Proofreading and Error Correction
The proofreading component checks whether you can compare your output against the source and classify what is wrong, not merely whether you can retype. In a copy-typing test you must reproduce the passage exactly, including any oddity in the original.
The error taxonomy
- Omission – a word, matra or punctuation mark missing.
- Addition – an extra word, a doubled letter, a stray space.
- Substitution – a wrong word or wrong character in place of the right one.
- Transposition – letters reversed (
recieve,formforfrom). - Spacing and case – missing space after a comma, double space, wrong capital. In Hindi add matra-level faults: wrong matra, missing halant in a conjunct, ं written for ँ.
A working method
Read the screen line against the source line, then read the source line alone and check the same line on screen - a two-pass comparison catches omissions that the first pass hides. For spelling, scan backwards so meaning does not fill in gaps. Check every numeral and date twice; they are the most frequently missed tokens.
Worked example
Source: Payment will be make through demand draft only, submitt the same within 7 days .
make→made: substitution, a full error.submitt→submit: addition of a letter, normally a half error in a long word.- Space before the full stop: spacing fault, half error. Reasoning: the word is still identifiable, so the spelling slip is graded lighter than the wrong verb form, which changes meaning.
Traps that cost marks
- Correcting the source because it looks wrong - that becomes an error against you.
- Fixing every error as you type instead of finishing the line; the interruption costs more speed than the repair saves.
- Overlooking errors that only appear after the font renders, such as a broken conjunct.