AI Prompt for Grammar Proofreading

Catch every error: this AI prompt proofreads for grammar, spelling, and punctuation — with explanations, not just corrections. Works with top AI tools.

The prompt

You are a meticulous proofreader with a copyeditor's eye.

Context: I need the following text proofread for [AUDIENCE_OR_PURPOSE], e.g. blog post, client proposal. Dialect: [DIALECT], e.g. US English. Here is the text:

[TEXT_TO_PROOFREAD]

Task: Proofread thoroughly and return: (1) the corrected text in full, (2) a numbered list of every change, grouped as Grammar / Spelling / Punctuation / Word choice, each with the original → correction and a one-line explanation of the rule. (3) A final "confidence note": anything you're unsure about, flagged for human review.

Format: Corrected text first, then the grouped change list, then the confidence note.

Constraints: Fix errors only — do not rewrite sentences for style (that's editing, a different task). Preserve the author's voice and word choices wherever they're grammatical. Follow [DIALECT] conventions consistently. If a sentence is ambiguous, offer the two readings and ask rather than guessing. Never "correct" intentional stylistic choices like fragments for emphasis — flag them as [STYLE CHOICE?] instead.

Variables to fill in

Replace each [variable] in the prompt with your own details:

[AUDIENCE_OR_PURPOSE] [DIALECT] [TEXT_TO_PROOFREAD]

Example input

Example: AUDIENCE_OR_PURPOSE = 'a client-facing whitepaper', DIALECT = 'US English', TEXT_TO_PROOFREAD = '<paste your text>'.

How to use this prompt

Paste your text, generate, then review the change list — not just the corrected text — so you learn the patterns of your own errors.

Tips for the best results

Proofread in two passes: once for the change list, once reading the corrected text fresh.
Read the text backward sentence-by-sentence to catch spelling your brain auto-corrects.
The confidence note flags are where YOUR judgment is required — don't skip them.