Grammarly: My Invaluable Writing Companion
Written on
Chapter 1: The Importance of Grammarly
What would my writing be like without Grammarly? Honestly, I doubt I could share my work at all; it would lack polish without my trusty grammar assistant. I can only imagine how many prepositions I'd misuse—it's a daunting thought!
Section 1.1: My Journey with Grammarly
I enrolled in Grammarly's premium service about a year and a half ago, and since then, it has been an integral part of all my writing endeavors. Perhaps you’re someone who doesn’t require spell-checks or grammatical advice—maybe your writing is so clear that you could teach Grammarly a thing or two. That's great for you, but I certainly can’t say the same for myself.
I tend to make a lot of errors. Typos and misspellings plague my writing (I often type "responsibility," "doens't," and "specialy"), not to mention my frequent misuse of prepositions, which is my Achilles' heel. Sometimes I even mix up "that" with "who." Luckily, Grammarly catches all these blunders and offers suggestions in a polite manner. I appreciate the option to accept or ignore its advice, as not every suggestion is applicable.
Section 1.2: The Value of a Writing Assistant
There’s no doubt that a human editor could provide more comprehensive help than Grammarly. However, hiring a professional for a single article would likely cost more than the annual fee for this automated tool. Speaking of fees, I highly recommend waiting for special deals before subscribing to Grammarly. I managed to snag their Black Friday offer for only $72 for the year—a fantastic 50% discount!
While the regular price is reasonable, the discounted rate feels like a steal, especially considering my frequent usage. I recognize that not everyone may afford the premium option, but the free version is quite generous, helping users tackle the most prevalent spelling and grammatical errors.
Chapter 2: The Competitive Edge
Grammarly also sends weekly emails detailing my writing statistics. I admit, I have a bit of a silly obsession with these updates; they make me excited to see my productivity levels. Do I fully grasp the implications of these numbers? Not entirely, but I relish learning that I'm more productive than over 90% of Grammarly users.
When it comes to vocabulary statistics, I'm particularly enthusiastic. It feels almost like a game now. My highest score to date is a staggering 14,933 words in a week! I doubt I could compile even a list of 1,000 words, let alone nearly 15,000, but I’m thrilled with that achievement.
Despite knowing that simpler words might be more effective, I can't help but enjoy my "extensive" vocabulary, even if I’ve only recently discovered the word "grandiloquent." I’m not particularly good at being fancy with my language, but I savor the challenge.
As for my mastery score, it typically hovers around 70%. While I’ve seen it dip to 60%, my best score has been 81%. It stings to see my mistakes highlighted week after week, but I appreciate the reality check Grammarly provides.
Section 2.1: The Double-Edged Sword of Assistance
Grammarly is undeniably a tremendous help; I wouldn’t deny that. I even pay for its full suite of features. Yet, it can be a bit irritating at times, especially when it starts flagging my errors before I’ve finished writing a sentence. Of course, I could deactivate Grammarly, but it’s easier to vent my frustration instead.
Grammarly often tries to mold my writing style, and while I understand it’s aiming to improve my work, I still want to maintain my unique voice. So, if you decide to use Grammarly—especially the premium version—proceed with caution when accepting its suggestions. Some recommendations might not align with your personal style.
For instance, it once suggested I change "Medium" to "the medium," which gave me a good laugh. Clearly, it doesn’t know everything! Taking the time to carefully evaluate each suggestion is vital; it’s better to express yourself imperfectly than to lose your voice entirely.
In summary, using a spellchecker like Grammarly has undoubtedly made me a better writer—or at least one who commits fewer grammatical errors. Thank you, Grammarly, for being a fantastic writing assistant and editorial partner.
Section 2.2: Other Language Tools
While Grammarly is my go-to spellchecker, there are several other language tools available, such as ProWritingAid, LanguageTool, QuillBot, GrammarCheck, and Scribbr. Much like Grammarly, these tools offer free grammar and spelling checks, ensuring your writing improves by correcting simple mistakes.