Grammar Issues...HELP!

HGDaGr8One said:

Is there some sort of grammar checker program out there? I have some grammar issues and find myself needing help on correcting them.

I'm trying to find a checker where I can run my writing through and have it corrected. Does anything like that exist and possibly for free?

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The best grammar checker program is a moderately intelligent human.


You can also use these forums

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=111

I'm going to move this to the Grammar forum.

In general, grammar checkers aren't a great deal of use if you're writing fiction.

Microsoft Word, like most word processors, has a built in grammar check; you'll have better luck with it if you customize the settings.

If there were any good grammar, punctuation, and usage programs out there, editors would be out of a job. Most word processors can tell if some things are wrong, but they don't catch much at all.

Learn correct grammar, punctuation, and usage. It's a pain in the ass, but if you wish for people to understand you--which is the singular job of writing--invest time, patience, and effort into it.

There are a lot of good grammar resources out there. A lot of people swear by The Elements of Style (Strunk and White). You can also find a lot of good information online, and we have a grammar sub-forum here on AW.

Reading can also help you with some elements of grammar. In fiction, you'll notice a bit of leeway with some of the rules.

The best on-line grammar and style guide I know of:

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/

It's an educational resource, not an automated grammar-checker, but you'll get a lot more out of it than you will just relying on software.

Oh, yeah, almost forgot: READ A LOT.

caw

Not just going for the gag line here, but more fiction writers swear at S&W's Elements of Style than swear by it.

I found it an okay student's manual when teaching college frosh writing courses, but it was never my first choice. Blacbird's favorite resource, the Purdue Owl, is far more helpful.

blacbird said:

The best on-line grammar and style guide I know of:

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/

It's an educational resource, not an automated grammar-checker, but you'll get a lot more out of it than you will just relying on software.

Oh, yeah, almost forgot: READ A LOT.

caw

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I second this, Purdue owl is very easy to use, and reading a lot of fiction will also help you internalize how sentences are supposed to be structured.

And don't get frustrated. Grammar is like anything else: once you start paying attention to it and practicing with it, your skills will improve.