Proofreading Symbols

SymbolMeaningExample insert a comma apostrophe or single quotation mark insert something use double quotation marks use a period here delete transpose elements close up this space a space needed here begin new paragraph no paragraph

AbbreviationMeaningExample Ab a faulty abbreviationShe had earned a Phd along with her M.D. Agr See also P/A and S/V agreement problem: subject/verb or pronoun/antecedent The piano as well as the guitar need tuning. The student lost their book. Awk awkward expression or construction The storm had the effect of causing millions of dollars in damage. Cap faulty capitalizationWe spent the Fall in Southern spain. CS comma splice Raoul tried his best, this time that wasn't good enough Frag fragment Depending on the amount of snow we get this winter and whether the towns buy new trucks. | problem in parallel formMy income is bigger than my wife. P/A pronoun/antecedent agreement A student in accounting would be wise to see their advisor this month. R-O run-on sentence Raoul tried his best this time that wasn't good enough. Sp spelling errorThis sentence is flaude with two mispellings. STET Let it standIgnore any corrections placed here. WW wrong word What affect did the movie have on Sheila? She tried to hard to analyze its conclusion.

What Not to do in MLA Style Extra spaces Bold titles, or anything in bold Titles in caps Different fonts or font sizes Incorrect references: (p. 137) Overuse of quotation marks or italics Misuse of dashes Names of centuries in numbers: 21 st Dates: 25 th October, 2007 or Nov. 6 th, 2007 Incorrect headers, such as: Name-1-

Homonyms Which Witch is Which There, their, and they’re Your, you’re (and yore, for that matter) Two, too, and to Were, we’re Then, than (not really a homonym, but close enough to confuse)

Simple Mistakes “Being such rare opportunities, I am proud...” “Most people have at one point or another in their lives have felt ‘othered.’” “... my lessons books...” “The jokes lose their humor when they told hours later.” “I have spoke in English.” “I had spoke...” “In the society you and me belong to...” “The need to have ones values...”

Verb conjugations Mistakes I have found: “I find myself struggling with exchanges, which separates me from the majority.” “There is an endless amount of expectations to fulfill.” “Many get good marks in school and therefore is stereotyped as a nerd or a geek.” “The buildings has to be kept clean.”

Unclear referents “It is believed...” “It is especially hard to find this when you’re in an environment where it is already handed to you by numerous people.” Pronoun agreement “It is hard for one to know every single detail attached to their culture.” “Like any young person who is growing into who they are going to be, they struggle with their own identity.” “People do not expect someone to spend all of their time...”

Semicolons “What this means is basically any time when a person feels as though he or she does not belong; like the majority of individuals present are of a totally different group than himself.” “I believe the causes for this are twofold; one because...” (a semicolon is not a colon) Cranking the engine “For me being a teenager I feel...” “I, myself...” Lacking clarity “... are propagating exactly what they are discriminating towards me for.”