CTJT proofreading and editing course student, Tracey Clifford, has produced an outstanding piece of coursework.

1. Distance learning proofreading course assignement by Tracey Clifford
Query list.
Pages need numbering, eg Page 1 of 6
Page 1.
Line 2
Line starts: at the
Remove the first ‘the’ in the line, as it is not needed. Add a comma after ‘at’ and after ‘are’.
Paragraph will now read:
If you are thinking of going to the cinema, or trying to decide which restaurant to eat at, chances are, you
may look at the review pages in a newspaper, website or magazine.
Review 1
Remove the words ‘journalist’ and ‘because’ as they are not needed. The journalist writing the review
would be classed as a reviewer.
Paragraph will now read:
1. People often want an objective opinion before they commit themselves to sampling a particular product,
and trust a reviewer to give them one. This places the reviewer in an important position of trust with the
reader. They have a duty to be fair and objective.
Review 2
The sentence is too long. A full stop is needed after ‘product’ (line 2), omit the ‘and’, then start the sentence
with ‘They then can’.
Paragraph will now read:
2. Readers want to see what the newspaper/magazine/website thinks about a product. They then can match
that opinion against their own, having already sampled it themselves.
Review 4
Sentence too long. A full stop is needed after (line 2). Omit the ‘and’, and start the sentence with ‘They’.
Line will now read:
drama ect. They use reviews to do so, especially if they do not have the time
No 13 on list
Query: Services; what kind of services?
Page 2.
No 14 on list
Would change to: New products.
Paragraph 1
Line starts: A review
A change to the paragraph as it is confusing.
Paragraph will now read:
A review is not just there to criticise – to find fault and to censure – but it should also praise the things that
are good. Be constructive and suggest what might have been done better.
Paragraph 2
Line 4
Line starts: and should
Query: Should ‘not’ be italicised?

2. Tip No 1
Line starts: an expert
The question mark should be moved and placed after ‘expert’.
Tip No 2
Line 2
Line starts: the game
The dash should be changed to a semicolon.
Tip No 3
All the dashes in the sentence should be changed to commas.
Pages 2 and 3.
Tip No 4
Line 2
Line starts: what they
Paragraph would flow better if a couple of dashes were added.
From line 3, paragraph will now read:
What they are there for – this enables them to test the product without receiving any ‘preferential treatment’
– others give advance notice. (Rest of paragraph to stay the same).
Page 3.
Tip No 5
Line 2
Line starts: and constructive
The dash should be changed to a semicolon.
Tip No 6
Line 2
Line starts: product as
Query: should ‘as your reader would’ be italicised?
Tip No 6
Line 2
Line starts: product as
The word ‘should’ needs to be added after ‘you’ and before ‘avoid’
Sentence will now read:
This means you should avoid sitting there writing notes all the way through.
Tip No 6
Line 4
Line starts: your memory
Full stop not needed after ‘memory’. Change to a comma, and carry the sentence on.
Tip No 7
(S)he should be changed to ‘you’ to keep with the “second person” perspective used with the other tips.
Tip No 8
Change the ellipsis to semicolons.

3. Tip No 8
Line 6
Line starts: last to be
Query: Is the conductor 90-years-old?
Tip No 9
Instead of ‘see later on’, add the tip number the fact file is on;
See Tip No 17.
Tip No 10
Line 3
Line starts: attention:
‘Players’ should be lowercase.
Tip No 10
Line 4
Line starts: opened their
No comma after ‘sex’.
Tip No 10
Line 4
Line starts: opened their
No sex please, we’re British, should not be italicised if using the Guardian style, and should capitalised, ie
No Sex Please, We’re British.
Page 4.
Tip No 11
Line 4
Line starts: and who by
A ‘t’ is missing at the end of par.
Tip No 13
Line 4
Line starts: There is no
Change the dash to a full stop. Starts new sentence with ‘Write’.
Tip No 14
As there are three different lists with No 3, would be better to say:
This takes us back to tip No 3 (page 2).
Page 5.
Tip No 15
First paragraph on page 5
Dashes should be changed to commas.
Tip No 16
Line 2
Line starts: an infant school
The dash should be changed to a semicolon.

4. Tip No 16
Line 5
Line starts: no-one
No hyphen needed. Should be: no one.
Tip No 17
Line 14
Line starts: A star rating
Change the first dash on the line to a comma.
Tip No 18
Query: Should ‘people’ be italicised?
Page 6.
Tip No 18
First paragraph on page 6
Change the dashes to commas.
Tip No 19
Line 5
Line starts: capabilities ect.
Change the dash to a comma.
Tip No 20
Line 2
Line starts: reviewing
‘Say’ is not needed.
Tip No 20
Line 4
Line starts: work
The Copyright Designs and Patents Act, allows you to use extracts of copyright work without charge, but
photos are not included.
Tip No 21
Line 3
Line starts: reviews.
‘the’ at the end of the line should be ‘their’.
Line will now read:
Reviews. Readers have the right to know who is expressing their opinions.
Distance learning proofreading course assignement by Tracey Clifford