You’ve finally
finished writing your essay for an IELTS practice test. You’ve deliberated over
your structure, double-checked your choice of words, and made sure you
addressed all the task points. You’ve
also reread your final work several times to pick out grammatical
inconsistencies. You’re positive that it’s error-free.
Unfortunately,
your essay is anything but error-free. Your online IELTS review instructor was quick to point out as such. Some of the
errors he/she identified are so obvious that you wonder how you missed them.
Why It’s Difficult to Pinpoint Your Own Typos
Believe it or not, failing
to pick up certain errors when you proofread your own work is actually a common
occurrence. Here’s why.
People have a tendency to
overlook grammar errors in their work because of their reflex subjectivity
toward their work. They “know” that everything they wrote is grammatically
correct. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have written it. So, when they do proofread
their work, they do so in a cursory manner. Make sure you don’t commit the same
mistake during your online IELTS review.
Now, that you know why
it’s difficult to catch your typos, let’s discuss…
What Most People Miss When They Proofread Their Own Work
Keep an eye out
for the following mistakes when your review your essays.
·
misspellings
·
inaccurate
pronouns
·
inappropriate
word choice
·
proper
nouns that are not capitalized4
·
uncountable
nouns that are written in “plural” form
·
missing
or incorrect punctuation
·
problematic
sentence structures
·
subject–verb
agreement inconsistencies
Want to find
out what other mistakes are often overlooked by IELTS exam takers? Enroll in an
IELTS training program. Can’t commit to a week-long review course? Avail a one-day IELTS review program instead. Here are some of
the tips that IELTS instructors teach their students.
·
Analyze
each sentence on its own.
·
Consider
your transition signals.
·
Take
note of your frequent grammar mistakes during your review period.
·
Read
from the last sentence backwards to trick your brain into believing that you’re
reading something new.
Take note: these are only
some of the proofreading strategies that IELTS coaches impart to their
students. If you want to learn more, you need to secure a training program. Enroll
in an online/center-based training program or a one-day
IELTS review course today!
References:
Clarke,
Chandra. “Common Grammar and Spelling Mistakes You Missed Even After
Proofreading,” Scribendi. Accessed October 1, 2018. https://www.scribendi.com/advice/common_grammar_and_spelling_mistakes_after_proofreading.en.html
Kolowich,
Lindsay. “Why Your Brain Lets You Make Grammar Mistakes (Even If You Know
Better.” Accessed October 1, 2018. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/why-your-brain-makes-grammar-mistakes
McClellan,
Leah. “Get Your Eagle Eye On: 10 Tips for Proofreading Your Own Work.” Accessed
October 1, 2018. https://writetodone.com/get-your-eagle-eye-on-10-tips-for-proofreading-your-own-work/
Stockton, Nick.
Wired. August 12, 2014. Accessed October 1, 2018. https://www.wired.com/2014/08/wuwt-typos/
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