Whatever the reason for a typo, the truth is it promotes a bad reputation. And it’s an easy situation to resolve if you know how to do it. Here are ten easy and effective tips for getting rid of written mistakes forever.

Proofread your work

This may sound obvious, because it is, but the vast majority of mistakes come about simply because people do not take the time to actually re-read what they have written. A good number of mistakes can be identified and corrected just by proofreading. There’s no excuse.

Get someone else to proofread your work (a second pair of eyes)

Sometimes you can just benefit from another person reading through your work. Obviously if you trust this person to be competent and thorough then even better. It’s amazing what a second pair of eyes can spot in terms of grammar mistakes, spelling errors, punctuation faux pas and general readability.

Come back to it a little later

Rushing is usually the reason for many of the typical mistakes made. Often the best approach is to write something, leave it aside for a little while, and then come back to it and read it with a fresh focus.

Read your work aloud

It might sound right in your head, but the real test is whether it sounds right when you read it aloud. Let those words hang in the air and use your ears to decide if you have truly conveyed what you wanted to say. Those errors will pop out at you too.

Read it in a different format (device or print it)

Take the words off the screen by printing your writing out and making corrections that way. Or even read it on a different device or even in a different font. Change it up to really spot those deep-down errors

Proofread separately for different kinds of mistakes

Take the time to proofread several times for a different style of mistake or error each time. The first time concentrate on the general readability of your content. The second time start paying attention to spelling. The third time consider punctuation, and so on. By categorizing the mistakes and proofreading separately each time you greatly increase the chance of cutting out all those errors.

Make a list of your common errors (and so know what to look for)

This should be a continual learning process. If you do this right, and you pay attention, then it should be easier for you to write written content that contains less mistakes in the future than it is now. If it isn’t, then you are simply not learning. And saying that you don’t have the right tool is beside the point – it’s your writing.

The first thing to do is identify and categorize the types of mistakes you are making. So, for example, once you have noticed (or someone has pointed out) that you are using ‘their’ when you should be used ‘there’, then this automatically becomes a mistake that you check for when you are proofreading. Awareness of the problem is the first step to success in the future.

Use a reliable spellchecker

There are some incredible tools out there that can automatically check your spelling, grammar and even style (in terms of whether it’s suitable to your chosen audience). A smart, intuitive tool such as Linguix allows you to pre-set parameters in terms of the style and tone you want to achieve, and then evaluates mistakes in that context. That’s far more than a spellchecker.

Check definitions

Are you completely comfortable with the actual words that you are using? Do you know the definitions of those words? Having easy access to definitions not only allows you to cherry-pick the perfect word for the occasion but allows a level of learning as you write, making you a better wordsmith for the future. It’s not just about producing error-free content but growing into the task. The Linguix definitions tool, which allows you to access definitions simply by hovering over the word in question, can facilitate your growth as a writer.

Learn and use synonyms

Another aspect to writing well is not repeating yourself. Having access to synonyms means you can add variety to your writing and again cherry-pick the most suitable word for the occasion. With Linguix you get access to a large bank of synonyms for any given word, once again facilitating your growth as a writer through widening your own vocabulary bank. 

Did you know that the last three tips offered here – using a reliable spelling or grammar checker, checking definitions, and learning and using synonyms, can all be solved by utilizing one convenient tool. Linguix is an AI-driven writing assistant that goes far beyond a grammar and spellchecking service (which it also does to a great standard).

Easily get definitions and synonyms of every word that you click on and even avail of a readability score for your written content. A host of other statistics will let you know, among other things, the average length of your sentences, the time it will take to read your content and the suitability of your content to a pre-defined audience.

You can also download the Linguix extension for Chrome, Firefox or Edge and then avail of the grammar and spellchecking tool on millions of your favorite websites and apps – corrections are offered as you type directly on the web. 

The solution to your writing mistakes is at hand.

The post 10 Easy Tips to Help You Solve Your Writing Mistakes Forever appeared first on Linguix Blog.

Here is what’s new:

Extension is out of beta stage

For more than a year Linguix for Browser was officially in Beta stage. This meant we were constantly developing the core features, building infrastructure, and working on achieving the highest level of stability and resilience attainable. 

For now, we’ve completed most of these tasks, and the app is ready for the next stage of its life. Now, as well as the core functionality of the grammar checker, our user will soon experience new, unique features that will elevate their writing, work communications, and language learning to a whole new level.

New native languages added

Here at Linguix, we are open to any feedback, feature requests, and comments. This is why we are constantly talking to our users and customers. One of the top-requested features over the last couple of months has been more native languages. Users from Turkey, India, and other countries would like Linguix to recognize what mother tongue they speak, and adjust its English grammar recommendations accordingly.

You asked, we have delivered! We are adding 10+ new languages to our list. To tell the app what your native language is, go to the extension menu by clicking on the pencil icon in the top right menu. Then, click ‘Personalize’, and select your mother tongue.

Linguix works 200% faster for long documents

Before, our users who edited long-form content sometimes experienced performance issues, resulting in slower grammar checking for long documents (10 pages and more). After completing a thorough analysis and internal infrastructure optimization process, we’ve increased the speed of grammar check for long documents by 200% percent on average. Now, after your text is uploaded to the system, any changes are checked instantly with no delay.

More capabilities for Premium users

Premium users can now access an unlimited number of synonym suggestions and view word definitions also with no limits. 

As is the norm, we’ve also conducted a lot of work under the hood, resulting in overall performance and stability improvements. 

Let us know what you think!

Have questions about the browser extension or Premium access? Found some bugs? Tweet us or ping us at support@linguix.com to provide feedback or ask for help.

The post Linguix for Browser is Out of Beta Stage, List of Native Languages Extended, Better Long Documents Performance appeared first on Linguix Blog.