1. You and your

I don’t know why, but somehow we find it difficult to spot when ‘you’ has been used instead of ‘your’, and vice versa.

For example: ‘Add this to you list of services’. See what I mean? The ‘you’ doesn’t exactly jump off the page as an obvious error.

So, as extra proofreading check, hunt down every use of the word ‘you’, and every use of the word ‘your’ and make sure they are right.

2. Their, there and they’re

You already know that these are three different words with three different meanings. But the wrong usage of these words is a common mistake that slips through the proofreader’s keen eye.

3. Its and it’s

In fact, the incorrect use of apostrophes is an issue in itself. Look out for incorrect usage across contractions and possession – and try to stamp out the unnecessary use of them in plurals.

4. Affect and effect

If you aren’t certain about when to use ‘affect’ and when to use ‘effect’ identify every time they appear in the piece you are proofreading and check whether they are right as a specific task. Use a site like Grammarly or an English usage guide to help. (Two good English usage guides and Fowler’s and Longman’s. If you are a copywriter you should own and use a copy of each.)

5. Other words with similar spellings

The brain does a funny thing. If it’s expecting to see a word but sees another one that looks very similar, it seems to miss the difference. Some examples are:

• Current/Currant.
• Hoard/Horde.
• Mediation/Meditation.
• Personal/Personnel.

There’s no easy solution to this. Just be aware that computer spellchecks won’t spot these errors. You need to do a careful manual proofread.