To check the correctness of the punctuation of a Microsoft Word document it is necessary to use the spelling and grammar check provided by the program. On Windows systems it can be used in different ways: by pressing the "F7" function key, by selecting the small book-shaped icon along the bottom of the screen or by clicking the "Spelling and grammar check" button located in the "Review" tab of the menu. The same correction tool can also be used manually, by selecting with the right mouse button the words that are automatically underlined in red or green.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Use the Spelling and Grammar Tool
Step 1. Access the document you want to check
Be sure to review the most recent version of the document in question. To automatically check spelling and punctuation, Word provides the "Spelling and Grammar" tool with which you can check the correctness of an entire text document or a single portion. In the latter case, before using this tool, you will need to select the portion of text to be examined.
Step 2. Open the "Spelling and Grammar" window
First you will need to select the "Review" tab of the menu at the top of the Word window (located between the "Letters" and "View" tabs). A list with different options will be displayed. Press the "Spelling and Grammar" button, normally located in the upper left corner of the menu bar, just below the "File" tab. The management window of the same name will be displayed which will allow you to check the spelling and grammar of the entire document. Any errors related to punctuation will be displayed in a pop-up window along with suggested corrections.
- If you are using a Windows system, you can start the spell check by simply pressing the "F7" function key from the Word window.
- Any words that have not been spelled correctly will be shown in red. Nouns that the program cannot recognize will instead be displayed in blue, while grammatical errors will appear in green.
Step 3. Check the suggested corrections for each word
For each of the grammatical errors found, the suggested corrections will be shown in the "Suggestions:" box. You will then have the choice between three options: "Ignore this time", "Ignore all" or "Add to dictionary". Understand how each of the available options works:
- "Ignore this time". The program will know that, in this specific case, there are no errors in the signaled word, but it will continue to signal the next occurrence of the word in question.
- "Ignore everything". This option tells the program that the word in question is correct and that none of the subsequent occurrences of the same word should be reported. All occurrences of the word in question indicated in red or green will now be shown as plain text, making the document easier to read.
- "Add to dictionary". This function adds the word in question into the dictionary in use. In the future it will be possible to type the word (exactly as indicated in this case) without the program reporting any errors.
Step 4. Choose the right correction for any punctuation errors
In order to correct each of the reported errors, you will be given several options, so make sure you select the correct one. Choose one of the suggested words, then press the "Change" button. If you know you've made the same mistake in multiple places in your document, use the "Change All" button to correct them in a single action.
If you are not sure which is the correct suggested fix, do a web search for the word in question. The most sophisticated search engines will be able to provide you with the exact results starting from the correct form of the word you are looking for
Step 5. When prompted, press the "OK" button to finish the checking process
When no more errors are found within the document being examined, you will need to confirm that the spelling check process is complete. After pressing the "OK" button, you will be free to save the new changes or to continue working. Whenever you spot a new error, you will have the option to run a new spell check.
Method 2 of 2: Manual Control
Step 1. Check your document for red or green underlined text
When a word has a red underline, it means it was spelled incorrectly. When a sentence is underlined in green it means that the sentence in question is grammatically or syntactically incorrect. To highlight this type of errors it will not be necessary to check the grammar of the text, in fact they will be highlighted automatically as soon as they are made. Most versions of Word automatically fix common spelling errors, but you may still need to manually fix punctuation errors.
At the bottom of the word window, near the left corner, you should see a small book icon. Having a check mark indicates that there are no errors in the document. Instead, a red "X" will need to be clicked with the mouse for a pop-up window to appear containing all errors found and suggested corrections
Step 2. To view the suggested corrections, select the text with the right mouse button
Selecting with the right mouse button a word indicated as incorrect (underlined in red) or a sentence underlined in green, a contextual menu will be displayed which provides the corrections suggested by the program and the related actions to be taken. You should see a list of suggestions regarding possible corrections to apply to the word or phrase in question. You will also have the option to choose the "Ignore this time" or "Ignore all" options.
For example, when you write the word "coas" Word will suggest that you correct the word in subject with the word "what", as well as indicate the corrections "chaos", "what" and "chance"
Step 3. Choose the right fix
Select the suggested fix that seems correct to you. The program will automatically replace the incorrect text with the correctly written version. Remember that when you are not sure which is the correct form to use, it is good to search the web for the word in question to find out how to spell it exactly.
Step 4. Learn to use punctuation the right way
Notice which words you spell most frequently incorrectly. Try paying more attention to your mistakes to learn how to make fewer and fewer mistakes. Set yourself the goal of improving your grammar knowledge, making a commitment to learn from mistakes made and avoiding repeating them. If you find yourself having specific difficulties, use an instructional text to broaden your knowledge of grammar rules and the use of punctuation.
