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Proofreaders use reference books to do their work since memorizing all the rules in several style guides, and hundreds of thousands of entries in dictionaries would be impossible.
Let’s discuss five indispensable reference books for proofreaders.
The Best Reference Books for Proofreaders
I recommend the following five books for proofreading US English.
1) The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition (CMOS)
If you’re going to work as a general proofreader, this is a must-have book.
CMOS is indispensable for proofreaders; you’ll be referring to it constantly.
Published by The University of Chicago Press, the first edition came out in 1906. CMOS is one of the most commonly used and esteemed style guides.
It’s also the most comprehensive style guide on the market and the gold standard for the book publishing industry.
I used this book when taking the General Proofreading: Theory and Practice™ course offered by Proofread Anywhere.
The index and outline provided with each chapter are invaluable for finding precisely what you’re looking for. My copy contains many dog-eared pages, and little red sticky flags pop up out of frequently referenced sections.
If you’d prefer to use CMOS online instead of (or in addition to) owning the book, please click here to see the current price. The Chicago Manual of Style Online offers individual users a free 30-day trial subscription.
One advantage of having an online subscription to CMOS is that you can access a user’s forum.
In the forum, subscribers (many of whom do proofreading or editing) share information and ideas.
I started with both the online version and a hardback. However, I’ve since left the online version behind in favor of using just the book. Deciding among these options is a matter of preference, so do whatever suits you.
You can purchase The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition, on Amazon.
2) Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition
If I could put one reference book for proofreaders on a pedestal, it would be CMOS.
However, if CMOS were to fall from lofty heights, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary would be my second choice. Of course, this choice is based on a suggestion by CMOS:
“A good dictionary is essential to a manuscript editor. Chicago recommends Webster’s Third New International Dictionary and the latest edition of its chief abridgment, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary; both are revised and updated online under the imprint of Merriam-Webster.”
– The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition
A dictionary designated by CMOS is the other must-have book for proofreaders.
You can use the Merriam-Webster dictionary for free here or pay for a subscription to Merriam-Webster Unabridged.
The unabridged version is free of ads and includes over 250,000 words unavailable in the free version.
You can also opt for a 7-day free trial to see if you’d be interested in the unabridged version in the long run.
Of course, you can purchase a hard copy of this dictionary on Amazon if you prefer.
Although I benefit from having a hard copy of CMOS, I prefer the unabridged dictionary online since I find it faster and easier to use. Again, this comes down to preference.
3) The Best Punctuation Book, Period
If you’re looking for a book that simplifies punctuation rules, The Best Punctuation Book, Period is your best bet. Written by June Casagrande, this book not only makes punctuation easy to understand but also covers punctuation rules across all four major style guides.
The author even put together a “Punctuation Panel” of professional copy editors to cover gray areas not addressed in the major style guides.
Casagrande is a grammar columnist and copy editor for the Los Angeles Times. She has experience as a proofreader and has taught copyediting for UC San Diego Extension. She’s also the author of several books related to grammar, syntax, and usage.
This book is divided into two parts. The first part addresses individual punctuation marks and how they are treated according to style. Casagrande designates a name to accompany each of the four primary style guides:
1) “book style” (follows The Chicago Manual of Style)
2) “news style” (follows The Associated Press Stylebook)
3) “science style” (follows the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association)
4) “academic style” (follows the MLA [Modern Language Association] Handbook)
She assigns a symbol to each of these four names and uses the symbols throughout the book to indicate the correct treatment whenever punctuation rules vary according to style. Clear explanations followed by relevant examples make this book easy to follow—despite dealing with so many details.
The second part of her book is an 82-page alphabetized list that tells you how to punctuate frequently used words according to style.
Finally, two appendices are included:
- 1st appendix: explains grammatical units (phrases, clauses, etc.)
- 2nd appendix: helps you identify parts of speech, which is necessary for proper punctuation
I benefited most from the chapters on apostrophes, hyphens, and commas.
One of my favorite features of this book is a reference list for how different style guides handle punctuation for titles of works (book series, book chapters, record albums, blogs, individual blog posts, etc.). I have a sticky red flag marking this section for quick reference.
This book is my go-to reference in conjunction with CMOS and Merriam-Webster’s. I refer to it so often that the front cover is full of creases and beginning to detach from the rest of the book. I recommend always having it on hand while proofreading.
You can buy The Best Punctuation Book, Period on Amazon.
4) Painless Grammar
Has it been a while since you laid eyes on a book about grammar or punctuation? Before starting the proofreading course I had signed up for, I needed a refresher on English grammar and mechanics.
I wanted to find an easy-to-read book that would help me brush up on the basics in a fun way, so I decided to bike to my local Barnes & Noble bookstore.
As I was browsing the English reference books section—iced café Americano in hand—a book called Painless Grammar, by Rebecca Elliott, caught my eye.
The front cover (of a previous edition) features a cat trembling in fear. Is grammar really that scary? Okay, maybe it is for some people. Truth be told, I was apprehensive about trying to relearn everything about grammar and punctuation that I had learned in school.
