Proofreading is the final check before your document is published (in print or online). No matter how carefully you have checked your work, it pays to employ a professional to perform the final QA checks and ensure that no embarrassing errors slip through.

I will:

• read your text for sense
• check spelling, grammar and punctuation
• ensure that UK or US spellings and usage are applied consistently
• correct or query inconsistencies in capitalisation, italicisation, numbering style, abbreviations
• flag up inconsistencies in any names or technical terms used
• ensure that headings, sub-headings, lists and bullet points are consistent and correctly formatted throughout
• check page numbering, paragraph indents and text justification
• remove unwanted spaces between words and lines
• make sure that tables, diagrams and images have been positioned correctly and have the correct captions
• check that references match their note indicators in the text and are formatted correctly
• follow a style guide – e.g. the client’s or one based on New Hart’s Rules, The Guardian, The Times or BBC.

N.B. Proofreading does not involve fact-checking or checking for copyright.

The CIEP has some useful FAQs about proofreading if you’d like to know more:

https://www.ciep.uk/about/faqs/what-is-proofreading

I specialise in proofreading documents that have been translated from German or French into English.

In addition to the proofreading elements above, I will:

• ensure that the English text flows in the way a native speaker would express it
• check that the style and tone of the English is appropriate to the document’s audience
• suggest changes for lengthy or convoluted sentences
• highlight places where the meaning is not clear.

Provide me with the original German or French text and I will check it against the English translation, highlighting errors and suggesting alternative translations of tricky phrases where required.

This term has come to mean a slightly deeper level of intervention than proofreading. Proof-editing may be required for a more complex text that has not previously been copyedited. Have you written an article, essay or annual report that needs to be more concise? I will suggest ways in which you can reword sentences to clearly communicate your central points.

Contact me to discuss the scope of the work needed so I can focus on the elements that are most important to you.

In addition to the proofreading points above, this could involve:

• checking syntax and highlighting any clumsy sentences
• flagging up unnecessary repetition
• suggesting light rephrasing of sentences to ensure clarity of expression.

You will be able to accept or reject the suggested changes. If your document needs more substantial editing, you may require the services

of a copyeditor: https://www.ciep.uk/about/faqs/what-is-copyediting

Students – I will follow your college’s guidelines on the level of intervention allowed. I will not rewrite your text or increase or reduce word count. Please see my Pricing page for more information.

Having spent several years living in Germany when young, I speak fluent German and have kept my language skills up to date. I have completed numerous German to English translations in business, media, arts and lifestyle subjects (e.g. books by Austrian neurologist Viktor Frankl, essays about Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, guidelines for German broadcasters, press releases for German fashion brands). I have also translated technical product descriptions for electronic devices, solar power generators and industrial paints, and have developed a recent specialism in private aircraft hire, medical repatriation and the aviation industry.

• I will provide an accurate, high-quality translation that flows in English.
• I always respect the author’s tone of voice and pay great attention to achieving the right tone and vocabulary in English.
• I will follow the original format of the document or the client’s style guide, as required.
• The finished English document will be formatted and proofread.