I do not know what most people use to write their articles but I prefer to use Microsoft word, because it is an action packed powerhouse. It has features to check my grammar, spelling and even how many words I have for the whole article or even a section as well as a host of other things.
Many people do not use Microsoft word to its fullest potential!
This is know to be true, because I have taught a few classes on Microsoft office and it seems to me that it’s the simplest things that most people have problems with. So I am going to briefly discuss how to use Microsoft word to automatically check for the most common spelling errors and grammar errors. Check out Grammarly for effective information.
Using the spell and grammar checkers
First open a new document within Microsoft word. Once you have it opened and you are ready to type. Open the top tool bar you will see Tools, and options is a sub directory below that. Go ahead and click options and click the spelling and grammar tab. Make sure the little box beside check as you spelling as you type sentence is checked as well as the box where it says to make suggestions. Below the spelling section you will see grammar checking, check the little box beside check grammar as you type sentence.
Spelling errors will now have a red line under them so they are now easy to spot. If you right click the misspelled word a list of possible corrections will appear. By turning on this little item you have made your writing almost typo free. You’ll still need to desk check the article but that will be explained later.
Grammar errors now have a green line under them, making them easy to spot. Sometimes it’s too many spaces between words, but it can also be a wrong kind of comma has been inserted or perhaps it is tat your sentence is a fragment. Anyways just right click on the green line and you’ll see the suggestion word had for you.
No go ahead and type an article or simply open one of the articles you’ve been working on and finish it up. The work you just did by turning on the spell and grammar checker options will improve your writing.
Final thoughts!
Now before you say well I am finished with this article and I have no spelling or grammar errors, think again because there could be other little errors in there just hiding and waiting to create havoc.
The importance of desktop checking is critical because there can be errors with the same sounding words which have different meanings. How many times have you used their instead of there? It’s too simple to do, and the way I remember the difference is there has here in it so that denotes location so the other must show possession. Just think of the words that do that such as one, won, or I and eye. That is why you desk check everything you write. Two, too and to is another set of words that seems to get people. Two is the number, too means also and to means the direction. The first two is easy to remember, just remember 1 o means go, so to means go or direction and the last two will be easier to remember.
If you want to you can also read the article aloud and that will help things as well. Sure you may sound goofy but what the heck, if it helps you then so be it.