FAQ: English as a Second Language

Scribendi can certainly make sure that your English is correct and sounds like a native speaker. Just go to our ESL Services page and select the appropriate service.

This depends on the service that you choose! The available turnaround times will depend on the length of the document, as long documents require more time to complete. Thus, while short documents will have multiple timeframe options, long documents will have fewer options. We typically offer the following turnaround times for editing and proofreading:

• Premium 2-hour service (not available for all services)
• Premium 4-hour service
• Premium 8-hour service
• 12-hour service
• 24-hour service
• 48-hour service
• 72-hour service
• 1-week service
• 2-week service (only for book-length documents)
• 3-week service (only for book-length documents)

To see which turnaround times are available for your document, you can start by picking the type of editing or proofreading you want. Follow the steps, and our quote widget will give you clear quotes for the available turnaround times. You can then pick the turnaround time that best suits your needs!

Please be assured that all of our editors are experts in the English language with years of professional experience in the field of English editing and proofreading. At Scribendi, editors require language expertise that far exceeds simple native-English proficiency. Extensive knowledge and an assortment of specific skills are necessary, and we provide access to comprehensive resources for continued professional development. Indeed, a typical Scribendi editor has two or more degrees, 15 years of professional experience, and is published in their chosen field.

See what our customers have to say about our editors on our Client Testimonials page. Since our founding in 1997, our clients have come back to us again and again. If you would like help choosing the editor that is right for your document, please feel free to contact us; our Customer Relationship Specialists will be happy to provide guidance.

If you have questions about how to place your order, you can contact us. One of our Customer Relationship Specialists will be happy to answer your questions. Or, you can talk to us through chat if we’re available. Just click on the chat box in the bottom corner! The chat box looks just like this:

Our website is open for orders 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our editing professionals are on duty 24/7. Our administrative staff is available between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. EST (GMT -5); we answer all emails within 12 hours.

In MS Word, go to the Review tab or Tools menu and select Word Count. If you're doing a word count for an academic paper, be sure to check the option to include footnotes and endnotes in the word count. You can also use the Scribendi Word Count Tool. Simply copy and paste your text into the Word Count Tool, and it will provide the word count of the document.

Please note: We do try to double-check word counts on the documents that we receive, but to ensure that there are no delays in processing your order, please make every effort to give us an accurate count. If there is a section that you do not want us to check, please mention this in the "Instructions" field of the order form.

More than 99.5% of our orders are delivered before the chosen deadline. However, rare unforeseen issues with a document can cause slight delays. If your order is late, please contact us.

Yes! Scribendi is a global company in every sense of the word. All you need is a valid credit card, PayPal, or Alipay account and you can use our services. If you are unable to pay with one of these direct and easy methods, we also accept wire transfers, but please note that these may cause delays in your order being processed. For more details on wire transfers, please contact Customer Service. 

Yes, we know all about metres and meters, humour and humor, and spanners and wrenches. Just specify what type of English we should be using when you place your order.

Scribendi’s editors are all experts in the English language, and this is why Scribendi can only accept documents written in English. As the foremost company in English editing, we require a document written in English in order to provide our editing services. We are not a translation company, and we cannot translate documents from other languages into English. Your English document does not have to be perfect, as our editors are experienced in handling ESL writing and can provide the guidance and editing you need in order to produce a high-quality English document. 

Scribendi takes customer satisfaction very seriously. You can provide feedback directly to us (there will be a link on your order details page), or you can get in touch with us using the Scribendi Contact Us page or by calling us at +1 (519) 351-1626, and we will look into your issue immediately.

The problem with translation software is that it simply translates words and does not understand what you’re trying to say, so these translations sometimes do not make sense. The more complex the document, the more difficult it will be for the software to translate it. If you use such software, your document will likely need to be reviewed by someone fluent in both languages to make sure that the translation makes sense and your intended meaning is clear. If you cannot write the document yourself, you may wish to consider hiring a translator. If you do your best to write the document in English, our editors will be happy to help you improve your work.

Scribendi’s experts will be happy to help. Not only will our editors make sure that your writing is correct and clear, they will ensure that it uses appropriate English expressions and sounds natural to native speakers. Our editors will help you choose the right words to communicate your ideas. You can get started today.

Scribendi handles all types of documents. Just pick the ESL service most appropriate for your document:

• English Dissertation, Thesis, or Proposal Editing
• English Academic Editing
• English Admissions Essay Editing
• English Business Editing
• English Personal Editing

Just click on the service that’s right for you and you can get a free quote today.

Scribendi’s editors can help you improve as a writer. If you submit a Word document, all the changes that the editor makes can be seen in the _TRACKED_REVISED copy of your work. You can review these to see how the editor has improved the writing. Also, the editors will provide helpful suggestions to improve your document and your writing, and they can offer tips to make your writing better. After completing their work, the editors will also provide a short summary of the changes that they’ve made to the document. You can find this summary in the “Editor Notes” section.