Ever felt tired of the unruly punctuations, wrongly spelt words and typos ruining whatever you have created with much care? Often we have faced situations where our manual proofreading processes have fallen short and we have missed the small grammatical errors or typographical mistakes in our online posts. We know how unwanted the situation is and how much careful readers detest such mistakes. However small these errors might be, they often end up making a huge difference; so much so that your readers might actually stop reading your content and move on.
In fact, it does not matter how much time you devote to correct your works. Irrespective of whether you are checking it, or someone else is, it is almost impossible to avoid these silly mistakes because, – as we know, “To err is human”
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Grammarly – The Perfect Solution
To our relief, there is now a lifesaver available online, to rid us of our grammatical miseries. For non-native speakers, who often feel overly conscious of getting the grammar corrector the spellings impeccable, this online tool proves to be absolutely indispensable.
Grammarly is an online app or an extension, that takes care of all your writing woes, which include plagiarism correction, grammar checker or spelling correction. You name it and Grammarly has it. The best part of this app is that it is available on different platforms like WordPress, Microsoft Word, Facebook etc. In fact, the makers have gone ahead and called it the “Free Grammar Assistant.”
The Verdict
The Pros
Reviewing the app, we should first put on the table whatever positive or negative aspects are there of Grammarly, why you should go for it and what all to keep in mind. Grammarly is a good option but if you can’t afford premium version of it, you can check grammar on Prepostseo for free.
Correction in Real-time
This is the primary reason for the immense popularity that Grammarly has seen over the last few years. Grammarly works real-time and it is incredible how fast it can help you check your work and get the editing done in a jiffy. We are familiar with Spell-check systems where you have to finish writing an article and then apply the inbuilt checker to do its job. This works just fine if in fact, you remember to run this check. But what when you forget. More often than not, we have faced situations when we are in a hurry, writing something very important and sending it off or posting before double-checking it. This is where the entire thing becomes tricky.
Also, this is exactly where Grammarly does a better job than the default checking mechanisms. As we go on writing, Grammarly keeps pointing out the mistakes that shouldn’t have been there and gives us a fair chance to make the necessary corrections immediately.
No buttons, no chance of forgetting. Isn’t it just what we needed?
Impeccable Accuracy
Unlike other similar tools, Grammarly hardly makes mistakes or gives you the wrong information. It may so happen that it misunderstands your context and gives you unnecessary suggestions, puts a comma where you don’t want it or makes you write sentences that are simple at a childish level. However, these are stray cases, which only occur occasionally.
As a result, it is safe to say that Grammarly works really flawlessly and the percentage of errors in its functioning is almost NIL. The only thing you have to remember is that you only have to accept the changes when you feel it is right.
User-friendly
Grammarly is your tutor as well. How, you ask? It not only tells you where you are wrong, but also why it is wrong and how it can be explained. These explanations in Grammarly are available in Quick-view mode as well as detailed explanatory modes. You can pick a mode as per your choice or convenience and go on learning as you write.
In a nutshell, it not only makes you write better but also makes sure that you become a better writer eventually. So using Grammarly on a regular basis would gradually give you a better picture of the phrasing of sentences, punctuations and spellings. So sit back and get ready to be tutored!
Just as You like It
Even if you are using the free version of Grammarly, you can rest assured that there will be ample scopes for customization. It lets you select the language you prefer or even turn the functions off as and when you need it. The best part is that for names and other words, which may not be in its dictionary, Grammarly will even let you add new words. This helps you save the trouble of ignoring its error notifications every time for a particular “non-word” you want to use.
Convenient
All this good stuff and you get it with almost zero effort. You need not be exceptionally technically sound to figure out how to use Grammarly. You just have to know how to install the Grammarly plug-in or extension and that’s about it. It works in almost the same manner that Microsoft Word’s spell-check does. You see underlines whenever Grammarly thinks there is an incorrect word or sentence and you can replace it by the correct ones that it suggests.
High Limits
It allows 150K+ words to be checked at a time and that often proves to be more than enough for most users. Also, if you have one Grammarly Premium Account, you can attach 5 different devices to it, which is more than fair considering the cost. 300 documents or 150,000 words are allowed to be reviewed in a period of 30 days. The daily limitation is as much as 100 documents or 50,000 words.
When it comes to the size of the document for uploading, it needs to be 4Mb or less. Supported file types are MS Word documents, .rtf, .txt and Open Office documents.
The Cons
Anything as good as Grammarly is bound to have some limitations and we have enumerated a few of them below, just so you get a heads-up.
Works on selected platforms
This is bad news if you are more comfortable working in Google Docs as Grammarly is still in a beta testing stage with Google Docs. So it doesn’t really function in it and you might have to wait for some time before they implement this functionality.
The limitations of using it Free
If you are looking for just a little help with grammar, Grammarly free version is just fine for you. However, if you are looking for an extra something, you might be disappointed. The Premium version of Grammarly has lots of interesting features which you might find helpful if improving your writing style is what you are looking forward to doing.
Too many ads
Grammarly is a little too eager to get you to upgrade your free version. While it is fine letting you know the advantages of the Premium version, the spamming ads sometimes become a nuisance.
Unsubscribing from their emails is one good way to get rid of the spams. But they might still bug you in their extension at times asking you to make the upgrade. However, if you are a little tolerant with ads, it will not be a deal-breaker for you.
What are the ways to use Grammarly?
There are multiple ways to access the features and functions of Grammarly. Here is the list, suit yourself!
Ctrl C + Ctrl V
You can write your content somewhere and then copy and paste it entirely into the Grammarly text box for the checking. It will find out all your errors or even give suggestions for improving the quality of the content,
Import
You can also browse and upload/import a document that you have written in and get it checked. It may be in MS Word or any other word processor.
