Office 2013: The Missing Manual

Chapter 5. Proofing and Research Tools

You know what they say: Nobody’s perfekt. Everyone makes spelling mistakes, typos, and grammar flubs. And nobody—yet—can cram an entire library’s worth of reference information between their ears. Thanks to Word’s proofing and research tools, you don’t have to be perfect to produce perfect documents. Word can keep an eye on your spelling and grammar and correct common typos before you even realize your finger hit the wrong key. It can also take the drudgery out of common formatting tasks, like creating lists and inserting certain symbols, by automating them. It can even help you find information you need, from synonyms and definitions to translations to Web searches—all without leaving Word.

Checking Spelling and Grammar

You may not have a small army of editors to make sure your spelling and grammar are up to snuff, but thanks to Word’s spelling- and grammar-checking tools, you don’t need ’em. Word is constantly on the lookout for mistakes in both departments, flagging problems and offering suggested fixes.

Catching Spelling Mistakes

Word assumes you want to catch and correct spelling errors as they occur, so it automatically checks your spelling as you type. When Word spots an error, it puts a wavy red line under the offending word. If the mistake is obvious, you can fix the spelling yourself to make the red line go away. If you’re not sure how to spell the word correctly, right-click it. A shortcut menu opens, as shown in Figure 5-1, with suggested ...