Correct English

Grammar Checkers

Grammar checkers are not included in this list for a good reason; they are not valid tools for a writer. However, if you feel the need to use one, be aware they often make you change a perfectly good structure into a lot of rubbish, and really the free ones are just as good as the paying versions.

English, the main language of the web comes in so many varied and correct forms, yet the inventors of these programmes seem not to have bothered with anything that is not American English. This is fine if they state this only works for American English, but most claim British English is supported. It isn’t on the whole, and correct English is marked as incorrect just because it is not the same as American. I have no idea what they make of English from Australia, South Africa or other countries but assume they too are “wrong”.

Writing does not always involve correct grammar. I ran my quote about Shakespeare in the “Free Images” article through the most popular checker and it informed me there were 8 errors and marked me 43/100.

… but as Shakespeare might have said, “A Royalty by any other name..”.

“might have said” is wrong, as Shakespeare either did or did not say…; he did not say Royalty; Royalty should not have a capitol letter; the dots after name are incorrect punctuation, and so on.

Passive structures are often marked down, while they are considered by many experts to be a higher form of writing.

The sentence below has just got a 100/100, even though it is wrong in so many ways. Even my “Word” checker, (the free one that comes with Microsoft Office), is having hysterics and underlining things in all manner of colours, but the best available grammar checker says it is prefect.

“I am a writer. I write every night. I like to write when I can. I rite all day too and writ when I was young, so I have a lot of experience. My mother and father were both writing. All my family were writers too.”

I came across an article about the damage caused by using grammar checkers and in it the author said this phrase passes these programmes;

 “Thinking it was open, the door was really closed.”

It made me laugh, and hope it does the same for you – if it doesn’t at least shock you, then writing may not be the best pass time for you.

View the full article here: http://www.editavenue.com/writingtip.asp?cid=93325