Proofread past tense

Meaning of proofread

to read (text) in order to find errors and mark corrections.

Infinitive

Word: proofread /ˈpruːfriːd/

Examples:

1. I always proofread my essays before submitting them to ensure they are free from errors.
2. Our team proofreads each report carefully to maintain high-quality documentation.
3. She proofreads for a publishing company, spending her days correcting manuscripts.

Past Simple

Word: proofread /ˈpruːfˌrɛd/

Examples:

1. She proofread her essay meticulously before submitting it to the professor.
2. The editor proofread the manuscript for any grammatical errors over the weekend.
3. They proofread the contract carefully to ensure there were no discrepancies before signing it.

Past Participle

Word: proofread /ˈpruːfˌrɛd/

Examples:

1. The document had been thoroughly proofread by the editor before its publication.
2. All the essays must be proofread before the final submission.
3. The manuscript was proofread and corrected for any errors last night.

Learn more words on the go

Master verb forms with Promova!

Download the app

Bare infinitive

General fact or habitual action
Example. I always proofread my essays before submitting them.
Example. He proofreads for the magazine every Monday.
Scheduled event in the near future (often found in formal or academic contexts)
Example. I always proofread my essays before submitting them.
Example. He proofreads for the magazine every Monday.

Past Simple

Action completed in the past at a specific time
Example. She proofread her thesis last night.
Example. He always proofread his emails carefully before he retired.
Past habit
Example. She proofread her thesis last night.
Example. He always proofread his emails carefully before he retired.

Past participle

Perfect tenses (present perfect, past perfect, etc.) to show actions in relation to other times
Example. Present Perfect. I have proofread three chapters of my book today.
Example. Past Perfect. By the time the conference began, the team had proofread the entire report.
Example. The manuscript has been proofread by a professional.
Example. The proofread document was free of errors.
Passive voice, to describe an action done to the subject
Example. Present Perfect. I have proofread three chapters of my book today.
Example. Past Perfect. By the time the conference began, the team had proofread the entire report.
Example. The manuscript has been proofread by a professional.
Example. The proofread document was free of errors.
As an adjective
Example. Present Perfect. I have proofread three chapters of my book today.
Example. Past Perfect. By the time the conference began, the team had proofread the entire report.
Example. The manuscript has been proofread by a professional.
Example. The proofread document was free of errors.

Common mistakes

— 01

Adding an incorrect '-ed'

A common mistake with the word 'proofread' is trying to apply the regular past tense and past participle rule by adding '-ed' to the end of the word, resulting in 'proofreaded.' The correct past simple and past participle form of 'proofread' remains unchanged as 'proofread.' This error stems from the common inclination to regularize verbs by adding '-ed' for their past forms, without recognizing that 'proofread' is an irregular verb that does not change its form.

— 02

Mispronouncing past forms

Since 'proofread' maintains the same spelling in its base, past, and past participle forms, learners might mistakenly alter its pronunciation when using it in the past tense or as a past participle, expecting a different sound to indicate the tense change. However, the pronunciation remains /ˈpruːfˌrɛd/ for all its forms. This mistake underlines the challenge of English pronunciation, where unchanged spellings across tenses can lead to confusion about maintaining consistent pronunciation.

— 03

Confusing tenses

The fact that 'proofread' does not change form between the present, past, and past participle can lead to confusion regarding its tense usage in sentences. Learners might incorrectly use 'proofread' when another tense is required due to misunderstanding context cues or not realizing the verb form has remained the same. This error highlights a broader challenge with English verb tenses, particularly with irregular verbs that do not conform to standard patterns of tense change, leading to uncertainty about how to convey time accurately in verb usage.

Past tense quiz

Check your skills and find areas for improvement

Take quiz

Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'proofread'?

The past simple form of 'proofread' is 'proofread.' It is an irregular verb, and its past simple form does not follow the regular -ed ending pattern. For example, 'Yesterday, I proofread the documents for the meeting.'

What is the past participle form of 'proofread'?

The past participle form of 'proofread' is also 'proofread.' This verb is one of the few in English that maintains the same form across its base, past simple, and past participle forms. For instance, 'By the time the meeting started, I had already proofread all the documents.'

How do I use the past participle form of 'proofread' in a sentence?

The past participle form of 'proofread' is typically used in perfect tenses. For example, in the present perfect tense, you might say, 'I have proofread the article three times.' In the past perfect tense, a sentence could be, 'She had proofread the manuscript before submitting it.'

Can you give examples of sentences using 'proofread' in both the past simple and past participle forms?

Past Simple. 'Last night, I proofread my friend's thesis.' Past Participle (Present Perfect). 'I have proofread several chapters of the book so far.' Past Participle (Past Perfect). 'By the end of the week, she had proofread the entire document.' Remember, recognizing that 'proofread' remains unchanged in different tenses can help you use it correctly in both written and spoken English.