Intentionally Mistaken: Cam You Catch All the Errors Hidden in Plain Sight?

(Word nerd warning: there are intentional errors in this post!)

Are you someone who notices every itty-bitty error when you’re reading? Do you fancy yourself a Grammar Guru, always ready to pounce on a misplaced comma or a misspelled word?

I’m definitely like that. Menu misspellings ruin my appetite; poor punctuation pains me; and I’ve even been known to change the channel over a badly-worded news chyron. I have an obsessive intolerance for typographical errors, and I can’t help but notice them. In fact, it led me to a freelance career as a proofreader.

So, I know what I’m talking about when I say that even the best proofreaders can make mistakes!

It’s true. Despite our best efforts to catch every little error, sometimes things slip through the cracks, and it can be embarrassing, frustrating, and inconvenient. As proofreaders, we strive for perfection—our clients depend on it—but mistakes can, and do, still occasionally happen.

In the spirit of embracing imperfection, ten errors have been intentionally hidden in the following short article. Can you spot them all?

​The Grammar Guru’s Guide to Proofreading

Are you tired of cringing at the sight of grammatical errors in your writing? Fear not, fellow wordsmiths, for the Grammar Guru is here to share their top tips for mastering the art of proofreading!

1. The frist thing to remember when proofreading is to take your time. Rushing through a document is a sure-fire way to make mistkaes.

2. It's imporant to read every word carefully, even if you think you know what it's supposed to say. You never know when a word might be misspelled, or a sentence might be missing a verb.

3. Another common error, is overusing commas, which can make your writing seem choppy, disjointed, and hard to follow.

4. Sometimes, you might even catch yourself repeating the same word over and over again. This can be particularly annyoing for readers who are trying to follow your train of thought.

5. And let's not forget about homophones, those pesky words that sound the same but have different meanings. It's easy to mix up "their," "there," and "they're," or "its" and "it's," even when you no the rules.

6. Apostrophe’s are another frequent source of errors. Whether it's forgetting to use one where it's needed or using one where it isn't, apostrophe mistakes can make your writing look unprofessional and careless.

7. Capitalization can also be tricky. Do you capitalize the names of seasons, such as “summer” and “winter”? How about the names of holidays, such as “christmas" and “Thanksgiving”? Knowing when to use capital letters is important for clear and consistent writing.

8. Punctuation marks like semicolons and dashes can add variety and interest to your writing; but they can also be confusing if used incorrectly.

9. Sometimes, errors can even creep in when your editing your own work. That's why it's always a good idea to have a second pair of eyes review your writing before you hit "publish."

10. Finally, remember that no one is perfect. Even the best writers and proofreaders make mistakes. So, embrace your errors, learn from them, and keep striving to improve your skills.

So, how did you do? It wasn’t as easy as it looked, right? Were you able to spot all ten errors? If not, don't worry, it might not be you—it might just be your brain helping you to better understand what you’re reading.

It does this by focusing on the overall meaning of what you’re reading, as opposed to just the structure of the words or the sentences.

It’s like a subconscious, mental auto-correct.

It’s hte raeson you are albe to udnrstnad this snetecne, eevn wtih all hte tpyogrhpacial msitkaes.

(You cannot even fathom how difficult it was for me to write that last line. *shudders*)

And it’s the reason you may not have found all the errors hidden by the Grammar Guru!

Just as it is in life, making mistakes is a natural part of the writing process—even for experienced writers—which is why careful proofreading is so important! Nobody’s perfect, but a proofreader’s client expects them to be as close to it as they can possibly be.

The Grammar Guru’s Guide to Proofreading may have been an enjoyable exercise but it’s actually a true guide that outlines tips and some of the most common issues proofreaders encounter every day! I hope you had as much fun completing the exercise as I did creating it!

Click here for a rundown of the errors!

Error Enabler (Less than 3 errors found): Well, look who we have here - an Error Enabler! We envy your ability to breeze through life without getting bogged down by pesky mistakes. Keep your red pen and magnifying glass handy, though, and who knows? You might just surprise us all and become a Grammar Guru one day!

Proofreading Prodigy (4-7 errors found): Well done you Proofreading Prodigy! Your eagle-eyed attention to detail is truly impressive, and you’re already a force to be reckoned with. So keep honing your skills and flexing those proofreading muscles, and you’ll soon be a full-fledged Grammar Guru!

Grammar Guru (8 or more errors found): Bravo! You are a true Grammar Guru! You caught more errors than a typographical terminator, leaving no grammatical stone unturned and proving your linguistic prowess! Your keen attention to detail is an inspiration. We bow down to your grammatical greatness!

Freelancing isn’t for everyone but maybe it’s for you! Click here to subscribe to my email list and see how I’m doing it! Maybe you’ll be inspired ;)

Business stuff: Do you need my eagle eye? Click here for a proofreading quote!

Until next time dear readers, stay inspired and stay proofed!

Grammar Guru Answer Key