GCSE English Language Revision — Proofreading & Accuracy
Revise Proofreading & Accuracy for GCSE English Language with a topic explanation, worked example and common mistakes. Check the board notes for specification differences.
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What is Proofreading & Accuracy?
Proofreading is the final stage of the writing process, where you carefully check your work for errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar (SPaG). Accuracy in these areas is crucial for clarity and for creating a positive impression on the examiner.
Board notes: Accuracy in spelling, punctuation, and grammar is explicitly assessed and rewarded in all writing tasks for all boards (AQA, Edexcel, OCR). It is a fundamental requirement for achieving a good grade.
Step-by-step explanationWorked examples
Worked example
A good proofreading technique is to use a ruler or your finger to read your work one line at a time. This forces you to slow down. Another technique is to read your work aloud (or mouth the words silently), as this can help you to spot sentences that are grammatically awkward or where punctuation is missing. Reading your work backwards can also help you spot spelling errors.
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Common mistakes
- 1Skipping the proofreading stage entirely because you run out of time. You must factor in 2-5 minutes for this at the end of each writing task.
- 2Reading through your work too quickly and missing careless errors. You need to read slowly and deliberately, focusing on one line at a time.
- 3Only checking for spelling mistakes. Proofreading should also involve checking your punctuation (especially commas and apostrophes) and grammar (e.g., subject-verb agreement).
Proofreading & Accuracy exam questions
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common errors I should look for?
The most common errors are: spelling mistakes with common words, incorrect use of homophones (there/their/they're), comma splices, and incorrect apostrophe use for possession and contraction.
How many marks are there for SPaG?
This varies by board and paper, but it is always significant. For AQA, for example, a large proportion of the marks for the writing questions are for technical accuracy. You cannot get a high grade without being consistently accurate.