Substantive Business Copy-editing Service

Are you too busy to check your reports and documents?

Most businesses and companies are under time pressure, and also encounter the pressure of today’s competitive business environment. If you are in this situation, you may be tempted to cut corners in the writing of reports and documents. You may question if going back to your documents to check them is a productive use of your time. However, you may feel that your document could benefit from improvement and know that it would have a greater impact on your potential readers if only you had the time to check it and improve it. You may even be losing clients or customers because your promotional and advertising material is not as effective as it could be. You may even think that your document could benefit from a complete rewrite but that there is no way that you have the time to do that. This is where our substantive business editing service can help you. This is the most intensive of our editing services, and covers every aspect of improving your document. 

What does this service involve?

Our highly-experienced editors check every paragraph, sentence and word of your document thoroughly, and where necessary, we rewrite your document so that it will have a maximum impact on your readers. Before making any changes to your document, our editors read it thoroughly so that we obtain an overall understanding of what you are seeking to convey to your readers. This enables us to make the necessary changes to improve your document. This is where our substantive editing differs from basic proofreading in which we just correct errors. The following aspects of editing are covered in our substantive editing service.  

1. Grammar check

Incorrect grammar in a document can be annoying to readers and can give an appearance of unprofessionalism. We scrutinise documents for the following aspects of grammar; subject-verb agreement, use of conjunctions and conjunctive adverbs, use of tenses, modifiers, possessive pronouns and adjectives, and split infinitives. We also check for the correct use of lower or upper case.

2. Spelling check

Incorrect spelling can give your company a bad reputation, whether it be incorrect spelling of words (including names) or typographical errors. We also come across inconsistency between American and British English. The two systems are not interchangeable in the same document. Therefore, we respond to whichever system you wish to use and ensure consistency.

3. Punctuation check

Punctuation is considered by many as not being important. It is sometimes said, ‘As long as you say what you mean, punctuation doesn’t matter to much.’ However, incorrect punctuation can result in the writer not saying what he/she means. For example, even a comma in the wrong place can change the meaning of the whole sentence. Therefore, we check for the correct use of all punctuation marks including commas, colons, semi-colons, quotation marks and apostrophes. 

4. Word choice

Writers in English have a wide choice of words, but it is not simply a matter of choosing one of many words having a similar meaning, but to choose the correct word according to the context of the whole document. We can help you with this.

5. Sentence structure

In our substantive editing service, we change the sentence structure where necessary. This can involve not only changing the structure of a single sentence, but also moving blocks of text around. In some cases, this can involve rewriting the document in order to obtain an improved presentation. However, we will not change the meaning of your document and not generally change the style. 

6. Comprehensibility and Clarity of Ideas

If your document is to impress your readers, they need to have a good understanding of what you wish to convey. Your text needs to be understandable, and your ideas presented clearly to your readers or potential customers. Sometimes we come across sentences that are unclear or ambiguous. In such cases, we try to rewrite them in order to clarify them and ask you to check if we have retained the meaning.

7. Organisation

We also help businesses and corporations to organise their written copies or manuscript, and offer suggestions on how to organise your documents better.  

 

1. Grammar check

a) Subject-verb agreement

Original:  The General Manager and I am going to visit the factory this afternoon.

Edited: The General Manager and I are going to visit the factory this afternoon.

b) Use of conjunctions and conjunctive adverbs

Original: This annual report is divided into three sections however two sections deal with financial matters.

Edited: This annual report is divided into three sections; however, two sections deal with financial matters.

c) Use of tenses

Original: The new sales drive began since the management took the decision.

Edited: The new sales drive has begun since the management took the decision.

d) Use of modifiers, possessive pronouns and adjectives, and split infinitives

Original: It is important that all information on the new company’s website is up-to-date.

Edited: It is important that all information on the company’s new website is up-to-date.

Original: Joanne was told that the responsibility for sales is her’s.

Edited: Joanne was told that the responsibility for sales is hers.

Original: The Board advised the Sales Department to immediately improve their publicity.

Edited: The Board advised the Sales Department to improve their publicity immediately.

e) Use of the apostrophe, or lower and upper case.

Original: Several customer’s complained that the delivery service is too slow.

Edited: Several customers complained that the delivery service is too slow.

2. Spelling check

a) Words

cheek (check), grammer (grammar), loose (lose - as a verb), believes (beliefs - as a noun), proof read (proofread), weak (week) etc.

Original: The Board indicated that it is neccessary for at least two-thirds of the shareholders to accept the taekover if it is to go ahead.

Edited: The Board indicated that it is necessary for at least two-thirds of the shareholders to accept the takeover if it is to go ahead.

b) Names

Samsong (Samsung), Appel (Apple), Daved (David) etc.

Original: The directors’ report recommended that the company should move its headquarters to Leiscter.

Edited: The directors’ report recommended that the company should move its headquarters to Leicester.

c) Typos

* They wanted too (to) discuss this in their academic paper.

