This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Using the Proofing Tools
Word includes a spelling/grammar checker and a thesaurus that you can use to help with writing and editing. Spelling and grammar can be checked on the fly (as you type) or run as a traditional full-document or selected-text check. If you want to see a word’s meaning, there are several free dictionaries that you can easily install.
To install a dictionary (to check word definitions)
- Right-click any word in an open Word document and choose Define from the context menu that appears.
The Dictionaries task pane appears
.
Select a dictionary to install and click Download. - Click the Download button of the dictionary that you want to install.
The dictionary downloads and installs. The definition for the selected word appears in the new task pane
.
)
To look up a word’s definition
- Do either of the following:
- If the word is in the current document, select and right-click it. Choose Define from the context menu.
- Click Review : Proofing : Define
, type or paste the word into the Search box 
, and click the search icon (or press Enter).
You can open the dictionary task pane by clicking Define.The word’s definition is displayed in the task pane
.
To find a synonym for a word
- Do either of the following:
- If the word is in the current document, select and right-click it, and open the Synonyms submenu in the context menu. To replace the word, choose a synonym from the list. (If you’d rather use the Thesaurus task pane, choose Thesaurus.)
- Click Review : Proofing : Thesaurus
. In the Thesaurus task pane 
, type or paste the word into the search box. Click the search icon or press Enter. (If the word is preselected in the document, it will automatically appear in the search box.)
The Thesaurus task pane.To use a listed synonym, click the down arrow beside the word, and choose Insert or Copy
.
To use a synonym, click its down arrow and choose Insert or Copy.
To check spelling and/or grammar as you type
- When Check spelling as you type is enabled in Word Options (see the Tip at the end of the next section), each suspected spelling or grammatical error is marked with a wavy, colored underline.
- Spelling. To correct or dismiss a marked spelling error (red), right-click the underlined text and choose an option from the context menu
:
Right-click a marked spelling error and choose an option from the context menu.- To accept a suggested correction (if any are listed), choose a replacement spelling from the listed words.
- Choose Ignore or Ignore All to ignore this or every instance of the flagged spelling in the current document.
- If the spelling is correct, choose Add to Dictionary to record the word and ensure that it’s never flagged again.
- Grammar. To correct or dismiss a marked grammatical error (blue), right-click the underlined text. Choose one of the following from the context menu
:
Right-click a blue grammatical error to view possible corrections.- Choose the suggested fix to let Word make the correction.
- Choose Ignore if you believe that the grammar is correct or if you want to manually make the correction.
To check spelling/grammar for selected text or the document
- Optional: To restrict the check to a specific portion of the document, select the text to be checked.
- Click Review : Proofing : Spelling & Grammar (F7).
If suspected errors are identified, the Spelling or Grammar task pane opens.
- Spelling. To handle a suspected spelling error
, do one of the following:
The Spelling and Grammar task panes. (Be sure to review the explanatory text under the list box.)- To accept a suggested correction, select it in the list and click Change.
- To accept a suggested correction and apply it throughout the document, select it in the list and click Change All.
- To accept the flagged word as correct, click Ignore to skip this instance or Ignore All to ignore all instances of this word found in the document.
- To accept the flagged word as spelled correctly and add it to the Office user dictionary (so it isn’t flagged in later checks), click Add.
- Grammar. To handle a suspected grammar error
, do one of the following:
- If you believe the grammar is correct or you intend to rewrite the text, click the Ignore or Ignore All button.
- Select the correction in the list box and then click the appropriate button, such as Change or Change All.
)
TIP
To set spelling/grammar checking preferences, click the File tab to go to the Backstage and then click Options. In the Word Options dialog box, select the Proofing category 
, make any desired changes, and click OK.
)
Set preferences for the proofing tools in the Proofing section of the Word Options dialog box.
TIP
Word 2013 can consider the context of words when performing spelling/grammar checks 
, allowing it to flag words that are spelled properly but incorrect (distinguishing among to, too, and two, for example).
Although their is a proper word, Word flagged it as incorrect in the context of this sentence.
TIP
If you choose Ignore or Ignore All for a suspected spelling or grammar error, the error will not reappear in subsequent spelling/grammar checks. To reconsider such errors, click the Recheck Document button in the Proofing section of the Word Options dialog box 
.
TIP
The AutoCorrect feature automatically corrects common typos and misspellings as you type. To view or edit the current AutoCorrect word list 
, click the AutoCorrect Options button in the Proofing section of the Word Options dialog box .
)
CAUTION
Historically, Word’s grammar checker has been only marginally useful. (Examine the error-laden paragraph in 
, for example.) You shouldn’t rely on it to identify and correct typical grammatical errors.