Proofreading by Ear Checklist

Last updated: January 2026

Listening to your writing exposes mistakes your eyes skim past. Read‑Aloud makes it easy to hear pacing, rhythm, and missing transitions. Use this checklist as a repeatable process: prep the text, run two listening passes, and finish with a quick style sweep so your document is ready to share.

Checklist

1. Clean formatting: Remove double spaces, fix broken line breaks, and ensure punctuation is consistent.
2. Read‑through for flow: Listen at 1.0x and note awkward phrasing, repeated words, and places where you stumble.
3. Clarity check: Highlight sentences with more than two commas. Simplify or split them.
4. Names and numbers: Confirm spelling of names, units, and dates. Listen slowly (0.9x) through lists or tables.
5. Headings and transitions: Make sure each section starts with a clear heading and that paragraphs connect logically.
6. Final consistency pass: Switch to a second voice and listen again, focusing on tone and style. Check that tense, capitalization, and terminology are consistent.

Common mistakes

• Skipping the slow pass: Fast listening hides missing articles and small typos.
• Ignoring headings: Without clear headings, your reader loses context. Add them before your final listen.
• Using only one device: If possible, do one pass on desktop and another on mobile to hear different voice behaviors.
• No break between passes: Take at least five minutes away so you can hear the text fresh on the second run.
• Not testing links: If your document has links, click a few while listening to ensure they work and make sense.
• Leaving placeholders: Tags like “TK” or “@@” vanish during listening. Search and replace them before your final pass.
• Forgetting numbers and units: Measurements often hide typos. Listen slowly through lists of numbers and confirm units match.
• Letting jargon pile up: If you hear three unfamiliar terms in one paragraph, rewrite for clarity or add a short definition.

Style and clarity checks

• Sentence length: Mark any sentence that takes more than one breath to read aloud. Split or simplify.
• Voice consistency: Ensure first/second/third person stays consistent within a section.
• Tone alignment: If the audio sounds abrupt between sections, add a short transition phrase.
• List hygiene: Check parallel structure in bullet lists. Listening makes mismatched verbs obvious.
• Reference hygiene: Call out figures and tables before discussing them so listeners know context.

Example workflow

1. Paste your draft into Read‑Aloud. Choose a neutral voice at 1.0x and listen while adding margin notes.
2. Rewrite any confusing sentences and fix typos you spotted.
3. Switch to a different voice at 0.9x. Listen again, focusing on headings and transitions.
4. Paste your final version once more and listen at 1.1x for pacing. Stop whenever the rhythm feels rushed.
5. Run a quick checklist against your style guide: tone, capitalization, and link accuracy.
6. Do a final micro-pass on numbers, names, and dates by slowing to 0.85x. This is where small typos usually hide.
7. Save a short “author’s note” by pasting your key revisions into Read‑Aloud so you can replay them before publishing.

FAQ

• Which voice should I use? Start with a clear neutral voice. Then try a second voice for your final pass. See the voice and speed guide for tuning.
• How long should the text be per pass? 400–800 words keeps the context fresh. For longer pieces, split into sections as in the long documents guide.
• Do I need special tools? No. Read‑Aloud runs in your browser. Use a simple note app for corrections and check Help if playback stalls.
• Can this help with resumes? Yes. Listening exposes jargon and run-on sentences. Add a shortcut for quick pausing while you edit.
• Should I listen on mobile? Mobile is fine for short pieces; for long edits, desktop is smoother. Compare both if you can.
• How do I share feedback? After listening, paste your bullet notes into a shared doc. Link teammates to the guides page so they can repeat the process.
• What if I’m short on time? Do a single 0.95x pass focused on headings, numbers, and calls to action. Plan a deeper review later using the Pomodoro workflow.

Keep improving your editing routine in the guides hub. Pair this checklist with the broader proofreading guide or combine with the Pomodoro workflow to prevent fatigue during revisions.