* Proofreading: The person might be looking for instances where words are unnecessarily repeated, which can make writing sound clunky and unprofessional.
* Analyzing style: They might be interested in understanding the author's stylistic choices, specifically if they are using repetition for emphasis or other literary effects.
* Learning a language: They may be trying to identify common patterns in word usage, especially in the context of vocabulary building or grammar exercises.
* Detecting plagiarism: Circling repetitive words could be part of a plagiarism check, as it may indicate copied sections of text.
Ultimately, the reason for circling repetitive words depends on the specific context and the person's goal.