Does anyone have any experience with software or on-line services in regards to grammar/style/punctuation checkers?
I came across one today that looks very good. It's called Grammarly. It may be US-orientated though. I know there is one here in the UK called StyleWriter (I think there's a US version too).
It's hard to believe these can catch everything, but they seem to spot quite a bit.
I don't have experience with editing software, but simple grammar checks are missing half of the self-editing issue. Here are C-C it's not just getting your mechanics right, but also streamlining your style issues. Word choices, removing words in sentences that aren't pulling their weight, and logical flow are things software probably won't pick up.
I.e.
"After rent and utilities, food is usually your budget’s biggest expense. Grocery shopping is a chore to most, but if you want to keep more of your hard earned money, you need to go in with a plan."
The above is the introduction to my latest article on my new website. If I was doing another editing session, I could rewrite the piece thusly:
"Food is often your budget's biggest expense after rent and utilities. Grocery shopping is a chore, but to shave savings off your food bill you need to improve your grocery shopping skills. This means hitting the grocery store with a plan!"
This edit added words, but for my purposes it made sense. I added the keywords "food bill", "grocery store", and another instance of "grocery shopping" in my introductory paragraph.
If I was editing to remove unnecessary words I might do this:
"You can change the cost of your monthly food expenses with smarter grocery shopping. The best way to save money on groceries is to start with a plan."
This is more direct, but not appropriate for my audience or application (a blog).
When I first started at C-C I printed everything and bought red pencils from my local office supply store. Then, I got in touch with my inner English teacher. I've never been an English teacher, but for some reason seeing the words printed made it easier for me to be brutal. Eventually, I became better at editing my work electronically. Also, I soon noticed my own mistakes as I was writing.
I just don't think editing software would enable a new writer to learn the other important self-editing skills.
I keep Microsoft Word's grammar checker enabled. However, it's often wrong. I trust my own grammar skills far more than the grammar checker. The little squiggles, even if they are wrong, do catch my attention and make me think twice about the sentence's construction. Most of the time, the sentence is fine. Other times, I can see that it needs a little help. It's a useful tool for drawing your attention to potential errors, but it's not something I'd rely on. I never simply accept its suggestions because they are usually wrong.
Word's grammar checker is, according to Microsoft at least, very sophisticated (from Word 2002 onward). I do see errors in it quite a lot, so I agree that it is not something that should be relied upon too much.
I have have that version, but I believe 2003 and up have "proofing tools" either built in or available as an add-in. Anyone tried these?
I always end up getting fed up with my Word grammar checking software because it would keep urging me to do things that would really screw up my sentences. Sometimes it seemed like a little gremlin was hitting the "Random Grammar" button.
To brush up my grammar, I generally go back to my old Little, Brown Handbook from college -- I had an excellent teacher and wrote a ton of notes in the margins, much to my everlasting relief. Also read the Elements of Style over and over again until you get big chunks of it lodged in your memory. E.B. White and Professor Strunk are the best.
Yes, you have to be careful with software. I remember some years ago when Word decided to change all instances of "Ostrogoths" in my essay to "Osteopaths".
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