“”If you’re a grad student turning in your term paper, and you think grammar check has completely checked your paper, I have news for you — it really hasn’t,” he said.

Here’s a good example of the futility of software-based grammar checkers, like Microsoft Word:

1. He come form the kitchen.
2. He came from the kitchen.

Try typing Sentence 1 into Microsoft Word and run the grammar check feature.  It fails to find the mistakes.  Sentence 2 is grammatically correct.

Where software-based grammar checkers fall short

Software-based grammar checkers rely on a database of rules and syntax.  It’s impossible to have a database that covers all the permutations and combinations surrounding grammar.  Grammar is a contextual art and science; it depends on the context in which it is used.

Experts in natural-language processing say the larger issue is the deep technological challenge beyond the current capabilities of computer science.

“It is tremendously difficult,” said Karen Jensen, a retired Microsoft researcher who led the company’s Natural Language Processing research group as it developed the underlying technology for the grammar checker feature, which debuted in 1997, in Microsoft Word.

But catching grammar is just half of the story.  A software-based grammar checker simply cannot analyze the author’s prose, style, or purpose.  Let’s use the same example above to show this point.

Let’s say you’re writing a horror story. Let’s see how a real editor could edit the text based on this context.

Original: He came from the kitchen.
Revised: He entered quietly through the kitchen.

The revised sentence establishes a more descriptive visual for the audience based on the context of the document – in this case, a horror story.  A software-based grammar checker can never do this.

To see more examples of the futility of MS Word’s grammar check feature, visit Sandeep Krishnamurthy’s webpage that has examples and demonstrations of Word’s failure.

My background combines technology, software engineering, and business strategy by way of a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and an MBA in Marketing Management.  I’ve been part and parcel of the growth of a number of organizations focused in software, CRM solutions, and mobile devices: e.Digital Corporation, ManyOne Networks, Systat Software, and CompanionLink Software.

I’m obsessed with the Internet’s ability to change the way we work and play.  Gramlee is a product of that obsession, combined with my passion for professional and accurate writing.

2. What is Gramlee’s USP and what niche does Gramlee fill in the marketplace?

Gramlee is a web-based grammar check and proofreading service that everyone can use.  While professional editing was previously a service that organizations with money could take advantage of, Gramlee has enabled anyone with an Internet connection to tap into the expertise offered by professional editors.  Our goal is to make sure that people who need help with their writing have access to experienced editors at an affordable price.

Instead of relying on misleading grammar software that cannot catch all grammatical mistakes or suggest better ways of writing, Gramlee’s editors apply their experience to revise documents to better match the specific prose, style, and flow that the writer is trying to portray.  Gramlee reviews documents for grammar, spelling, punctuation, structure, brevity, and overall professionalism.

Because of our web-based business model, we can tap the expertise of professional editors from around the world and in different time zones.  We can avoid expensive overhead costs and redirect those funds to ensure we’re hiring the best editors available.  Doing so allows Gramlee to provide grammar check and proofreading services at a fraction of the cost that other editing services charge.

3. Please give me some sample situations where a customer could/should look at using Gramlee’s services?

Bloggers are frequent Gramlee users.  Many bloggers have amazing ideas that they want spread, but fear that their writing skills aren’t professional.  They need help to make sure their blogs come off as professional and as creative as their ideas are.

Small business owners also rely on Gramlee to help professionally frame their written correspondences.  They use Gramlee for everything from marketing, sales, and business documents to internal emails, memos, and corporate blog postings.

Job hunters who want to get an edge over other applicants use Gramlee to ensure their cover letters and resumes are grammatically sound and professional.

Our tagline says it all: you write, we edit.  If it’s written, Gramlee can edit it.

4. If somebody were to tell you that their writing is OK because they ran it through Microsoft Word’s spell/grammar checker, what would you tell them?

While many grammar mistakes can be caught by using software-based grammar checkers like Microsoft Word, they fail to give you contextual suggestions to make your writing more powerful, professional, or concise.  The value of having real editors review your writing is that, in addition to ensuring your grammar, punctuation, and spelling are completely accurate, you will get suggestions on how to revise your writing to make it better.

