Proofreading and Editing Flashcards
6 cards from real Writing and Editing practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Proofreading and Editing flashcards as text
What is the difference between proofreading and copyediting?
Answer: Copyediting focuses on grammar, style, and consistency; proofreading is the final check for errors before publication.
Copyediting addresses language at a deeper level, while proofreading is the last pass to catch remaining typos and formatting issues.
Which proofreading strategy helps catch errors that the eye tends to skip?
Answer: Reading the text aloud or backward, word by word
Reading aloud or backward forces the brain to process each word individually, catching errors that silent reading misses.
What is a 'widow' in typesetting and proofreading?
Answer: A single line of text left at the top of a new page or column from the previous paragraph
A widow is a short line stranded at the top of a page, separated from the rest of its paragraph.
What does 'stet' mean on a proofreading markup?
Answer: Let it stand — ignore the correction and keep the original.
'Stet' is a Latin term meaning 'let it stand,' used to cancel a previously marked correction.
Which symbol in traditional proofreading notation means 'delete'?
Answer: A delete mark (loop or line through text, sometimes with a tail)
The traditional proofreader's delete mark is a line through the text with a loop or 'd'-like tail.
When should a proofreader query the author rather than make a change?
Answer: When a sentence is unclear and a change might alter the intended meaning
Proofreaders query the author when a correction is uncertain or could change the author's intended meaning.