Microsoft Word’s spelling and grammar tool checks your document for spelling, grammar, and typographical errors. When the automatic spelling and grammar checking is active, spelling and grammar are checked as you type. Microsoft Word marks possible spelling errors with a red wavy line and possible grammar errors with a green wavy line.
To correct the errors immediately, click on the marked words with the right mouse button to display a list of suggested spellings or corrections. Highlight the choice you want or click “ignore.”
To manually check spelling and grammar, do the following:
1) On the toolbar, click the Spelling and Grammar button (). You can also go to “Tools > Spelling and Grammar.”
2) The keyboard shortcut is the function key “F7.”
3) Microsoft Word scrolls through your document. If the program finds a problem, it displays the “Spelling and Grammar” dialog box.
4) The “Check Grammar” box must be checked if you wish to activate the grammar checker.
“Ignore” or “Ignore All” – Choose this if the word is spelled correctly.
“Add” – This adds a word to Microsoft Word’s custom dictionary.
“Change” or “Change All” – Accepts the spelling in the Suggestions box below.
5) Each time the program stops for a spelling error, do one of the following:
a. If the word in the “Suggestions” box below is the correct spelling, select that word and then choose “Change.”
b. If the word in the above box is spelled correctly, choose “Ignore” or “Ignore All” (if it appears more than once in the document).
c. If you wish to add the word above to your custom dictionary for future use, choose “Add.”
d. If the correct word is NOT displayed in the Suggestions box below but spelled incorrectly, click on the highlighted word above, type the correction, and then choose “Change.”
6) If the program stops for a grammar error, do one of the following:
a. Compare the description of the error with the suggested correction in the Suggestions box.
b. If the change is appropriate, then choose “Change.”
c. If the change is not appropriate, then choose “Ignore.”
6) When the dialog box appears with the message, “The spelling and grammar check is complete,” then choose OK.
HINT: Spelling and Grammar Checker will not identify omitted words, misused words, or typographical errors that form a new word (i.e., sing for sign). Consequently, you should always proofread your documents prior to submission. It is NOT 100% accurate.
There may be times when you use the same word often in your document and you just want to replace it with a synonym. There are two (2) ways to do this.
1. Highlight to word you wish to change. On the menu bar, go to “Tools > Language > Thesaurus.”
2. The keyboard shortcut for the “Thesaurus” is “Shift+F7.” Make sure you hold the Shift button down first and then tap F7. DO NOT click both keys at the same time.
3. For instance, if I highlighted the word “same” in #2 above and checked the thesaurus, the above appears. I can choose any word from the column on the right (“Replace with Synonym”) and click “Replace.”
4. The new word now replaces the old word.
5. Another way to choose a synonym is to right click on the word you wish to replace and go to “Synonym.”
6. Highlight the word you wish to choose. It now replaces your old word with the new word.
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