Proofreading is Step 4 of the writing process.
Your child will check her paper for spelling and grammar errors in this step.
This is her final chance to polish off her paper.
Let’s look at what she should do.
The Writing Process Step 4: Proofreading
Checking for Spelling and Grammar Errors
Now your child can check his paper one last time for errors. Here is what he should look for:
- Are all words spelled correctly? (That includes homophones like their, there, and they’re)
- Do all of the sentences tell a complete thought? (Subject and predicate)
- Are there any run on sentences?
- Is word usage correct? (This includes checking subject-verb agreement)
- Are there capitalization errors?
- Is punctuation correct?
- Are there quotation marks around direct quotes from sources?
You might want to create a checklist from these questions, too. That way you can be sure that he checks for everything.
Proofreading on Paper
If your child wrote his essay on paper, he can use a colored pencil again to make these corrections.
Proofreading on Computer
I know that computers have spelling and grammar checkers. Some people like to let their kids use them. Others do not (these checkers can be temporarily disabled). Either way, they cannot be relied on completely because they typically don’t find errors with homophones like here and hear. Some people like to have the kids print off the papers and make corrections in pencil. You can decide for yourself what you would like your child to do.
Your child is one step closer to being done! Step 5 is the last one.
Many blessings,
