Getting Help with Writing

To solve my writing problems, I resort to computer programs and various other tricks of the trade. On the WEB, NaturalReader, Antidote and WordQ provide information, advertising and even tutorials. My experimenting with various programs resulted in creating this website though other programs could also be applicable.

A Word corrector

With the corrector, typos or spelling mistakes are spotted immediately. One or two attempts usually suffice to rectify an error. At times, when the precise word to express a thought is difficult to find, other means are available.

Words of the Same Family

If I stall on a word, I think of another word which has a similar root. This word could be shorter, but is related in meaning to the word I’m looking for. For example, if I have trouble writing “dangerous”, I can think of the word “danger”. If I want to write “uncaring”, I think of “care”, add “un”and ‘’ing’’ remove “e” . The corrector will then give me the right spelling i.e. “uncaring”.

NaturalReader

The written passage is read by the speech synthesizer. Listening to the text, several errors such as missing words or omitted prepositions will be detected. Reading the passage will show if the flow is smooth and the writing coherent.

Antidote

Antidote offers:

An updated corrector with filters

Multiple dictionaries with powerful search engines

Clear and detailed language guidebooks

WordQ

WordQ offers :

A word predictor

Voice synthesis

The WordQ word predictor is a very interesting and flexible tool.

Bank of Preset Sentences

Ordinary people do not use an extended vocabulary to express themselves. Of the 25,000 words included in a dictionary most people use from about one hundred to a couple of thousand. Everyone tends to write like everyone else, especially on Facebook and Twitter.

Therefore, it is possible to develop a bank of preset sentences to fit different circumstances.

A Competent Corrector

Finally, a competent corrector should revise important written material. However, before asking for help and for this help to be well-received, it is advisable to go back to the above-mentioned techniques.