diff --git a/book/source/08-signing_components.md b/book/source/08-signing_components.md
index ff6e123..7cdbc3a 100644
--- a/book/source/08-signing_components.md
+++ b/book/source/08-signing_components.md
@@ -6,33 +6,33 @@ SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-SA-4.0
 (component_signatures_chapter)=
 # Signatures on components
 
-In this chapter, we'll look at OpenPGP signatures that apply to components of certificates. That is, signatures that apply to:
+This chapter examines OpenPGP signatures associated with certificate components, applying to: 
 
-- Component keys (primary keys or subkeys) and
-- Identity components (User IDs or User attributes).
+- component keys, encompassing primary keys and subkeys
+- identity components, namely user IDs and user attributes
 
 Signatures on components are used to construct and maintain certificates, and to model the authentication of identities.
 
-This chapter expands on topics we introduced in the {ref}`certificates_chapter` chapter.
+This chapter expands on topics introduced in the {ref}`certificates_chapter` chapter.
 
 ## Self-signatures vs third-party signatures
 
-There are two fundamentally different flavors of signatures on components:
+Component signatures in OpenPGP are categorized into two distinct types:
 
-- *Self-signatures*, which are issued by the certificate holder themselves using the primary key of the certificate, and
-- *third-party signatures*, which are issued by a third party.
+- **self-signatures**, which are issued by the certificate holder  using the certificate's primary key
+- **third-party signatures**, which are issued by an external entity, not the certificate holder
 
 ### Self-signatures
 
-*Self-signatures* on components are a crucial mechanism for forming OpenPGP certificates (by binding the certificate's components into one combined data structure), as well as for life-cycle management of certificates (that is: performing changes to the certificate, over time).
+Self-signatures are fundamental in creating and managing OpenPGP certificates. They bind the various components of a certificate into one combined data structure and facilitate the certificate's life-cycle management.
 
-Life-cycle management operations on OpenPGP certificates and their components include:
+Life-cycle management operations include:
 
-- binding additional components to a certificate,
-- changing the expiration date, or other metadata, of a component, and
-- invalidating components or existing self-signatures using revocations.
+- binding additional components to a certificate
+- modifying expiration dates or other metadata of components
+- revoking, and thus invalidating, components or existing self-signatures 
 
-Self-signatures are issued by the certificate's owner, using the primary key of the same certificate.
+Self-signatures are issued by the certificate's owner using the certificate's primary key.
  
 ```{note}
 No [key flag](https://www.ietf.org/archive/id/draft-ietf-openpgp-crypto-refresh-12.html#name-key-flags) is required to issue self-signatures. An OpenPGP primary key can issue self-signatures by default.
@@ -40,16 +40,16 @@ No [key flag](https://www.ietf.org/archive/id/draft-ietf-openpgp-crypto-refresh-
 
 ### Third-party signatures
 
-Third-party signatures on components form the basis for OpenPGP's decentralized authentication functionality (also known as the *Web of Trust*). They encode authentication-related statements about certificates and their associated identities.
+Third-party signatures are pivotal in OpenPGP for decentralized authentication, forming the basis of the *Web of Trust*. They encode authentication-related statements about certificates and linked identities, establishing trustworthiness and verification. 
 
-Third-party OpenPGP signatures can be used to make the following types of statements:
+Third-party signatures are used to make specific statements:
 
-- Certification of identity claims,
-- Delegation of authentication decisions,
-- Invalidating previous third-party signature statements using revocations.
+- certifying identity claims
+- delegating authentication decisions
+- revoking, and thus invalidating, prior third-party signature statements
 
 ```{note}
-The **certify others** [key flag](https://www.ietf.org/archive/id/draft-ietf-openpgp-crypto-refresh-12.html#name-key-flags) (`0x01`) is required to issue third-party signatures. Only the primary key of a certificate may hold this key flag.
+The **certify others** [key flag](https://www.ietf.org/archive/id/draft-ietf-openpgp-crypto-refresh-12.html#name-key-flags) (`0x01`) is required to issue third-party signatures. Only the certificate's primary holds this key flag.
 ```
 
 ### Self-signatures and third-party signatures convey different meanings