5. What are the shortcomings of electronic grammar-checking solutions and why do humans do a better job?

Syntax and grammar rules are just half the story when it comes to editing.  There’s a human element to the editing process that involves understanding who the audience is, what tone or purpose the writing serves, and how to best frame and structure the writing.  Gramlee adds the human element to the editing process.  This is something that a software-based checker or editing solution can never provide.  Software has no way of understanding tone, prose, writing style, or who your audience is.

For example:

1. He come form the kitchen.
2. He came from the kitchen.

Try typing Sentence 1 into Microsoft Word and run the spell / grammar check.  It fails to find the mistakes. A real editor, however, will instantly catch this error.

Now, let’s say you’re writing a horror story.  Let’s take the same example and see how a real editor would edit your writing.

Original: He came from the kitchen.
Revised: He entered quietly through the kitchen.

The revised sentence establishes a more descriptive visual for the audience based on the context of the document – in this case, a fictional horror story.

Reference this page for more info about this question:

6. It’s always really difficult to evaluate the quality of one’s own writing.  How can someone best proofread their own writing?

Two tips: proofread using drafts, and space out the time between your drafts.

Never produce just one draft that you submit as a final version.  Even the best writers make mistakes.  This is because our minds are not really wired to multi-task.  We can only accurately do one thing at a time.  The first draft of any piece of writing involves getting thoughts and ideas on paper, not ensuring that grammar rules are followed or the writing is completely professional.

Make sure to take a break between each draft you write or edit.  The time away from the document will help your mind “purge and reload.”  Once you have a clear mind, you’ll then be able to approach your content with an entirely new perspective.  You will also find mistakes that you previously overlooked, or come up with ways to better write something.

One of these drawbacks is when instead of ‘catching’ a good habit, you begin imitating something which is actually wrong. Another person sees you, and does the same. Soon, an incorrect meme spreads and brings down the level of clarity. Contagion becomes a plague.

Some common plague words:

And/or

: Outside of the legal world, most of the time this construction is used, it is neither necessary nor logical. Try using one word or the other.

Irregardless

: No one word will get you in trouble with the boss faster than this one.

Of: Don’t write would of

, should of

, could of

when you mean would have

, should have

, could have

.

Many similar linguistic pitfalls are covered under . It makes for a good checklist.

Gramlee Unveils Online Grammar Editing and Proofreading Service

Gramlee uses professional editors to check grammar, sentence construction, brevity and overall readability to ensure writing is technically sound and professional.

April 29, 2008, Portland, Oregon, –

Gramlee, a new , announces the public release of their editing services. The service allows users to submit their writing online to Gramlee’s team of professional editors. Editors review the text and send revisions back to users by email. The entire process usually takes less than three hours for short pieces of text. A 24-hour turnaround is guaranteed for all text under 3000 words. Larger bodies of text are treated as custom projects.

Gramlee’s editors rigorously check writing for grammar, spelling, punctuation, structure, brevity and overall readability. Their editors also reword and rephrase the text to make it more powerful, professional and presentable.

“Gramlee helps people of all abilities to proudly distribute their writing,” said Rushang Shah, President of Gramlee. “We edit everything from short emails, business documents, technical documents, college papers and theses, resumes, cover letters, marketing collateral, web pages and blogs. We want to make professional text editing affordable and easy to do.”

Springwise.com, a leading website that features innovative entrepreneurial ideas, calls Gramlee a successful “while-you-wait editing service.” They go on to say, “Gramlee does for writing what online translation and concierge services have done for other common tasks that benefit from a professional’s touch.”

Users can buy Gramlee packages based on the number of words they need reviewed. Any unused words from the package remain in the user’s account balance for future use. New users can try their first 100 words for free at . Packages currently start at $4.95 for 250 words, or two cents per word. Free bonus words are applicable for purchases of larger packages.

About Gramlee

Gramlee is an affordable for everyone. Gramlee’s team of professional editors rigorously edit for grammar, spelling, sentence construction, brevity, overall readability and professionalism. The company’s passion is to help people produce technically sound and professionally written communications that they can be proud to distribute. For more information about the company and its services, please visit .

# # #

Stop writing long sentences just for the sake of being long! The best writers will agree that the shorter and more direct the sentence is, the better. The purpose of sentences is to get a thought across to the reader. If you have more than one thought in a sentence, chances are that you need two sentences (or a comma if the two thoughts are related).

Here’s a good blog post about this topic.

