What does “Proofread carefully” mean in essay feedback?

Your essay has typos, missing words or slips that a final read would catch. Each is small, but together they distract the marker and can blur your meaning. Proofreading is a separate job from editing: do it last, and slowly.

Isn’t spellcheck enough?

No. Spellcheck misses real words in the wrong place, like “there” for “their” or “decreases” for “increases”, and those are often the slips that matter.

Do markers take marks off for each typo?

Not usually. But frequent slips tend to lower the mark for presentation and clarity, and can make your argument harder to follow.

Can someone else proofread my essay?

Often, for spelling and grammar, but check your university’s proofreading policy first. Many limit what someone else can change.

“Proofread carefully” feedback: what it means and how to fix it

What it looks like

An example from Biology.

As marked

As temperature rises, enzyme’s and substrates collide more often, so the rate of reaction decreases. Above the optimum, there active sites change shape and the substrate no longer fits.

Stray apostropheWrong word, wrong meaning“There” for “their”

Fixed

As temperature rises, enzymes and substrates collide more often, so the rate of reaction increases. Above the optimum, their active sites change shape and the substrate no longer fits.

Plural, no apostropheMeaning restoredRight word

Why markers write it

Markers read many scripts in a row, and errors interrupt them. A few typos rarely change a mark, but they suggest the work was rushed, and a slip that changes your meaning, like “decreases” for “increases”, can cost marks for accuracy. Most UK marking criteria include clarity of expression, so frequent errors usually count against you somewhere.

How to fix it in your next essay

1Leave a gap before proofreadingFinish the draft, then wait, ideally a day. You’ll see what you wrote, not what you meant.
2Read it aloudReading aloud, or using text-to-speech, slows you down enough to catch missing words and clumsy sentences.
3Keep a list of your usual slipsMost people repeat the same few errors. Search your draft for yours: its/it’s, there/their, affect/effect.

How much it costs

A handful of typos rarely moves a mark much in UK schemes, but frequent errors usually count against clarity and presentation, and slips that change your meaning can cost accuracy marks too.

Other ways markers say it

“Careless errors”
“Check your spelling and grammar”
“Needs proofreading”
“Typos”
“Sloppy presentation”

Often written alongside

Referencing is inconsistent Too informal Doesn’t flow

Common questions

Isn’t spellcheck enough?: No. Spellcheck misses real words in the wrong place, like “there” for “their” or “decreases” for “increases”, and those are often the slips that matter.
Do markers take marks off for each typo?: Not usually. But frequent slips tend to lower the mark for presentation and clarity, and can make your argument harder to follow.
Can someone else proofread my essay?: Often, for spelling and grammar, but check your university’s proofreading policy first. Many limit what someone else can change.

“Proofread carefully”: what your marker means