In the introduction, Elliott says that Painless Grammar is “a book for kids who want to learn to write well without atrophying their brains from boredom.”
Ha! Flipping through the pages, I could tell this book was infused with Elliott’s sense of humor. By “kids,” she’s referring to the middle and high school students for whom she wrote the book.
At the time, I felt my grammar knowledge was rusty at best, so I went straight to the cash register—iced café Americano and an on-my-level grammar book in hand.
At home, I preceded proceeded to poor pour pore over this book, which not only covers grammar and punctuation but also has a chapter on commonly misused words.
Full of straightforward real-life examples and “Brain Ticklers” to check your understanding, Painless Grammar covers a lot of ground.
Even though this book is for middle and high schoolers, I didn’t find it too simple. Instead, I found it incredibly helpful!
Although it doesn’t always follow the rules in CMOS, it comes close. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has been separated from their previous grammar and punctuation knowledge. 😉 It will get you back up to speed, and I promise it won’t hurt!
You can buy Painless Grammar on Amazon.
5) The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation is for you if you’re searching for a book that allows you to thoroughly assess your knowledge of English grammar and mechanics.
Containing 48 self-checking quizzes, you won’t be short on practice that’s well-suited to a proofreader. The Blue Book was written by Jane Straus, Lester Kaufman, and Tom Stern.
Straus was a best-selling author, esteemed educator, inspiring life coach, and sought-after speaker.
While preparing for a job teaching English to adults, she couldn’t find any resources that explained English rules clearly. Her dilemma provided the impetus to create this fantastic guide.
She succeeded in simplifying the complex because The Blue Book became a huge hit.
Straus also created a website to accompany her guide: GrammarBook.com. I think this website is one of the best sites to practice English grammar.
The website covers all the rules and examples from the book. It also provides 52 free quizzes and 4 free tests.
Although some overlap exists between the quizzes on the website and those in the book, the book quizzes are more comprehensive (they contain more questions). Finally, you can pay for an online subscription to obtain hundreds of additional quizzes.
The authors wrote this book following the top reference books on US English (CMOS, The Associated Press Style Book, and others). However, the book leans toward CMOS more than any other style guide.
Whenever the style guides differ on how to treat a particular element, the book gives choices depending on the writer’s purpose—noting that consistency is essential.
The guide includes chapters on grammar, punctuation, capitalization, numbers, and confusing words and homonyms.
Each chapter is divided into sections, and each section begins with a brief explanation of the topic. Then, applicable rules are stated in plain English and followed by examples that clearly illustrate the rules.
Special notes are emphasized throughout the book to alert readers to exceptions, tips, or additional knowledge.
My favorite part of this guide comes at the end, where you find the quizzes to check your understanding of each section. The quizzes are presented as follows:
- grammar pretest
- 26 grammar quizzes
- grammar mastery test
- pretest for punctuation, capitalization, and writing numbers
- 18 quizzes (covering pretest topics)
- mastery test (covering pretest topics)
Answers are provided for all quizzes.
Painless Grammar gives more detailed explanations of concepts and rules, but this book offers more practice to solidify your knowledge.
I recommend this book to anyone who needs more practice than is available on the GrammarBook.com website. This guide also fits the bill for anyone who, like me, is trying to limit screen time and prefers a tangible resource to one online.
You can purchase The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation on Amazon.
Additional Books You May Need as a Proofreader
I’ll leave links to the latest editions of the other three major style guides, and the style guide indicated for proofreading and editing British English. If you’re familiar with one or more of these guides, you can accept a wider variety of proofreading jobs.
Unlike the other books I recommend on this page, I don’t own the four style guides listed below.
However, they are books I trust since they’re the most widely used books for their specific purpose.
- The Associated Press Stylebook
- MLA (Modern Language Association) Handbook
- Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association
- New Hart’s Rules: The Oxford Style Guide (for UK English)
A Pair of Reference Books for Copy Editors
Since many proofreaders become interested in copyediting, I want to recommend a couple of books on this topic:
- The Copyeditor’s Handbook (written by Amy Einsohn and Marilyn Schwartz)
- The Copyeditor’s Workbook (written by Erika Bűky, Marilyn Schwartz, and Amy Einsohn)
The Copyeditor’s Handbook is comprehensive and arguably the best resource for copy editors.
The Copyeditor’s Workbook is the companion to the handbook and offers extensive copyediting practice.
I bought the two books together since I wanted the workbook. When I bought them, getting them as a set was cheaper. However, it’s now less expensive to buy them separately.
Since prices fluctuate, I’d encourage you to compare these options to get the best deal possible.
I highly recommend these books to anyone interested in becoming a copy editor.
Before I wrap up, I want to leave you with a witty quote that applies to copyediting.
“So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.”
– Dr. Seuss
I hope this article has given you useful information about the best reference books for proofreaders.
Best wishes to you!
“Today is your opportunity to build the tomorrow you want.”
– Ken Poirot
