Proofreading in a professional environment - why?

In a professional environment, such as in companies, organisations, shops, conference centres and restaurants, correct and understandable language really does matter. Because if it becomes normal to publish text that doesn't quite sound right, or is difficult or even impossible to understand – and not because of the topic but because of the language – then we all have a problem. Your readers may become frustrated, confused, and ultimately lose interest altogether. In addition, mistakes could (and in my experience often do) misinform language learners. For example, there are many people in Brussels who believe ‘Welcome in…’ is correct English because it is so often used in shops and conference centres. But in fact, it is ‘welcome to…’.

Personally, I love proofreading because I enjoy helping other people, have a passion for reading and language, and because often the reports I get to proofread are really interesting.

But why should you get your work proofread? What’s in it for you? Well, sometimes people argue that they don’t need their work checked because their English is very good. And it’s true that if you’re writing professionally, your level is obviously  advanced and/or it's your first language. The thing is though, proofreading is also about getting your work checked when you’ve already read it yourself a hundred times - at which point it's so easy to miss typos or fill in words in your head that aren't actually there! Or perhaps you assume other people know what you mean, when really it’s not clear at all and it might help to see how someone else could express it a bit differently.

In the UK it’s standard practice to get your work proofread, regardless of your first language. Because proofreading is not  just about language, it’s about getting a second opinion, advice and support from another person. That’s why I get my husband  or a friend to proofread all of my writing too.

So, if you have a proofreader in your organisation, I would say it’s really worth making the time to get your work properly checked by them. And if there's no one in-house, it could be of real value to find someone to work freelance for you. As a result, your output is likely to be more readable and thus more highly respected. Surely this can only improve both your reputation and that of your organisation in the long run?

If you'd like more information about proofreading, please don't hesitate to contact me.