Using Grammarly
Grammarly and ProWritingAid are grammar and spell-checking plugins for programs like Microsoft Word. They are better at locating spelling and grammar errors than the built-in checker. Plus, they have suggested improvements that make sentences read better.
On a side note, Microsoft recently updated its built-in checker, which impressed me. This attention probably results from Grammarly and ProWritingAid, making them look bad.
Critics of these plugins point out that grammar-checking programs are not perfect which can introduce errors. Big Brother believers point out that both plugins send documents to a server to be processed, which may lead to security and privacy issues.
Each plugin has its strengths and weaknesses. Along with basic grammar checking, ProWritingAid takes a high-level approach that provides one or more examples of rewritten sentences. The sentence’s meaning remains the same, but it reads far stronger. Grammarly’s strength lies in a superior checking database that catches even the slightest error. It also works in real-time, but a change while using ProWritingAid requires a re-run to evaluate this recent change.
Each plugin also has its little quirks. Grammarly has to be closed by clicking on the icon. If the user closes the plugin by clicking on the X, it will restart on the next document (even if you close Microsoft Word). It also only correctly works on the primary monitor. ProWritingAid freezes the document while it works. It also has a bunch of features I never use. Worst of all, it hangs up Microsoft Outlook on my machine. I have disabled and deleted the plugin from Outlook, but it keeps getting reinstalled.
I have two tips for using both plugins. When editing a long document, I use a second small document, temp. I copy sections from the long document to temp and then run the plugins. This process is much faster than analyzing the entire long document. My second tip is to use both plugins in the draft view. It is much easier to see the issues and faster to analyze.
Both plugins trip up slang, intentionally poor grammar, or invented terms. A good example is the dialog for a character with poor English skills, such as a child. During these sections of a document, I ignore all suggestions.
My standard routine is first to do a ProWritingAid pass, and then I do a Grammarly pass. I accept nearly all the suggestions and treat their suggestions as the ultimate authority over my grammar abilities.
However, this brings up an inconsistency. What if the Microsoft Word checker, Grammarly, ProWritingAid, or the editor disagree? I have coined a term for this (that I stole from a movie title), fighting with my family. I place the authority as follows: the editor, Grammarly, ProWritingAid, and then Microsoft Word. But what happens when all three programs consistently disagree with the editor? This situation has happened a few times (especially with commas), and in these instances, I throw up my hands and pick the best-looking correction. Should I look up the rule in The Chicago Manual of Style? Of course, but I have traveled down this rabbit hole, and usually, there is no solid answer, only confusion.
There is an additional issue. Perhaps the resulting documents are bland or too uniform. This argument has merit, but I would counter that a good document is a good document, and an angry reader is an angry reader.
Even with the drawbacks, I see an enormous improvement in my documents. I wish they were available when I was a teenager.
You’re the best -Bill
January 10, 2019 Updated December 16, 2023
On a side note, Microsoft recently updated its built-in checker, which impressed me. This attention probably results from Grammarly and ProWritingAid, making them look bad.
Critics of these plugins point out that grammar-checking programs are not perfect which can introduce errors. Big Brother believers point out that both plugins send documents to a server to be processed, which may lead to security and privacy issues.
Each plugin has its strengths and weaknesses. Along with basic grammar checking, ProWritingAid takes a high-level approach that provides one or more examples of rewritten sentences. The sentence’s meaning remains the same, but it reads far stronger. Grammarly’s strength lies in a superior checking database that catches even the slightest error. It also works in real-time, but a change while using ProWritingAid requires a re-run to evaluate this recent change.
Each plugin also has its little quirks. Grammarly has to be closed by clicking on the icon. If the user closes the plugin by clicking on the X, it will restart on the next document (even if you close Microsoft Word). It also only correctly works on the primary monitor. ProWritingAid freezes the document while it works. It also has a bunch of features I never use. Worst of all, it hangs up Microsoft Outlook on my machine. I have disabled and deleted the plugin from Outlook, but it keeps getting reinstalled.
I have two tips for using both plugins. When editing a long document, I use a second small document, temp. I copy sections from the long document to temp and then run the plugins. This process is much faster than analyzing the entire long document. My second tip is to use both plugins in the draft view. It is much easier to see the issues and faster to analyze.
Both plugins trip up slang, intentionally poor grammar, or invented terms. A good example is the dialog for a character with poor English skills, such as a child. During these sections of a document, I ignore all suggestions.
My standard routine is first to do a ProWritingAid pass, and then I do a Grammarly pass. I accept nearly all the suggestions and treat their suggestions as the ultimate authority over my grammar abilities.
However, this brings up an inconsistency. What if the Microsoft Word checker, Grammarly, ProWritingAid, or the editor disagree? I have coined a term for this (that I stole from a movie title), fighting with my family. I place the authority as follows: the editor, Grammarly, ProWritingAid, and then Microsoft Word. But what happens when all three programs consistently disagree with the editor? This situation has happened a few times (especially with commas), and in these instances, I throw up my hands and pick the best-looking correction. Should I look up the rule in The Chicago Manual of Style? Of course, but I have traveled down this rabbit hole, and usually, there is no solid answer, only confusion.
There is an additional issue. Perhaps the resulting documents are bland or too uniform. This argument has merit, but I would counter that a good document is a good document, and an angry reader is an angry reader.
Even with the drawbacks, I see an enormous improvement in my documents. I wish they were available when I was a teenager.
You’re the best -Bill
January 10, 2019 Updated December 16, 2023
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