issues.

Extra quiz questions

Want a little more practice? Here are ten more questions to test your proofreading skills.

1. Identify the error:

The committee members were unable to reach a consensus.

2. Choose the correct sentence:

3. identify the error:.

I appreciate you taking the time to help my brother and I.

The chef cooked the meal quicker than usual.

5. Choose the correct sentence:

6. identify the error:.

Their house is further from the city than ours.

7. Choose the correct sentence:

The child said, "I seen a bird fly over the tree."

9. Choose the correct sentence:

10. identify the error:.

None of the students were late to class.

How to prepare for a proofreading test

Proofreading is a notoriously difficult task. Small errors with commas and spelling are enough to trip anyone up. Whether you're a student or looking for a job, these tips will help you ace any upcoming proofreading test:

• Study up on subject/verb agreement. Many proofreading tests will try to trip you up with questions pairing a singular subject with a plural verb (and vice versa.)
• Know how to use commas. Make sure to have a comma after each item in a list and between coordinating conjunctions.
• Try Hemingway Editor Plus's free online proofreader . This tool catches advanced spelling and grammar issues. It's a great way to double-check your work and to understand what types of edits to make.
• Practice common errors including when to use there, their, and they're. When to use it's vs. its is another common problem you'll see.
• Practice reading slowly and looking for minor issues.
• Use practice materials like our free proofreading quiz above.
• Try reading questions out loud. If something sounds off, there's a good chance it is incorrect.

How to pass a proofreading test

To pass a proofreading test, you'll need to demonstrate mastery over a range of spelling and grammar issues. Each test is different, so it's good to make a plan for your specific challenge:

Understand the test and format

• If possible, learn everything you can about the upcoming test. Will it be multiple choice, or will you have a document to edit? Will you need to use proofreading marks? Will the test be timed?
• Once you understand the test, try to mimic it as much as you can when preparing.

Read any given text slowly and carefully

• Proofreading tests typically ask users to catch small, easy-to-miss errors. Make sure you take it slow, reading each individual word without skimming.
• An old editor trick is to read the text backwards, going one word at a time. This can help you spot spelling errors by taking the focus off the meaning of the text.

Look for common issues first

• Many proofreading tests use the same types of questions. Make sure you have these down pat:
• Homonyms like their/they're/there and affect/effect
• Comma use and run-on sentences
• Misplaced modifiers and dangling participles
• Subject-verb agreement
• Consistent tense, tone and POV (point of view)

Take educated guesses where you can

• When taking a multiple-choice test, see if you can rule out any answers on tricky problems. Then, make your best guess among the remaining answers.
• If a multiple-choice question has two very similar answers, there's a good chance that the correct answer is one of them. Many test makers tend to use one answer that's close to the correct answer, one that's very far off, and then a "no error" option.

First, learn about the format of your upcoming proofreading test. Then, practice common spelling and grammar issues in a similar format.

Practice as much as you can in the lead-up, with an emphasis on common proofreading questions like subject/verb agreement.

What is a proofreading test?

A proofreading test is designed to test your mastery of common spelling and grammar issues. It often asks users to spot errors in sample sentences.

Try Hemingway Editor Plus

Hemingway Editor Plus fixes common writing issues like wordy sentences, passive voice, and more — with the click of a button.