Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Spell Checking Only Checking Grammar.

Spell Checking Only Checking Grammar

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 24, 2023)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365


Janelle is having some trouble with her spell checking. She has checked all the settings in Word and they are all as they should be—language set to English, proofing enabled, etc. The problem is that Word only checks grammar and punctuation, not the actual spelling. Janelle wonders what could be causing this condition.

The resolution to this problem is probably going to take a bit of detective work. The first thing to determine is whether the problem occurs with all documents or with only some of your documents. If it happens with some documents, then it may be that the documents themselves are the cause of the problem. You'll want to check to make sure that the documents have the language properly set for each paragraph. For example, if the language for the paragraphs is set to (say) German and you don't have the German proofing tools fully installed, then you won't get the results you want.

If the problem occurs with all documents, then you'll want to check (once again) all the configuration settings in Word. Display the Word Options dialog box. (In Word 2007 click the Office button and then click Word Options. In Word 2010 and later versions display the File tab of the ribbon and then click Options.) At the left side of the dialog box click Proofing. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Proofing options of the Word Options dialog box.

You'll probably want to make sure that the first four check boxes are marked as shown in the screen shot. Also, the bottom two check boxes should be cleared. If these settings are correct and you still have the problem, then it is possible that your dictionary file has somehow been deleted. If you run the Office installer program, you can reinstall the support files that Word needs to run the spelling check.

Finally, if you continue to have woes with spell checking, you might find this article helpful:

https://www.timeatlas.com/word-spell-check-not-working/

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (11793) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Spell Checking Only Checking Grammar.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Tables within Tables

Inserting a table in a document is easy. Did you know that you can also insert a table within another table? Word allows ...

Discover More

Converting Automatic Numbering to Manual Numbering

The automatic numbering that Word lets you apply to paragraphs in your document can create some great looking content, ...

Discover More

Moving Drawing Objects

Add a drawing object to a worksheet and chances are good you'll need to move it in some way. Here's how to use the mouse ...

Discover More

Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 2013 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access) with VBA programming, using it for writing macros, automating Office applications, and creating custom applications. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2013 today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Catching Single-Letter Spelling Errors

There have been times when I've reviewed my writing and found lots of "lone letters," detached by a single space from the ...

Discover More

Compiling Misspelled Words from Documents

Word keeps track of the words that may be misspelled in a document. If you are working with a lot of documents, you may ...

Discover More

Spelling Errors on Internet Addresses

Tired of Word marking Internet addresses as spelling errors? You can turn off this check by applying the steps in this tip.

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 7 - 7?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.