Grammarly Spell Checker & Grammar helps you write more accurately by suggesting changes in various language areas, such as spelling, grammar and style. It is available not only as the desktop app being reviewed here but also as extensions for various browsers and word processors.
The application has a nice and intuitive layout. Although it has a built-in editor to compose your text directly, most users would prefer to use a word processor of their choice and then import the document to the tool.
Grammarly Spell Checker & Grammar works by checking your writing production against an online database, which contains diverse types of errors. It alerts you about different kinds of mistakes and errors using a color code. Moreover, you can learn about the nature of your mistakes by hovering your mouse over the marked words or phrases.
Fortunately, Grammarly Spell Checker & Grammar can be personalized to your specific needs. For instance, you can create a dictionary for personal use, which can contain words that are not found in standard dictionaries. Likewise, it supports various general variants of English, including British, American, Canadian and Australian. Yet, personalization can go much deeper when you declare your intent, style and tone. What is more, you can specify an audience (general, knowledgeable and expert) as well as a given domain (academic, technical, and creative).
It is great that the app can have a positive impact on your writing. Thus, it can be used as a learning tool thanks to its clear explanation of language rules which are accompanied by sample sentences. In this respect, it can be useful not only for learners of English as a second language but native speakers of this language as well.
Grammarly Spell Checker & Grammar comes with a few downsides. First, it requires an Internet connection, which may not be available at all times. Likewise, it may alter the original text formatting and fonts when you import your document. In addition, you may feel that real-time checking is somewhat distracting at the moment you are trying to concentrate on the content of your writing instead of its form. Finally, there is the always-present risk of your texts ending in the wrong hands when it is transferred through a network.
All in all, Grammarly Spell Checker & Grammar is an excellent tool for proof-checking your writing. Luckily, it adapts to different types of purposes and styles. The app is free to download but it is completely inoperable unless you subscribe to its supporting services. Although there is a free subscription, it is probably too limited. So, you may want to purchase one of the other licenses. Unfortunately, their fees are not very affordable, though.