* The researcher has recommended they sotp (stop) making mistakes and use English proofreading services.

* In the peeface (preface), they explained what they will investigate in their book.

* Proofreading services are impotent (important).
Original: The recent rapid fall in sales has result in ten staff being made redundant.

Edited: The recent rapid fall in sales has resulted in ten staff being made redundant.

d) American/British English
* Learned (American) Learnt (British)
* Focussed (American) Focused (British)

* Center (American) Centre (British)

* Elective (North American) Optional course of study (British)

* Characterize (American) Characterise (British)
Example: (when client requires British English)
Original:
 A revised training program is being introduced for new employees.

Edited: A revised training programme is being introduced for new employees.

3. Punctuation check

a) The comma

Original: The recently implemented price rise which increased customer resistance resulted in a fall in sales.

Edited: The recently implemented price rise, which increased customer resistance, resulted in a fall in sales.

b) The colon

Original: Sales of the following items have shown an encouraging increase, cameras, zoom lenses, projectors, screens, telescopes and binoculars.

Edited: Sales of the following items have shown an encouraging increase: cameras, zoom lenses, projectors, screens, telescopes and binoculars.

c) The semicolon

Original: Three of the company’s branches will be closed, they are continuing to make a loss.

Edited: Three of the company’s branches will be closed; they are continuing to make a loss.

d) Quotation marks
Original:
 Buy two get three is our latest sales promotion.

Edited: ‘Buy two get three’ is our latest sales promotion.

4. Word choice

In English, some words have a greater impact than others; and other words fit more certain purposes than others, or convey the meaning in a better way.

Original: Good advertising will bring new customers.

Edited: A powerful advertising campaign will attract new customers.

5. Sentence structure

One recurrent problem that we often come across in texts for editing and proofreading is what we call run-on sentences...i.e. sentences that are excessively long.

Original: The scene of the crime and any data connected with the crime are able to supply pointers regarding suspects’ identities, assistance in the assessment of scenarios, help in the planning of avoidance or detention procedures, and to assist in the attainment of an improved comprehension of environmental features that may have a link with the crime.

Edited: The scene of the crime and any data connected with the crime are able to supply pointers regarding suspects’ identities and assist in the assessment of scenarios. Both factors also help in the planning of avoidance or detention procedures, as well as in the attainment of an improved comprehension of environmental features that may have a link with the crime.
Original:
 The cost of paying councillors is becoming almost prohibitive so at a meeting of the cabinet consideration was given to reducing the number of councillors from 35 to 29 and making changes to the boundaries of the wards to accommodate this in order to avoid applying an unacceptable rise in council tax following the increases already made over the past three years.

Edited: The cost of paying councillors is becoming almost prohibitive. Therefore, a meeting of the cabinet considered reducing the number of councillors from 35 to 29, with corresponding changes to the boundaries of the wards. It is hoped that this will avoid applying an unacceptable rise in council tax, following the increases already made over the past three years.

6. Comprehensibility

We will help ensure your written manuscript is digestible and comprehensible in a way that would attract readers, rather than turn them off.

Original: Staff members should read the annual report to find out more information.

Edited: All staff members should carefully read the relevant sections in the annual report, in which they will find valuable information.

7. Clarity of ideas

As part of our service, we also help you get your ideas and themes across to readers in a clear and unequivocal manner.

Original: Our products have many good points, so why not buy them?

Edited: Our products are endurable, efficient and excellent value for money; we know you will be pleased when you buy them.

8. Organisation

We also help businesses and corporations organise their written copy or manuscript. We offer suggestions on how better organisation can be achieved.

 

Who are we?

The Ultimate Proofreader is a provider of premium proofreading, editing and paraphrasing services based in the UK.

For the many years we have been in business we have successfully given a helping hand to university students and academics from various universities with bespoke editing and proofreading services for essays, theses or dissertations.

We serve a lot of clients especially in these universities: the University of Sheffield, the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, the University of Leeds and the University of Reading.

We assist our customers, natives and non-natives, with English proofreading services that simply put them on the track to being awarded their degree with distinction.

Our services are reasonably and affordably priced, delivered within fast turnaround times with any impact on quality and expertly completed.

Our professional dissertation editors and proofreaders spend a lot of time on every assignment to make sure it is proofread, edited or rewritten to the highest standard.

We respect the fact that many students have very short deadlines before submission, so we operate around the clock 7 days a week to meet our customers' needs.

We have a strong belief that any professional proofreading services provider should go beyond the mere correction of language and look at the heart and soul of the text itself.

We also seek to educate, not only proofread, so we provide useful material related to language in our blog section.

Our aim is to help academics and students, particularly non-native speakers, to learn and improve their knowledge about the use of the English language for academic purposes.

We can be reached by email (i[email protected]) or by phone (07717750188), around-the-clock.