Direct Input
If all this seems like a little hassle, you can also choose to write directly into Grammarly and make necessary corrections. It will, as already discussed, point out your mistakes as you keep writing.
Use the Plug-In
You can also choose to install a Plug-in for Grammarly that lets you work with it directly in your word processor. The only shortfall is that it does not work on MS Office in MAC.
How to use it in MS Word?
Now that you know why Grammarly is a really good choice, we would next discuss about the ways and means in which you can use Grammarly if you are working in MS Word.
Grammarly dashboard is the place you have to paste your text in and get it checked. However, if you have the Premium version, it lets you download the Grammarly Plug-in for Microsoft Office. This is something you can use in Outlook or Microsoft Office. Wondering how to do that? Well, you just have to go to the left-hand side panel of your dashboard and click on Download Add-In. If you are an editor and you are reviewing a writer’s work, you can also make use of the plagiarism checker option, again available on the left panel of the Review Window.
The true lifesaver that Grammarly is, it also works on various social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Emails of course. If your preferred browser is Google Chrome, you can install the extension for Chrome and use the same for any text editor, just barring Google Docs.
Some Interesting Points to Note
- If you have a large document that you want to edit, Grammarly makes you enable a special session for feedback. After this only you can scroll on to check the document for errors.
- If you think that an error is confusing you, you can opt for the explanation that Grammarly provides, to your benefit. In case you are not quite well-versed with the grammar rules, these would prove to be very helpful. Even if you are, they can still act as reminders in case you are missing something.
- The premium version has a feature that keeps sending you updates on a regular basis to let you know how well you are doing. It tells you how many words you have checked in Grammarly and what all your top errors were. This lets you learn to a great extent and reminds you to avoid past errors.
- The price per month for the Premium version is just under $30. This might seem like a little too much to some. However, if you are ready to pay at a time for longer periods, it is better. The Annual subscription is somewhere around $139. But if you are not sure about what you think of this tool yet, it is recommended that you first give the monthly version a try.
- Grammarly can also customize itself according to the British or American English as per your comfort, or your target audience. There is also an option to choose the genre in which you are writing so that it can do justice to your content and produce suggestions accordingly.
- Before starting the checking, there is also an option to set a list of goals, so that Grammarly can understand the type of article that is being written or the types of errors that we are trying to address. Grammarly also can incorporate information on the tone of writing to customize its functions. Whether, it is formal or informal, mild or strong, Grammarly will understand and check your writing accordingly.
- Once the checking is done for imported/uploaded articles, Grammarly produces for you a marked-up article with comments on the corrections made on the right-hand side margin of the page
How Cost-effective is the Premium Version?
Many writers who write on a regular basis and need Grammarly quite often, the free version suffices quite well. But the extra benefits that the Premium version offers are also worth mentioning:
- Advanced level of checks for punctuation, syntax, sentence formation, voice change etc
- It also provides for enhancement of vocabulary
- Style checks that are customized for different types of genres
- The Plagiarism detection tool that works through more than as many as 16 billion web pages
- Explanation of Advanced grammar rules
- Provision of finding out synonyms and definitions on a double click
The Comparison with a Human Proofreader
Grammarly works quite well with small articles or emails that are needed to be checked regularly and instantly. Writers who are pretty regular with their posts in blogs or social media or those akin to them, Grammarly is the perfect tool.
However, if you are checking a full-length manuscript or academic papers, it may miss the small errors which are too subtle for a machine to understand. It may also not understand the depth of the various contexts on which these books or papers are written. In such cases, nothing can beat human proofreader.
Who all can use Grammarly?
If you are a professional, Grammarly will suit you like a glove. Whether you are writing emails or blog posts, this tool will definitely serve your purpose and help you make your content error-free and fit for publishing. It is recommended particularly for non-native English speakers. The chances of errors to creep in, in such cases are higher than usual. This is irrespective of how good your knowledge of the language is. If you need a list of professionals who will find this useful, here it is:
- Authors
- Bloggers
- Content Writers
- Copywriters
- Students
- Professionals who want error-free emails, marketing posts or presentations
- Individuals who want a check for any kind of plagiarism
- Owners of a digital company
Compatibility
Grammarly’s win-win feature is its widespread compatibility as it enables you to use it, no matter what software you are using for writing your piece. It comes in an app version as well, which makes it incredibly useful if a lot of your work is done on the phone. The desktop application and the plug-in of course suits them who like working on bigger systems like your pc or laptop. The browser extension is especially suitable for you if you have to email people a lot.
The keyword app of Grammarly enables you to correct whatever it is that you write in your phone, instantly. This again, is suitable for those who like the mobile to do most of their writing jobs. The mobile app works on both Android as well as iOS platforms while the desktop one is compatible with both Windows and MAC.
The Grammarly Business Version
There is also a Business Version, which has been released recently by the makers of Grammarly. It provides all the unique features that Grammarly Premium has, only with the needs being more tailor-made for business use. The special features for the Business Version are:
- Controls for admin and user management with respect to the security and privacy of each member of the team
- A console access for admin which will help manage each and every subscription and also monitor their activities
- Centralized Billing methods
Conclusion
All said and done, it is only fair to say that Grammarly as a tool has gone to great lengths to turn to proofread into perfection. Irrespective of the few negative aspects that it has, it is still considered as one of the topmost proofreading tools available online. If you are fond of writing and writing error-free, the Grammarly is strongly recommended for you. It not only makes your written pieces error-free but also improves the quality of your writing in the long run. As a proofreader tool, it meets the expectations of a writer like none other and has won accolades for this from various ends of the writing community.
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