We all know about spell-check and the
importance of using it when we are writing any documents, particularly
correspondence and reports related to work. But there are new and more advanced
types of programs that go way beyond the capacity of the spell-check. Check
these out:
Grammarly: this is a phenomenal program
that not only far exceeds Microsoft in terms of its ability to detect errors in
spelling and grammar, but it also flags repetitive words and potentially inappropriate
word usage (e.g., let’s say that you wanted to use the word “reminisce” to talk
about old times but instead you said, “let’s remiss about the good old days.”
The program would alert you to the possibility that might not be the word you
want to use and suggest something more appropriate. It also highlights terms
that have become like slang now, such as “awesome, amazing,” and “totally” and
even brings to your attention potentially offensive/politically incorrect words
like “mankind” or “elderly.” And it is
fully compliant with The Chicago Manual of Style, so Grammarly will
suggest the best punctuation for you. It’s a real time-saver and ensures that
you will not miss embarrassing errors. Plus, you always have the option of
taking their suggestions cafeteria-style by choosing the ones you like and
leaving the rest behind.
PerfectIt: I could not live without this
program. PerfectIt makes sure that all your word usage is consistent. Did you
hyphenate brand-new in two instances but not the third? Did you capitalize the
City of Chicago four times but leave it in lowercase twice? PerfectIt to the
rescue. This is particularly useful for long documents, novels, and nonfiction
books where you can’t trust that you are going to remember every single hyphen
or capital. It makes you look like a real pro with a terrific memory and a
great eye for detail. PerfectIt also identifies redundancies (e.g., “I’m going
to meet Paul at 10 AM in the morning.” AM and morning are redundant. You can
say one or the other. “I am going to meet Paul at 10 AM” is sufficient. And “he
thought to himself.” By definition, a thought is something that we think to
ourselves and we don’t say out loud, so it’s fine to say, “he thought” without
the extra verbiage).
Both Grammarly and PerfectIt are terrific
for writers who want their material to be flawless and professional. But don’t
forget about Microsoft’s spell-check. It is still worth remembering to always spell-check
everything that leaves your desk for business, starting with emails and moving
on to reports and proposals, short stories, and full-length books, etc. You can
also use these programs for social correspondence if you want to step up your
game.
