About Grammarly

The invention of the computer and word processor has really increased how much people type and write. Whether one is writing an email, a text or typing a report it is important to make sure that one’s grammar is being used properly. Grammarly.com is an online grammar checker and plagiarism checker that checks users’ writing for grammar errors, plagiarized text and style issues. Grammarly touts itself as being the “world’s most accurate grammar checker.”

Alex Shevchenko and Max Lytvyn launched the Grammarly site in 2009 and operate the company out of San Francisco, California and also have an office in Kiev, Ukraine. The company currently boasts over 3 million registered users and is able to help improve the communication of both native and non-native English writers through:

• Correcting spelling mistakes
• Enhancing vocabulary usage
• Providing citation suggestions

The company is privately held and is still in its infancy. However, the huge assortment of grammar tools and other resources have dramatically helped a number of different English writers efficiently and accurately improve their grammar. The use of the Grammarly product helps keep users of the product at ease knowing that there is a robust tool that will ensure that one’s writing is readable and that it accurately follows the rules of the English language.

Top Features Of Grammarly

Since grammar can often be a touchy subject for writers and users of the English language, it’s nice to know that there is a tool that can help with accuracy. Proper grammar is very important if you are working in a professional aspect or need a report that is properly crafted and transcribed.

Grammarly will check articles, nouns and conjunctions to ensure that you are using them correctly and the material is comprehensible. Grammar is not something that can typically be caught by the standard word-processing spell check. For example, the standard spell check cannot differentiate between the use of “they’re” and “their”. Grammarly is able to make a distinction between these two uses of the word. It is able to achieve this because it has the technology that can actually read a sentence that means it can determine what form of a word should be utilized in the proper scenario.

One of the more intriguing aspects of using Grammarly is the ability to check content for originality. It is able to scan a document and tell whether or not it is original or if it was copied or plagiarized from somewhere else on the Internet. This feature is especially useful for professors or editors so that they know that the work that is being handed in is actually written by the one submitting it. Many Colleges and Universities are using the Grammarly software for this purpose alone since it is able to tell if the work was actually written by the student.

Another important feature of Grammarly is that it is able to implement an advanced spell check function. Spelling check is an important aspect to have if you are developing content. Anyone who has a word processing program knows that there are already a number of applications that are available to check spelling. However, the libraries of word processing tools can sometimes be incomplete, which results in spelling issues slipping through. Grammarly has a much more extensive word-database that is synched with the latest version of the dictionary. As such, Grammarly will check the spelling across its vast database to ensure all words are spelled correctly.

Lastly, another key feature of the site is punctuation. An issue that many writers often struggle with, Grammarly is able to correct incorrect usage of commas, semi-colons and even periods. The software can also suggest when to use the correct punctuation. The system will even check the style of your writing and the words you have chosen and make suggestions on word substitution and usage if necessary.

Grammarly Prices

In an effort to encourage writers to use the Grammarly product, the company offers users the ability to try the product and service for 7-days for free. After the free trial, one is able to choose from three different payment plan options. The monthly plan is $29.95 per month, quarterly plan is $19.98 per month and the annual plan is $11.66 per month. Regardless of the plan, all of the features that are provided to the user are the same. The only difference is the duration of the service.

If one is unsure of how long they would like the service for, then the monthly plan is the best bet since it can be cancelled at the end of any month. However, the most economical plan is the annual plan since it only comes to $139.95 for the year compared to $360 if you pay per month. Basically, if you know you will want the service for a while, it is in your best interest to select the annual plan.

Grammarly also offers enterprise subscriptions for bulk users in K-12, higher education, enterprises, and government. In order to receive these rates, one should get in touch directly with the company.

Criticism Of Grammarly

Since nothing is perfect, there are some drawbacks to the Grammarly product. The main complaint from past users is that the Microsoft Office add-in does not work. Since Grammarly cannot be used directly through Office Word, the user must copy and paste the document into the review page. While this action is easy to do, the problem with this solution is that Grammarly reformats the text, which causes loss of paragraph separation and therefore can be irritating since it causes extra work for the writer.

Pricing is another drawback for this program. There is no option to buy the Grammarly program outright. As discussed earlier in this review, monthly to annual subscriptions are the only pricing options offered. The subscription format is simply a way for Grammarly to ensure that it will continue to make money off the product. If it allowed for a one-time download, the product would not continue to garner as much revenue.

Lastly, the Grammarly service is not always accurate which can cause some frustration especially since the system boasts that it is one of the top grammar tools on the market today. Grammarly’s huge assortment of grammar tools and other resources tend to perform unevenly at times. As a result, many users who are just starting out might grow frustrated with Grammarly’s inability to provide consistent results.

Customer Support

Grammarly wants to make sure that its customers are happy with its products and services. As such, the company aims to answer any complaints, questions or concerns within a timely manner. Consumers are able to phone the customer support line, e-mail customer service or even get in touch directly through an online live chat.

The company also has a presence on Facebook and Twitter and accepts communication through these platforms. Overall, Grammarly has received good feedback on its customer support. The company has customer service representatives across the globe, which helps ensure that timely responses will happen no matter where you are using the product.

Final Verdict

Grammarly is a product that is perfect for the avid writer or educational professional who is constantly writing or viewing writing. Grammarly may have tools that can help you develop professional content since it is able to check spelling, grammar and even plagiarism.

The product should be highly used by someone who is either writing or editing a great deal of material. It is a product that will provide a blanket of security and peace of mind. This will mean that you will be able to write away with ease!