Proofreading is about checking your writing for surface errors before it goes public.
That’s before your website goes live. Before that email gets sent. Before your newsletter is mailed out in its hundreds or thousands.
Before any written communication leaves your desk – check it with care.
And that’s because silly little errors – and we all make them – cause more trouble than they’re worth.
They:
• get in the way of transmitting the message
• make you look slip-shod
• lower your credibility
• irritate readers
Creating a good piece of written work is a long journey: re-writing, editing, tightening up, polishing the style. Hopefully, by the time you get to the 11th hour, the major stylistic and structural issues are ironed smooth. Now, you just need to fine-toothcomb to remove the surface debris.
What to Look For
Basically, you’re checking:
• Punctuation
• Spelling
• Grammar, and
• Troublesome Words.
You’re also doing a last check to make sure everything is consistent. Is the company ABC Ltd or A.B.C. Ltd? Do you want to use –ize or –ise?
So, let’s start by jumping in and identifying …
The 8 Most Common Mistakes in Business Writing…
…And they’re all Troublesome Words
It’s (it is) and Its
• It’s winter again, and it’s hell getting up in the dark.
• With its fab coffee and croissants, this hotel almost makes early starts painless.
You’re (you are) and Your
• You’re going to go far, young man!
• When it’s your birthday, you have to bring us all cream cakes.
They’re (they are), Their and There
• You’ll love the people at this networking group because they’re so friendly.
• In my department, they print out their documents and do their proofreading on hard copy, not on screen.
• There are no shy wallflowers in my Latin American Dance Class.
Whose and Who’s (who is or who has)
• Jane, whose copywriting skills are fantastic, can help you.
• Jane, who’s a fantastic copywriter, can help you.
Affect (to influence) and Effect (a result)
• Smoking can affect your health.
• Smoking has a really bad effect on your health.
Imply (to suggest) and Infer (to deduce)
• He implied that I was a fool.
• So what am I supposed to infer from that?
Advice and Advise
• Ask Jane for advice about writing copy.
• Jane can advise you about copy for your website.
Principle and Principal
• The ethical principles are enshrined in the MRS Code.
• Ms Smith is a principal of our business.
So do you check your work before you publish it and send it out into the wild? Let me know in the comments below.
PS: Tips on punctuation, spelling and grammar, coming soon!
Great article Jane! If people can’t take care to check the above, then what does it say about their level of care for other things? One of my pet hates is putting apostrophes everywhere when the words should just be plural! GRR!! Loved your example sentences for who’s and whose…..and THEY’RE…were you thinking of me for that one?
Oh and thank you for reminding us of how to spell ADVISE….take note Mr K!
ADVISE and ADVICE catch loads of people out, don’t they?
And I agree about the apostrophe… looks more like measles sometimes, rather than punctuation
Yes well it’s my bête noire to be faced with deciding whether it’s going to be its or it’s !
I am notoriously bad at sending emails, instant messages and texts without rereading before sending. Usually this requires some kind of skill in interpretation to be able to read whatever I send. However, I recently capped it all. I send a note to a friend about a doctor and said that another friend had sued him. Oops I meant used !! so easy to change the meaning while tripping over ones fingers.