Resume Grammar Check: How to Find Spelling and Grammar Mistakes in Your CV

CorrectNow Editorial Team · 5 min read

A resume, or CV, is written in a compressed style: short bullet points, no full sentences, lots of names, dates and job titles. That style has its own common mistakes, and some of them are not caught by a basic spell check.

This guide shows what to look for in a resume grammar check, from verb tenses to the spelling of the software you list.

Use verb tenses consistently

The usual convention is simple: describe your current job in the present tense and past jobs in the past tense. Whatever you choose, apply it consistently within each role.

A common slip is the verb lead. Its past tense is led, not lead, and the error is easy to miss because lead is also a real word.

  • Incorrect: Lead a team of five engineers on a two-year project (previous role). – Correct: Led a team of five engineers on a two-year project. (The past tense of lead is led.)
  • Incorrect: Managed the store budget and trains new staff (previous role). – Correct: Managed the store budget and trained new staff. (Keep both verbs in the past tense for a past job.)

Make bullet points parallel

Each bullet under a role should start the same way, usually with an action verb. Mixing verbs, nouns and phrases like “responsible for” makes the list harder to scan.

  • Incorrect: Managed client accounts. Responsible for weekly reports. Training of new interns. – Correct: Managed client accounts. Prepared weekly reports. Trained new interns. (Each item now starts with a past-tense action verb.)

Spell names of tools, companies and qualifications correctly

Recruiters and screening software often look for exact names. Check the official spelling and capitalisation of every product, programming language and certification you list.

  • Incorrect: Advanced skills in Microsoft Excell and Powerpoint. – Correct: Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint. (Use the official spelling and capitalisation of product names.)
  • Incorrect: Built web pages using Javascript. – Correct: Built web pages using JavaScript. (The official name has a capital S.)

Check punctuation and formatting consistency

These details may seem minor, but a recruiter scanning many resumes notices when one entry looks different from the rest. Consistent formatting makes your experience easier to read and suggests the same care you would bring to the job.

  • Either end every bullet with a full stop or end none of them.
  • Use one date format throughout, for example Jan 2022 to Mar 2024.
  • Use the same type of dash or the word to between dates everywhere.
  • Capitalise job titles the same way in every entry.
  • Keep headings, fonts and spacing identical across sections.

Words that are often confused on resumes

  • Led and lead: led is the past tense.
  • Complement and compliment: skills complement each other.
  • Principal and principle: a principal engineer; a guiding principle.
  • Ensure and insure: you ensure quality; you insure property.
  • Personal and personnel: personnel means staff.

Check headings, contact details and the summary

The top of your resume gets the most attention, so it deserves the most care. Check that your name, phone number, email address and any profile links are correct and up to date. A single wrong digit can mean an employer cannot reach you.

If you have a short summary or profile at the top, proofread it as carefully as a cover letter. It is often the only full sentence or two in the whole document, so grammar errors there are especially visible. Keep its tense and point of view consistent with the rest of the resume.

How to run the check

Start with an automated pass to clear obvious errors. CorrectNow can check a resume you paste in or upload as a PDF, Word or .txt file, and it explains each correction so you can reject suggestions that do not suit resume style, such as a request to turn a bullet point into a full sentence.

Then read it yourself, slowly, from the bottom up. This breaks the flow and helps you focus on each line. Finally, check every date, name and contact detail against your records, and ask someone you trust to read it too.

Frequently asked questions

Should I use “I” in my resume?

Most resumes leave out personal pronouns and start bullet points with action verbs. This is a style convention, not a grammar rule, so follow what is usual in your country and industry.

Is a CV the same as a resume?

The terms are used differently in different countries. In some places CV is the normal word for a job application document; in others a CV is a longer academic record. The proofreading advice is the same for both.

Can a grammar checker understand resume bullet points?

It can catch spelling, agreement and many punctuation errors in bullet points. Because resumes use fragments on purpose, review each suggestion rather than accepting all of them automatically.

Should I use American or British spelling on my resume?

Use the spelling that is standard in the country where you are applying, and apply it consistently. Mixing organize and organise in one resume looks careless.

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