The Read-Aloud Function: An Editor’s Best Friend

A few years ago, I worked for a company that required its editors to use the Read-Aloud function when editing articles. Before long, I realized how valuable it is to listen and read simultaneously for effective editing. Now it’s an indispensable tool in my editing arsenal.

What’s the Read-Aloud Function?

The Read-Aloud function is found on Microsoft Word’s Review tab. Place your cursor at the start of the paragraph you’d like to read, then hit the Read-Aloud button. Voilà! You can read and listen at the same time.

How Does Reading and Listening Help Editors?

Reading and listening simultaneously is known as immersive reading, and it works well because it engages multiple parts of your brain at once. Whether you’re an editor or a writer who’s editing their own work, you know that the brain tends to wander after a while (or fill in words that should be there but aren’t). Listening in addition to reading adds a layer to your comprehension and the ear alerts your eyes to things that don’t sound right—whether it’s the flow of words or a misspelling.

A book I was recently editing used the word chauffer when it should have said chauffeur. My French is rusty, so on first read I didn’t catch the misspelling. Luckily, the Read-Aloud pronounced chauffer—a portable stove with a grate at the bottom—as “choffer.” That piqued my ears, so I turned off the Read-Aloud and went to my dictionary. I found the correct spelling of chauffeur, made the correction, and my trusty Read-Aloud friend confirmed the pronunciation as “show-fur.”

The Read-Aloud function is also handy for catching pesky dropped letters (like when “you” should be “your” and the like) and missing words. I’ve lost count of the times the Read-Aloud function has helped me out.

Next time you’re editing something—whether it’s a novel or a business letter—try out the Read-Aloud function and let me know what you think.