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Free online editing tools can be your best friend if you’re writing an essay, working on a paper, or simply don't want to feel like this!
You’ve probably encountered the dreaded autocorrect that turns the word 'there' into 'their' or accidentally pasted the wrong thing into an email without realizing it until your professor reads it out loud in class and everyone laughs at you.
Thankfully, there are plenty of free online editing tools that can make your life as a student easier and more efficient than ever before. Here are some of our favorites.
1) Grammarly
It can be hard to catch your own mistakes, but Grammarly will pick up on them instantly. Just copy and paste your paper into Grammarly's website or download their app to get notified of spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.
It also highlights wordy phrases and offers easy ways to fix them. This tool is especially helpful when you're too tired after a long day of classes or studying to proofread what you've written by hand. Simply highlight text with your cursor while using Grammarly and it'll immediately notify you if there are any errors that need to be corrected.
There's even an add-on for Microsoft Word so you can hover over words or phrases in documents you're working on in order to see what might need some attention! Grammarly is free to use, but does offer premium services starting at $29.95 per month.
2) GDocs - Google Docs
Google's free word processing software is an online editing tool that students can use to improve their work. Since it's web-based and since you'll likely have access to Google Docs in class, it's very convenient.
Plus, there are add-ons like Track Changes and Commenting, which make co-writing projects easier. Another nice thing about using Google Docs is that multiple people can edit simultaneously on separate computers, making collaboration simple.
For basic and/or casual use of document sharing/editing, it doesn't get much better than Google Docs' free version.
4) StyleWriter
StyleWriter is an online editor with corrections and suggestions for grammar, punctuation, and style mistakes. Users can choose from multiple genres including business, creative nonfiction, fiction, and academic.
This different genre choice makes it easy for you to read sample papers based on your topic to get an idea of how you want to write. StyleWriter also corrects common errors like dashes that are too long or its versus it's.
The software also suggests alternate words to add variety to your sentences. For example, if you type "in order to", StyleWriter will suggest "so" instead. It may not be perfect (or free), but it’s helpful if you’re looking for more than just spell-check.
5) Hemingway Editor
This is a free web application that uses artificial intelligence to analyze your writing and helps you write clear, concise sentences. The app is designed for people with minimal technical knowledge. So, it’s straightforward to learn and use it.
All you have to do is paste your text into one of its two fields and click Check Grammar. Note that it will check both American and British spelling.
The Hemingway Editor can also help you reduce adverbs and find weak words that are likely to be confused with stronger ones (i.e., use "can" instead of "may"). It also gives suggestions on improving sentence structure.
6) ProWritingAid
This free tool can perform several functions, but its main purpose is to scan text and flag common grammar mistakes. You simply paste your text into a box on its website and choose which of several options you want it to scan.
It can correct capitalization errors, find missing commas, and help with verb tense issues. It can also provide suggestions for phrases that might be wordy or repetitive.
ProWritingAid does have some limitations. Its grammar rules are based on American English and it doesn't work well with names. It also doesn't always pick up on homonyms.
But overall, it's great if you're looking for an easy way to catch basic spelling errors before turning in your final draft.
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We hope by providing you with these tools, you can write error-free papers seamlessly!
Don't forget, you can always book a free 15 minutes consultation to learn more about how we can help you improve your writing skills.