Proofreading Matters

“Wakefield Kirkgate if you’re leaving the”

The what? The train? Surely a station can’t leave a train, can it?

I spotted this on a train display board earlier this week. Don’t worry, the whole message did get conveyed in a roundabout way; there was a screen before this one and three screens after it. But a couple of things came to mind:

1️⃣ Look at the missing full stop between ‘Kirkgate’ and ‘if’. Without it, the screen seems to be talking to the station itself, as though Wakefield Kirkgate is a person who might be leaving something (although arguably a comma would be needed in that case 🤣). Of course, reading between the lines (pardon the pun), you can get the gist. But if this message is taken at face value, we could ask if the station is planning its escape? 🤔

2️⃣ I suspect it’s down to the display’s character limits, but with no scroll or ellipsis to say “more to come”, it took more than a quick glance to get the full message. Five screens’ worth, to be precise. It reminded me of old-fashioned text messaging back in the late 90s (for those of us old enough to remember).

It was a funny little moment. And of course, I’m splitting hairs. But it’s also a good reminder of what proofreading is really for:

👉 It catches the tiny marks that tell your reader where one thought ends and the next begins;

👉 It makes sure your message makes sense at every break, whether that’s a screen, a page, a slide or a scroll;

👉 It protects your credibility, because tiny slips can change how your message is read and perceived;

👉 It saves your reader from having to guess.

Whether it’s a train screen, a website, an article or something else important, if the message matters, it’s worth a second pair of eyes. That’s where I come in. I help businesses say what they mean, neatly and correctly, with proofreading and copywriting.

If your words need a final check before they go out into the world, let me know. I promise to end your sentences properly. 😉