Meaning & use
copy editing
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
The work of checking and correcting written text for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style before it is published.
Grammar: Uncountable; use it with a singular verb: Copy editing takes time.
Patterns
- do copy editing
- copy editing of something
She does copy editing for a small publishing house.
Good copy editing can catch errors that spell-check misses.
The manuscript still needs copy editing before it goes to print.
noununcountabletechnical
The stage in publishing when a text is prepared for printing, including checking consistency and marking corrections.
Grammar: Uncountable; often used after prepositions: after copy editing, during copy editing.
Patterns
- during copy editing
- after copy editing
During copy editing, the editor queried several unclear sentences.
The book went through three rounds of copy editing.
Common combinations
- heavy copy editing
- The article needed heavy copy editing before publication.
- copy editing skills
- Copy editing skills are essential for this job.
- a round of copy editing
- The report went through one more round of copy editing.
- do copy editing
- He does copy editing for several online magazines.
Synonyms and how they differ
- proofreading
- Proofreading checks for typos and layout errors at the final stage; copy editing is broader and also improves style and consistency.
- editing
- A general term; copy editing is specifically the detailed line-by-line work.
Word family
- copy editor noun
- A person whose job is copy editing.
- copy-edit verb
- To do copy editing on a text.
Commonly confused: copy editing or copywriting?
copy editing vs copywriting
Copywriting means writing advertising or promotional text; copy editing means correcting and improving existing text.
Practice
The publisher hired her to do ___ on the new novel.
Choose one answer.
Copy editing is uncountable, so it is used without 'a' or a plural form: do copy editing.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “copy editing”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.