PROVIDED BY BOB McFARLANE

If the above button reads: "Currently unavailable", this service is not available at the moment but please try again later.

If the button reads: "Available", please click to access our email section where you can send a brief description of the service you require with a timeframe for completion. If we are able to help, we will request your text, work on it as quickly and accurately as possible, then email it right back to you. It is that simple.

We reserve the right to decline any project we deem illegal, inappropriate, or spam. You can find out more about this in our "Frequently Asked Questions" section. Your information will be handled in the strictest confidence, but if you would prefer a more regulated service, we have added a list of alternative websites at the foot of this page. For official UK government documents, medical records, and business contracts, we recommend using a professional paid-for service.

Our services are provided by Bob McFarlane, a native British English speaker who, as a hobby, wishes to help people from around the world to better communicate in everyday English. He is aware that some AI-generated translations lack the subtlety and flow or human writing and wishes to make such text more natural and readable. Please be aware that, as this is a hobby, we may be reluctant to handle a large number of complex documents at the same time.

While we are very unlikely to handle the initial translation of official documents, we may be able to offer an opinion on the basic clarity of text produced by third parties -- simply to confirm it says what you believe it says.

Please find below a list of more formally regulated services which might better meet your requirements. We believe these services are either free of charge, have a free option, or at least offer free initial advice.

FCDO
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office translation and interpreting.

NHS Inform (Scotland)
Health information in different languages and formats - including BSL, Easy Read and translations.

NHS UK
Health information in other languages.

UK | UNIC
The Translation Waiver Service lets you submit international qualifications in their original language.

We have not personally used the services offered by the organisations listed above. Please let us know if you find them useful. Thank you.

If you are looking for free online resources to improve your English skills, you may find the following websites useful:

BBC Bitesize English - Free.
"English skills include speaking, listening, reading and writing."

Cambridge English - Free section.
"Free resources to improve your English, supporting every learner".

ESL eSchool - Free.
"Improve your English with our free interactive speaking and listening lessons, reading and writing exercises, quizzes, and games."

Test-English.com - Free and Pro.
This website has both Free and Pro (paid-for) sections. We have taken a quick look at the free section and it seems to offer a variety of good short lessons for a range of skill levels. You also can access the free section without providing any payment details. We last tested this website on 2026-07-26.

With websites which contain both free and paid-for sections, we test them first to make sure the free option is available without visitors having to supply any payment details. We have no financial connection or affiliate links with any of the websites we suggest, and list them purely to give visitors to our website additional options.

Frequently Asked Question
^{Of Free English Support}

[Q 1]
Why do you not produce translations for UK government organisations?
This is something we may do in the future once we have looked more deeply into the legal requirements of producing accredited and verified translations. If this is something you require we recommend searching for a service with at least one of the following ISO accreditation(s): 17100, 11669, 18587, or 20771.

[Q 2]
Why might you refuse to translate a document?
This service is offered free of charge and entirely at our discretion. While we believe in free speech, and we might happily translate documents that contain points of view we personally do not hold, we retain the right to have the final say on the work that we do. Please be aware that we are based in the UK (Scotland), where people do not have a right to demand a free private service from an individual. Simply, the less controversial your project is the more likely we will be able to help.

[Q 3]
Is this service really free of charge?
Yes! Absolutely!
>   We will never ask for or accept any payment or donation, or collect any payment details.
>   We will never ask you to download any special software to communicate with us.
>   We will only use your contact details to communicate with you.
>   We will only link to websites we believe are genuinely useful.
To us, free means free!

[Q 4]
Can you explain in more detail the services you provide?
We offer two similar services: translating text into readable (British) English, and checking (proofreading) already translated text to ensure that it not only makes sense but also strikes the right tone. Not too wordy, not too brief. Not too authoritarian, not too passive. The typical person to use our services might only have a basic understanding of English and require maybe a few hundred words translated into everyday commonly used text. Or maybe someone with intermediate skills, who has a project of a few thousand words, who would like the peace of mind of having a native speaker double-checking their text.

[Q 5]
I am still unsure of the services you provide. Can I email you with further questions?
Absolutely, we are happy to help. Also, there may be services which we have not yet thought to add, and we would welcome your suggestions.

[Q 6]
How quickly can you provide this service?
We will try to complete your project as quickly and accurately as possible, but we currently cannot guarantee a timeframe as it depends on when we are available; and the length and complexity of your project. If you have a strict deadline to meet, we would suggesting using an alternative service. We strongly recommend that you inform us of a completion date, if you have one, when you submit your request.

[Q 7]
Can I pay for a faster service?
Sorry, no. That is not something we offer. Our service is strictly, first come, first served. Please see [Q 3]. If you are wondering how this website makes money. It doesn't. Free really does mean free to us.

[Q 8]
What professional/advanced English qualifications do you hold?
Our service is aimed at people with beginner to intermediate English skills. If you are looking for degree-level translations or assistance to say study English at university-level, we would recommend considering other providers who specialise in this area. The level of everyday English we use on this website should hopefully give an indication of the quality of translations we produce. Always pick the service which best suits your needs.

[Q 9]
Are you able to translate into American English?
In general, we think this is something we can offer, but would suspect a service with native American English speakers might better suit your needs. Please be aware we are only based in the UK (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) and are less familiar with the official translation requirements of other English-speaking countries. American and British English can differ in vocabulary, spelling, pronunciation, and in some grammar rules. We cannot guarantee that we will catch all of these. Wikipedia article on the differences.

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