Spell/Grammar Checker

[bergencoop]

This is serious but also somewhat tongue in cheek:

If Microsoft wants to supply Spelling, and particularly Grammar
checkers, why dont they learn what is correct and incorrect.
I do a lot of technical writing for our company, but am not a trained
writer.
Of all the words in the English language that I do not understand, it
is WHICH and THAT. I am never sure what to use, and when the
Spell/Grammar utility gets to one or the other, it detects an error,
and presents you with being able to choose either - they cant both be
correct. My proof reader was a college English major and she
constantly berates me for my misuse of these two words, amoung others.
Get with it Mr. Gates, with all the money Microsoft makes, the least
that you can do is hire someone who understands English grammar to fix
it.

 

[JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]]

I can teach you that easily.

Both words introduce a clause. If the clause is required, use that. If it's
just add-on information that could be eliminated, use which. And if you use
which, use a comma before it.

For example:
I see a candle that is on the other side of the room.
I see a candle, which is purple.

You have to understand that Word doesn't really "read" your document. It
compares a collections of letter or words against some set of rules. It's
not a human being - it's doing the best a machine can.

 

[Stan Brown]

On 16 Sep 2005 17:34:12 -0700 in microsoft.public.word.newusers,
favored us with...

Of all the words in the English language that I do not understand, it
is WHICH and THAT.

You use which (with commas) for a clause that adds non-essential
information; use that (without commas) for a clause that's a
necessary part of the definition.

The dish that you broke cost me $100. ("that you broke" identifies
the specific dish.)

The dish, which was ornamented with lovely blue flowers, held a
hearty Porterhouse steak. ("which was ornamented" is just added
information, not distinguishing one dish from another.)

--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA
http://OakRoadSystems.com/
"To put it bluntly but fairly, anyone today who doubts that the
variety of life on this planet was produced by a process of
evolution is simply ignorant -- inexcusably ignorant, in a world
where three out of four people have learned to read and write."
--Daniel Dennett, /Darwin's Dangerous Idea/ (1995), page 46

 

[JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]]

Thanks Stan - now I know what I want for dinner. I WANT COW!!!

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

If it's too tough, I know where you can find a hammer to tenderize it! ;-)

--
Herb Tyson MS MVP
Please respond in the newsgroups so everyone can follow along.
http://www.herbtyson.com

Thanks Stan - now I know what I want for dinner. I WANT COW!!!

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

On 16 Sep 2005 17:34:12 -0700 in microsoft.public.word.newusers,
favored us with...

You use which (with commas) for a clause that adds non-essential
information; use that (without commas) for a clause that's a
necessary part of the definition.

The dish that you broke cost me $100. ("that you broke" identifies
the specific dish.)

The dish, which was ornamented with lovely blue flowers, held a
hearty Porterhouse steak. ("which was ornamented" is just added
information, not distinguishing one dish from another.)

--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA
http://OakRoadSystems.com/
"To put it bluntly but fairly, anyone today who doubts that the
variety of life on this planet was produced by a process of
evolution is simply ignorant -- inexcusably ignorant, in a world
where three out of four people have learned to read and write."
--Daniel Dennett, /Darwin's Dangerous Idea/ (1995), page 46

 

[JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]]

Just got back. Had prime rib - no hammer needed.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

If it's too tough, I know where you can find a hammer to tenderize it!
;-)

--
Herb Tyson MS MVP
Please respond in the newsgroups so everyone can follow along.
http://www.herbtyson.com

Thanks Stan - now I know what I want for dinner. I WANT COW!!!

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

On 16 Sep 2005 17:34:12 -0700 in microsoft.public.word.newusers,
favored us with...
Of all the words in the English language that I do not understand, it
is WHICH and THAT.

You use which (with commas) for a clause that adds non-essential
information; use that (without commas) for a clause that's a
necessary part of the definition.

The dish that you broke cost me $100. ("that you broke" identifies
the specific dish.)

The dish, which was ornamented with lovely blue flowers, held a
hearty Porterhouse steak. ("which was ornamented" is just added
information, not distinguishing one dish from another.)

--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA
http://OakRoadSystems.com/
"To put it bluntly but fairly, anyone today who doubts that the
variety of life on this planet was produced by a process of
evolution is simply ignorant -- inexcusably ignorant, in a world
where three out of four people have learned to read and write."
--Daniel Dennett, /Darwin's Dangerous Idea/ (1995), page 46