Why You Shouldn't Rely on Proofreading Software

There are tons of spelling and grammar checkers out there. There are options to download spelling software to highlight misspelled words and fine-tune your writing. These free proofreading options are accessible through programs like Grammarly. Or there might even be software built into your existing programs, like the Microsoft Word editor or Google Docs which flag up punctuation errors and helps when correcting typos.

These are great for picking up the odd issue, especially in smaller works like emails or advertising copy, but for larger pieces, they actually don't work too well at all.

Talk to a professional proofreader for the most amazing copy

 How Useful Are They for Checking Grammatical Errors?

Sure, they might pick up the odd spelling error or missed question mark, but the problem is, software doesn't actually understand what you're trying to say, the context you're saying it in, or the tone of voice when someone reads it. This means that it might predict words that are incorrect or add punctuation that totally changes the meaning of your sentence.

It's also really difficult to achieve consistency using this method. Your spell checker might see certain word choice as being correct, when actually the spelling is wrong. For example - 'there' and 'their.'

Both words are correct in the right context, but a chrome extension won't understand that context.

Relax and let a proofreader do the work for you

Spell Checker Pros To Support Your Writing Style

●      Software will pick up minor spelling errors and missing punctuation and work to achieve better sentence structure.

●      If you've misspelled the same word throughout your writing, you can correct all the spellings of that word simultaneously to make your copy error free.

●      You can customise the dictionary on most spell checkers, meaning it will pick up mistakes if you know that you commonly make them and make sure it's set to English grammar structures.

Spell Checker Cons for Free Proofreading Online

●      Software may predict that a word is wrong when you're using regional dialects or colloquialisms. If your character has an accent that means they often miss out sounds in words, ‘‘cause' rather than ‘because' for example, a spell checker will automatically fill in the whole word - ruining your dialect completely. 

●      Spell checkers are based on a set of rules and anything that falls outside of those will be shown as incorrect. And, as I'm sure you all know, the English language doesn't always stick strictly to the rules!

●      If you've spelled a word incorrectly, but your incorrect spelling is actually a homophone (a word that sounds the same but is spelled differently and has a different meaning), the software won't pick this up. For example; wood & would or find and fined.

●      Software won't help you with names or proper nouns either. As soon as you pop a capital letter on there, it will assume it's a name and can't be spelled wrong. This could cause problems if you don't happen to notice that you have two different spellings throughout your writing.

●      Although most spelling errors picked up by customisable systems are flagged up to you, those that are built into your existing software might just auto-correct without your knowledge.

Let your imagination run away with you

Grammar Checkers and Plagiarism Detection

Your spell checking software often contains a built-in grammar checker too. And while the developers of grammar checkers were full of good intentions, the rules that they work by actually miss the majority of issues that could be picked up by a human and in some cases, they can even make the grammar worse by following the pre-set rules.

For example, an online proofreader may flag the sentence ‘my daughter's dance lesson was amazing' as incorrect. The suggestion, due to the rules on possession and tenses may come out as ‘my daughters dance lessons was's amazing' or even ‘my daughters dance lesson were amazing.'

Imagine putting one of these ‘grammar-checked' sentences into your final piece. It looks so unprofessional!

Sharpen your pencil and get started

Online Proofreading Tools Are the Equivalent of an AI Writing Assistant

Getting used to using an online proofreading tool can actually make you lazy too. You might notice that it's picked up a few grammar errors correctly, so your brain will automatically switch off to those few issues, assuming your software will pick it up.

Professional Proofreading Services to the Rescue!

So, what happens when you haven't got that software to rely on? You've already become too lazy to pick up the errors yourself...so they'll just stay there in your final piece. Not ideal!

If you're like me and you really care about how your work looks to other people, it's absolutely crucial to get every word and every speech mark perfect. If your writing is that important to you, the extensive cons list above might be slightly worrying. So what's the alternative?

Learn to proofread professionally

Proofreaders for Professional Writers

The truth is, there's just no substitute for that human eye. Professional proofreaders understand the context of each and every word, each character's dialect and the purpose of your writing as a whole. They'll read through your whole document and pick out any issues with grammar, spelling and punctuation to ensure it's ready for publication. Proofreaders are the most common type of editor and are a massive asset for anyone looking to publish their work as they take away this huge, time consuming task for you.

Rather than basing your errors on a bunch of rules that might not be relevant like software does, professional proofreaders will pull your sentences together from the perspective of a reader. In effect, they're your first ever reader and they can give you accurate feedback and pointers on what your target audience is likely to read incorrectly or point out glaring errors that desperately need your attention.

There's also a massive benefit to proofreaders in learning from your mistakes. Proofreading services will usually be happy to edit your errors for you but will provide feedback on exactly what those errors were so you won't make the same mistakes next time.

Their feedback can be invaluable in improving your work over time. Otherwise, you'd have the same writing issues in every piece you ever write.

Simon the dog investing proofreading time into his next best seller

So, are proofreaders essential?

Yes! They beat a free online proofreader hands down every time.

Remember, people are always smarter than software when it comes to spelling and grammar. Sure, you can get programs that will help you out, but you should never rely on them completely to finalise that perfect piece of work.

A professional proofreader will pull out issues that your target audience will notice immediately and give you that long-lasting feedback that you can take forward into your later writing.

Proofreaders are Paramount!