So, you want to be a proofreader but your grammar’s a little rusty. Is it all over?

02/15/2011

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You have a good eye for detail. You’re thorough. You’re patient. You have what it takes to be a proofreader.

Except... your grammar is a little bit ropey.

Don’t worry. Those other traits – the eye for detail, the thoroughness, the patience – are innate. Those things are incredibly difficult to learn. Grammar? That’s something that can be learned.

Now, depending on whereabouts you are on the ropey-o-meter will decide what kind of assistance you’re going to need. If you just need to tighten up your understanding of dangling modifiers, split infinitives and the like, then you probably just need to study a copy of Fowlers Modern English Usage. If, however, you’re in need of a bit more of an overhaul, you’re probably going to need something a little more intensive.

English Grammar Revolution offers a pretty good place to start.

The course uses videos rather than books to explain the eight parts of speech and to teach you basic sentence diagramming. And then there are downloadable PDF worksheets for practicing and fine-tuning your understanding.

If you’ve got the eye, patience and determination to become a proofreader but you’re worried that your understanding of grammar might let you down, English Grammar Revolution is well worth a look, particularly as it comes with a 100% money-back guarantee. Click on the link below for more information. What have you got to lose?

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Grammar and English Usage Training. Completely Free!

06/16/2010

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On the sales page of this website and in the introduction to The No-Nonsense Proofreading Course itself, I advise my readers to be wary of any proofreading course which includes modules or chapters on the subject of grammar and proper English usage. The reason I counsel caution with regard to this is simple: why pay for something which is available elsewhere relatively cheaply (Fowler’s Modern English Usage) or completely free (The Plain English Campaign website)? It’s what the kids call a ‘no-brainer’. Apparently.

Well, I’ve just stumbled upon another fantastic free resource, offering comprehensive instruction on the subject of grammar and English usage. It’s an online training course provider called Alison and you’ll find it here.

There are a whole host of individual free courses available, from IT and mathematics to chemistry and economics. The course you’re likely to be interested in is called ‘English Grammar Rules’ and it is described thus:

“This free online course offers a comprehensive revision of English grammar. It is designed for those already fluent in English, but who want to improve their writing. It covers punctuation and grammar, from commas and colons to adverbs and prepositions. By completing this course, you will see a marked improvement in your written English. Each section breaks down the rules into easily assimilated explanations. There is a section on spelling. This course is ideal for anyone looking to improve their written and indeed spoken English.”

All you need to do is sign up (which is free) and go here. Then, one push of a button and you’re off.

I really can’t recommend this highly enough for those of you who feel their grammar skills may need a little bit of an overhaul before they attempt to embark on a proofreading career.

Best of luck.
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Hyphenation Rules, a Proof Reader’s Guide

05/25/2010

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Proofreading Course: Hyphenation Rules
In my experience, proof readers tend to be rather calm individuals, going about their work in an unruffled, dignified manner. Proof readers are rarely confrontational in temperament, because proofreading by its very nature requires a serene and reflective approach. So, it was rare for me, as an Operations Manager supervising, amongst other people, proof readers, to have to intervene in any kind of serious dispute.

Except when it came to hyphens.

To a proof reader, hyphens are like a red rag to a bull. There appear to be two distinct camps. On the one hand you’ve got your proof readers who can’t get enough of hyphens, proof readers who would happily mark-up an otherwise clean proof with an overabundance of little red dashes. And, on the other hand, you’ve got your anti-hyphen proof readers (or should that be ‘antihyphen’ or ‘anti hyphen’?). These guys would gladly see the hyphen put it into storage, to be taken out and dusted off on those rare occasions where context alone is insufficient to infer meaning.

My personal leanings are toward the second camp. There was nothing more infuriating than seeing a proof limp toward the finish line simply because of a few hyphens (particularly when it’s holding up an entire forme and the head of the print department is having a monumental hissy fit).

Given my personal feelings on this matter, it’s probably best if I hand over to an independent authority: the Plain English Campaign.

The following is from their excellent website:

The main use of a hyphen is to join two or more words together.

Sometimes a word needs a hyphen for it to be spelt correctly. For example:

• one-off
• part-time
• face-to-face

In some situations there are no hard and fast rules and the use of hyphens is a matter of personal preference. However, there are some guidelines on when you should use them.

In compound adjectives (single adjectives formed from two or more words) that appear before a noun

For example:

• An up-to-date guide is a guide that is up to date.
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance is a benefit that is based on your income.
• An energy-efficient fridge is one that is energy efficient.

These hyphens are often necessary to avoid confusion. For example:

• A blue-collared shirt is a shirt with a blue collar, while a blue collared shirt could be a blue shirt that has a collar.
• A French-dictionary salesman is a man who sells French dictionaries, while a French dictionary salesman could be a Frenchman who sells dictionaries.
• A red-wine bottle is a bottle for red wine, while a red wine bottle could be a wine bottle that is red.

To distinguish one word from a similar one

For example:

• re-sort, not resort
• co-op, not coop
• re-form, not reform

With prefixes

Some words formed with a prefix are always hyphenated.

For example:

• self-employed
• pro-family
• anti-aircraft

With some prefixes, a hyphen is not necessary but is preferable to help with pronunciation, avoid a double vowel, or stop a word looking odd.

For example:

• co-ordinate
• re-enter
• de-ice

When numbers between 21 and 99 are written out in full

For example:

• twenty-one
• ninety-nine
• one hundred and thirty-four (Note that only ‘thirty-four’ is hyphenated.)


Remember, us proof readers are a relatively small group. We need to stick together. So, let’s not fight.
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