Other Errors

An archive of posts covering assorted issues that proofreaders and editors may encounter in their work. Among other things, this includes the regional differences between English dialects, abbreviations, numbers, capitalisation, and many other errors that occur in English-language writing.

  • Proofreading Tips: A Proofreader's Guide to E.g. and I.e.

    Proofreading Tips: A Proofreader's Guide to E.g. and I.e.

    Proofreading Tips: A Proofreader's Guide to E.g. and I.e.

    Nov 28, 2021

    • Common Errors
    • Other Errors
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Punctuation

    The terms e.g. and i.e. are common, especially in academic writing. As a proofreader, it’s important to know what they mean and how to use them. In this blog post, we give a basic introduction to e.g. and i.e., as well as some common errors to look out for when proofreading. What Do E.g. and […]

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  • Proofreading Tips: Prepositions in Title Case

    Proofreading Tips: Prepositions in Title Case

    May 02, 2021

    • Common Errors
    • Other Errors
    • Proofreading Tips

    In title case – a common approach to styling titles and headings – the first letters of the main words in a title are prepositions in titles. Title Case and Prepositions If you want to know more, sign up for a free trial of the course today!

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Editing Tips: What Is Alphabet Soup?

  • 5 More Misused Phrases to Look Out for While Proofreading

    Mar 21, 2021

    • Common Errors
    • Other Errors
    • Proofreading Tips

    As a proofreader, you need to be on the lookout for misspelled words and phrases. To help you on this count, we previously looked at five commonly misused phrases. But there are plenty more to look out for! In this post, we’ll take you through five more. 1. Wet Your Appetite (Whet Your Appetite) The phrase […]

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  • When to Use Italics for Non-English Words

    Feb 11, 2021

    • Common Errors
    • Formatting
    • Other Errors
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Style

    In English-language writing, words from other languages are often presented in italics. As a proofreader, you may therefore need to check that such words are presented correctly. Becoming A Proofreader The Becoming A Proofreader course covers everything you need to know to start working as a freelance proofreader! Sign up for a free trial today […]

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  • Proofreading Tips: Editing Gendered Language

    Jan 24, 2021

    • Editing Tips
    • Other Errors
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Style
    • Vocabulary Tips

    Many companies and individuals now aim to make their writing gender neutral. And, as a proofreader, you may have to help them achieve this. In this post, we’re going to look at some common examples of gendered language you may need to watch out for: The gendered pronoun being used as a neutral or default […]

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  • Editing Tips: Typographic Rivers Explained

    Jan 17, 2021

    • Formatting
    • Other Errors
    • Proofreading Tips

    When proofreading a typeset text, such as page proofs for a book, you may need to keep an eye out for rivers. No, we don’t mean bodies of water. We mean gaps in the text. To find out what rivers are and what to do with them, check out our guide below. Rivers in Text […]

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  • 5 Tips for Proofreading Different English Dialects

    Nov 29, 2020

    • Common Errors
    • Dialects
    • Other Errors
    • Proofreading Tips

    One benefit of freelance proofreading is that you can work with clients all around the world. But this may mean you encounter English dialects that differ from the one you know best. And while this can pose challenges for proofreaders, we have a few tips that can help: Set the language preferences in your word […]

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  • Date Format Variations: Little-Endian, Middle-Endian, Big-Endian

    Aug 30, 2020

    • Common Errors
    • Other Errors
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Style

    In the Becoming A Proofreader course, we look at how date formats differ between American English and British/Australian English. There are, though, more than three countries in the world, so it’s worth looking at regional date format variations more generally. Otherwise, simply leave a comment prompting your client to check the date format(s) used in […]

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  • 5 Misused Phrases to Watch Out for While Proofreading

    5 Misused Phrases to Watch Out for While Proofreading

    Jul 19, 2020

    • Common Errors
    • Other Errors
    • Proofreading Tips

    Proofreading is much easier when you know what to look for in a document. That’s why we cover many common errors in our Becoming A Proofreader course. And to help you spot even more mistakes, in this post, we’re looking at five commonly misused phrases. First Come, First Serve (First Come, First Served) That’s it […]

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  • What to Do with Tentative Language

    What to Do with Tentative Language

    Jan 13, 2020

    • Common Errors
    • Editing Tips
    • Other Errors
    • Proofreading Tips

    Tentative language – also known as – is a common feature of many types of writing. But what exactly do we mean by tentative language? And what should you do if you encounter hedging when editing or proofreading a document? In this post, we explain all. What Do We Mean by Hedging? If a document […]

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