How do you proofread a piece under exam conditions to catch the errors that lower the AO6 mark?
Proofreading writing for accuracy under timed conditions (AO6), reserving time to check spelling, punctuation and sentence boundaries on every writing task and correcting the common errors that lower the accuracy mark.
How to proofread for accuracy under exam conditions in Eduqas GCSE English Language: reserving time on every writing task to check spelling, punctuation and sentence boundaries, knowing the common errors to hunt for, and protecting the AO6 marks that are worth a large share of the writing total.
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What this dot point is asking
AO6 rewards accurate spelling, punctuation and sentence control, and it is worth a large share of the writing marks on both components. The cheapest way to protect those marks is proofreading: reserving time on every writing task to check the work and correct errors. This dot point covers proofreading under timed conditions: reserving the time, knowing the common errors to hunt for, and checking efficiently. It matters on every piece, the creative task on Component 1 and both transactional tasks on Component 2. The transferable skill is a deliberate, prioritised accuracy check that recovers marks already earned.
Why proofreading protects marks
The accuracy marks are large and easy to protect.
Plan the time so that proofreading is not squeezed out. On Component 2's two tasks especially, reserve a couple of minutes per piece; a rushed second task with no check loses easy marks. Treat the proofread as part of the task, not an afterthought.
The common errors to hunt for
A targeted check beats a vague reread.
Knowing what to look for makes the check fast. The highest-value targets are sentence boundaries (comma splices and fragments), apostrophes, and the spellings of the ambitious words you reached for, because these are both common and penalised. A focused pass on these catches most of the marks at stake.
An efficient method under time pressure
Read back slowly and in order.
Try this
Q1. Why are the last few minutes spent proofreading among the highest-value of the writing section? [2 marks]
- Cue. Because AO6 accuracy marks are a large share of the total and the errors are already on the page; catching them recovers marks that are otherwise lost.
Q2. List three common errors to hunt for when proofreading. [3 marks]
- Cue. Any three of: comma splices, missing or misplaced apostrophes, misspelled ambitious words, sentence fragments, missing full stops, mispunctuated direct speech.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas C700 (writing skill)8 marksWriting skill, applies to both components' writing tasks. Proofread a short passage and correct the errors in spelling, punctuation and sentence boundaries. Explain why this protects the AO6 mark. (Assesses AO6.)Show worked answer →
A skill question on proofreading, which protects the AO6 accuracy marks. A strong answer corrects the errors (a misspelling, a comma splice, a missing apostrophe, a sentence fragment) and explains that AO6 rewards accurate spelling, punctuation and sentence control, so catching these errors lifts the mark, while leaving them caps it. It notes that on both components every writing task carries AO6, so proofreading time should be reserved on each. Markers reward accurate writing; frequent uncorrected errors lower the band regardless of the ideas. The transferable point is that the last few minutes spent proofreading are among the highest-value of the writing section, because they recover marks that have already been earned and only need protecting.
Eduqas C700 (writing skill)8 marksWriting skill. List the common errors a student should hunt for when proofreading, and explain a method for checking accuracy efficiently under time pressure. (Assesses AO6.)Show worked answer →
A question about an efficient proofreading method. A strong answer lists the common errors (misspellings of ambitious words, comma splices, missing or misplaced apostrophes, sentence fragments, missing full stops, inconsistent tense or person, mispunctuated direct speech) and describes a method: read back slowly, ideally hearing the words in your head, checking sentence boundaries first (does each sentence start and end correctly?), then apostrophes, then spellings of the ambitious words. It stresses doing this on every writing task, not just the first. Markers reward accurate work; a quick, targeted proofread catches the errors that most lower the band. The lesson is that proofreading is a deliberate, prioritised check, not a vague reread, and it is worth reserving time for on each piece.
Related dot points
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Sources & how we know this
- Eduqas GCSE English Language (C700) specification — Eduqas (2015)