English proofreading programs - what to look for

You might be working in a business where English is used to communicate to clients or business associates, or you're a student who is writing papers and assignments in English.
Maybe you're simply writing emails to friends. In whatever way you use English, whether you're a native speaker or learning English, you will want to make sure that your English is as good as it can be.

Most of us already have basic spelling and grammar checking capabilities built into our word processors.
However, if you are looking for additional accuracy and depth of proofreading you might want to look into purchasing an additional software package that checks your English.
You might be wondering what these programs offer and whether they are real value for money.
This simple overview outlines and evaluates some of the tools offered by these programs.

Spelling and grammar checking

The spelling and grammar checking functions in English writing software tends to be more in-depth than those offered with word processors. Words spelled correctly but used out of context (such as confusing you with you're) may be picked up by these programs.

Punctuation checking

Traditional word processors do little to check your punctuation, and with a frightening selection of punctuation marks; commas, hyphens and semi-colons to name but a few, it can be reassuring to have a program which helps check your usage.

Compatibility with other programs

English checking programs tend to be compatible with text applications such as email and word processors. They are intended to be easy to use and enhance your writing experience, rather than taking more of your time.

Extras - templates, English tutorials and text enhancement

Some programs offer additional perks far beyond what most word processors provide. Databases of templates for writing letters, handy weekly English tutorials, explanations of grammar rules or suggestions for text improvement are just some of these extras.


Here you can demo some of these features and find out more about the English checking programs.