Word processing software, such as Microsoft Word, often include tools that
purport to check documents’ grammar. Writers should use caution, however,
when deciding whether to defer to these tools. Grammar checking programs
give poor recommendations. Worse, they are often flat-out wrong.
Grammar check (as I’ll refer to Microsoft Word’s version of this tool) has three
major errors: (1) it points out errors that do not exist, changing correct
sentences into incorrect sentences; (2) it ignores errors that do exist; and (3) it
is erratic so that at different times the same sentence may pass muster or be
flagged.
False Positives: Pointing out Errors that Do Not Exist
Grammar check has issues sorting out the basic structure of even simple
sentences—the very job it claims to do. Consider the following examples, most
of which are from one of my short stories.
I wrote: “Her mountain donkey nuzzled at her gray hair as if it was hay.”
Claiming there was a problem with “subject-verb agreement,” grammar check
insisted that one of the nouns be made plural (it did not seem to care which
one). It recommended one of these two sentences in place of my original
sentence: “Her mountain donkey nuzzled at her gray hair as if it was hays,” or
“Her mountain donkeys nuzzled at her gray hair as if it was hay.” The first
option is clearly wrong. The second option is, in the context of the story, wrong
since there is only one donkey present.
Grammar check also has problems distinguishing between different uses of the
same word. For example, “work” can be both a verb (“to work”) and a noun. I
wrote this bit of dialogue: “We have work to do.” Claiming there was a “verb
form” problem, grammar check suggested: “We have worked to do.” Words
that are the same in plural and singular can be equally problematic.
“Reflexive pronoun use” is another of grammar check’s weak points. Grammar
check rejected this: “It was only a few days before the Rhust town convinced
itself that the Suti had killed the girl in order to take her for themselves.”
Grammar check’s suggestion was incorrect: “It was only a few days before the
Rhust town convinced itself that the Suti had killed the girl in order to take her
for them.” ...
purport to check documents’ grammar. Writers should use caution, however,
when deciding whether to defer to these tools. Grammar checking programs
give poor recommendations. Worse, they are often flat-out wrong.
Grammar check (as I’ll refer to Microsoft Word’s version of this tool) has three
major errors: (1) it points out errors that do not exist, changing correct
sentences into incorrect sentences; (2) it ignores errors that do exist; and (3) it
is erratic so that at different times the same sentence may pass muster or be
flagged.
False Positives: Pointing out Errors that Do Not Exist
Grammar check has issues sorting out the basic structure of even simple
sentences—the very job it claims to do. Consider the following examples, most
of which are from one of my short stories.
I wrote: “Her mountain donkey nuzzled at her gray hair as if it was hay.”
Claiming there was a problem with “subject-verb agreement,” grammar check
insisted that one of the nouns be made plural (it did not seem to care which
one). It recommended one of these two sentences in place of my original
sentence: “Her mountain donkey nuzzled at her gray hair as if it was hays,” or
“Her mountain donkeys nuzzled at her gray hair as if it was hay.” The first
option is clearly wrong. The second option is, in the context of the story, wrong
since there is only one donkey present.
Grammar check also has problems distinguishing between different uses of the
same word. For example, “work” can be both a verb (“to work”) and a noun. I
wrote this bit of dialogue: “We have work to do.” Claiming there was a “verb
form” problem, grammar check suggested: “We have worked to do.” Words
that are the same in plural and singular can be equally problematic.
“Reflexive pronoun use” is another of grammar check’s weak points. Grammar
check rejected this: “It was only a few days before the Rhust town convinced
itself that the Suti had killed the girl in order to take her for themselves.”
Grammar check’s suggestion was incorrect: “It was only a few days before the
Rhust town convinced itself that the Suti had killed the girl in order to take her
for them.” ...
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| 'Ware Grammar Check By SC Bryce |
Publication History |
| Science Fiction and Fantasy Workshop Newsletter |
|
First Printing:
SFandFantasy Workshop
Newsletter, Vol. 25, No. 299,
Kathleen Dalton-Woodbury, ed.
(Sept. 2006).
SFandFantasy Workshop
Newsletter, Vol. 25, No. 299,
Kathleen Dalton-Woodbury, ed.
(Sept. 2006).