Using an apostrophe in “writer’s strike” implies that the strike belongs to writers (which it technically does). However, the term “writers” in “writers strike” is used as an adjective to describe the type of strike that is taking place, viz. a strike for writers. Technically speaking, an adjective cannot be possessive. Therefore…

…no apostrophe is required. Instead, it should be “writers strike” just as a strike held for teachers is a “teachers strike.”

More details to convince you that this is true can be found .

to get you the job.  The goal of a resume is to get you an interview, so you can get a job.

Make sure you read those two sentences over and over until you completely understand them.  Most people fail to get a job interview because they don’t clearly understand this.  If you still need professional help writing your resume, Gramlee can help.

10 steps to writing a professional resume

1.  Research other resumes in your industry.

If you’re applying for a technical job, make sure you know what the status quo for resumes in that industry is.  Why?  Because your resume needs to defy the status quo - you want to stand out, right?

2. Understand what type of job you want.

No, really

understand this.
This will determine what your resume should have in it, what type of language you should use, and which things to emphasize and amplify.

For example, if you’re applying for a managerial position, you’ll want to leave out excruciating details and focus on how you helped shape the the department.  Focus on the big picture, just like a manager is expected to do.  If, however, you’re applying for a programming job, the strategy is the exact opposite.  You’ll want to focus on all the details like what languages you know, what packages and frameworks you’re comfortable with, your aggressive approach to learning new technical skills, etc.

3. Write the objective statement first!

It’s critical to understand what type of job you think your skills will fill.  If you don’t understand what your objective is, your entire resume will show this in its incoherency.

Don’t write a generic statement.  Remember, your goal is to stand out so the employer calls you in for an interview.  Write something that will get you noticed and (dare I say) in trouble by a select lot of people.  Have an opinion.  Make a statement.  Say something substantial.  Some employers may not like it, but you’re guaranteed that some will.  And those who will, will remember your resume and attach a personality to it.  That’s what gets you an interview; not some bland objective statement that everyone uses.

4.  Chronologically list your work experience, most recent first.
When you read something in the paper about someone, you’re subconsciously forming an opinion about that person (whether you mean to or not).  You attach a personality to that person.  Employers are no different.

Employers are looking at you as an entire package.  Your work history and progression through your career will not only show employers what you’ve accomplished, but it will also give them idea of how aggressively you’ve moved up through the ranks and assumed more responsibility.  Again, the goal is to help employers attach a unique personality to your resume.

5. List certifications, accomplishments, and other industry relationships.

This could be associations or user groups that you’re a part of, speaking opportunities that you’ve taken up, or other close ties you have with industry leaders.  Most people overlook this, but employers pay a close eye to those who are well networked.

6. List your educational qualifications.
Don’t just list your college degree.  What other seminars, workshops, and training exercises did you take part in?  Don’t be afraid to insert things into this section that you feel may not qualify as “official” education.  Employers understand that education can be achieved through a number of means.

This is where you can differentiate yourself from others with similar college degrees as you.  Again, it’s all about personality.  You want the employer to attach a unique personality on your resume so you stand out.

9. List references as available upon request.

Do your references a favor and don’t list them on every resume you submit.  Your references are an asset; guard them wisely and use them when necessary. Use the following line: “Professional references available immediately upon request.”

10. Grammar check, spell check, and reread your entire resume!

If you’re trying to leave a professional impression, how unprofessional would it be to submit a resume with errors or poorly-phrased sentences?  You’re selling your skills and personality; make sure you sell yourself as a professional.  The few hours and bucks you spend making your presentation professional will more than pay for itself when you get the job.

(Hint: if you need help with this, use Gramlee.  We specialize in making our customers’ resumes look professional.)

(Bonus #11)

Show them that you are literate with 21st century technology.

- Create a 30-second video that tells employers why they should hire you, put it on YouTube, and link to it in your resume.
- Create a LinkedIn profile and link to it on your resume.
- Create a PDF case study on how you were faced with a challenge, how you solved it, and what you learned.
- List blogs, forums and user groups that you follow or participate in.
- Create an online resume on your website that has a section that links to important industry blogs.  This shows the employer that you are a thought-leader and know where to look for groundbreaking ideas.

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This post was edited by Gramlee.  All rights reserved.
Need an editor to review your work?  Use Gramlee.

There should be no period after the “2008″ since it’s a heading/title. These banners were plastered all along the waterfront. Clever visitors surely noticed this blunder.