Copyediting and proofreading practice questions

About this practice suite

This suite prepares candidates for copyediting and proofreading selection in the media, communications, language, and creative operations sector with 5 skill areas: error detection, written communication, data checking and clerical accuracy, attention and concentration and reading comprehension. Every question was written by Novus editors for this suite (none are taken from live or leaked exams), and the full bank holds 52 scored questions across three modes, plus 8 reserve questions used to vary repeat attempts. Answer keys never ship to the browser: your answers are scored server-side, and results stay on your device.

Skills this suite practises

• Error detection: Comparing strings, records, transactions, forms, and data for mistakes.
• Written communication: Grammar, vocabulary, sentence correction, clarity, tone, proofreading, and workplace writing.
• Data checking and clerical accuracy: Matching, filing, coding, record checking, and identifying discrepancies.
• Attention and concentration: Sustained focus, selective attention, and accuracy under time pressure.
• Reading comprehension: Understanding passages, instructions, policies, technical material, and workplace documents.

Sample questions from the guided bank

Two of the 10 guided-practice questions, shown exactly as they appear in a session. Answers and explanations are not printed here, because keys stay on the server. Open guided practice to answer them and see how you did.

1. Copyediting for publishable media copy primarily aims to:

   • A. Rewrite the reporter’s voice into marketing slogans
   • B. Enforce style consistency, grammar/punctuation accuracy, and clarity without inventing facts
   • C. Only check email tone for office memos
   • D. Add legal citations for every noun

2. A draft uses both “advisor” and “adviser” for the same role. House style picks one. Best?

   • A. Leave both for variety
   • B. Pick randomly per paragraph
   • C. Standardize to the house-style spelling throughout the piece
   • D. Delete all mentions of the role

Practice modes and timing

Guided practice is untimed-feeling and instructional; the mini-test is a short timed check; the full simulation mirrors a complete sitting. All three draw on separate question sets, so moving up a mode never repeats what you practised.

Study outline

Read the study outline for this suite’s skills, timings, and recommended lessons on one printable page, or take the full study guide away as a PDF, a spreadsheet, plain text, or HTML. Each download contains every skill’s complete lesson, not a list of links.

• Download full study guide (HTML) Opens in any browser, works offline.
• Download full study guide (PDF) Paginated, print-ready, opens anywhere.
• Download full study guide (CSV (spreadsheet)) Opens in a spreadsheet, one row per item.
• Download full study guide (Plain text) Plain text for notes apps and screen readers.