Copy Editing vs. Proofreading: What’s the Difference? (With Examples)

Copy editing and proofreading are both types of editing that take place toward the end of the publishing process.

But while the two terms are often used interchangeably, they refer to different tasks.

In this post, we break down the differences between copy editing and proofreading and show you how these different types of editing are used in practice.

What’s Copy Editing?

Copy editing is the act of checking a text after any developmental or substantive edits but before the final proofread.

It means making sure a piece of writing is free of mistakes, but it doesn’t just mean fixing spelling and grammar mistakes. 

A copy editor will also look out for:

• Issues with tone
• Excessive wordiness and redundancies
• Pacing issues
• Vocabulary that’s unclear, incorrect, or inappropriate
• Sentence order and syntax errors
• Inconsistencies in tone, style, or word choice
• Anything else that goes against a given publishing style or style guide

A copy editor’s role is to ensure that words, sentences, and paragraphs work together to properly express the author’s ideas while maintaining the author’s voice.

You can think of copy editing as fine-tuning a piece of writing for clarity and flow.

What’s Proofreading?

Proofreading takes place after copy editing and is usually the last step in the editing process.

The term comes from the traditional publishing industry, where “galley proofs” are test versions of a manuscript produced before the final version of the text goes to print.

A proofreader focuses on fixing mechanical errors, either those made by the author or introduced in subsequent edits; a proofreader may even need to fix errors introduced by the copy editor. 

These errors can include:

• Spelling mistakes or typos
• Grammatical issues
• Misused or missing punctuation

Proofreading can also involve fixing formatting errors (e.g., incorrect page numbering or heading inconsistencies) and adjusting how the text is presented on the page. Some freelance proofreaders, though, may choose to offer this as a separate service.

Copy Editing and Proofreading in Practice

Perhaps the best way to understand the difference between copyediting and proofreading is to see them used in practice.

Look at the example text below:

Some people are dog people and some people are not. Unfortunately, Olly’s elderly aunt was one of those who wasn’t. The second she stepped into the apartment her nose wrinkled. She pursed her lips like she was sucking on a lemon. His heart sank. 

“Don’t tell me you’ve got a dog in here.” she said, scouring. “I can’t stand those gross things.”

Olly’s new puppy whined and wagged it’s tail, but stayed hidden under his bed wisely.

A copy-edited version might look like this:

Some people are dog people, and some people are not. Unfortunately, Olly’s elderly aunt was one of those who wasn’t the latter. The second she stepped into the apartment her nose wrinkled. S, and she persed pursed her lips like she was sucking on a lemon. His Olly’s heart sank. 

“Don’t tell me you’ve got a dog in here.,” she said, scouring scowling. “I can’t stand those gross disgusting things.”

Olly’s new puppy whined and wagged it’s its tail, but wisely stayed hidden under his bed wisely.

While a proofread version might look like this:

Some people are dog people, and some people are not. Unfortunately, Olly’s elderly aunt was one of those who wasn’t. The second she stepped into the apartment, her nose wrinkled. She persed pursed her lips like she was sucking on a lemon. His heart sank. 

“Don’t tell me you’ve got a dog in here.,” she said, scouring. “I can’t stand those gross things.”

Olly’s new puppy whined and wagged it’s its tail, but stayed hidden under his bed wisely.

You can see that, while each process has some overlap, copy editing and proofreading are two different tasks with different results.

Becoming A Proofreader or Editor

To learn more about the sort of work you could be doing as a proofreader or editor, look at our courses. 

Becoming A Proofreader and Becoming An Editor explain the different types of tasks and documents you could be working on, and provide you with the skills necessary to start your editing career.

Try them out for free. If you like what you see, buy both courses as a bundle and save 15%.

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Common Clichés (And How to Avoid Them) The Ultimate Glossary of Proofreading and Editing Terms Proofreading Tips: Is or Are? A Guide to Collective Nouns Proofreading Tips: A Guide to Countable and Uncountable Nouns