Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 31, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016
When Margaretrose uses a contraction in her writing, Word adds a squiggly underline to the contracted word. When she right-clicks the word, Word indicates that the contraction should be spelled out instead of contracted. Margaretrose wonders how she can correct this so that her contractions—which she prefers—are not flagged as incorrect.
There are, in general, two types of checking that Word does as you are typing your document—spelling and grammar. Sometimes it is easy to confuse the two types of checking, but they are distinct and different in Word. This is evidenced by the fact that you can turn off (or on) checking for both spelling and grammar independent of the other.
The checking that is producing the offending squiggly underlines in Margaretrose's case is grammar checking. The giveaway to this fact is that when she right-clicks the underlined word, she sees a suggestion to spell out the word instead of using a contraction. This is a suggestion of the grammar checker, not a spelling checker. Many people suggested, in Margaretrose's case, to add the contracted word to the dictionary. However, adding it to the dictionary won't help if the fault is with the grammar checker.
Truth be told, grammar checking in Word actually includes two checks: grammar and style. It is the style rules, in Margaretrose's case, that are causing the problem.
There are a few ways you can approach a problem such as Margaretrose's. The first approach is to turn off the grammar rule that deals with contractions, in this manner:
Figure 1. The Grammar Settings dialog box.
At this point, any contractions in your document should not be marked with a squiggly underline because Word is no longer applying the style rule you unselected in step 6. If you want Word to not apply any style rules (you probably noted there were a good number of them), all you need to do is turn off style checking. You do it by following these steps:
Figure 2. The proofing options for Word.
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2019-06-24 12:26:20
Allen,
Please ask MS to add to Word (I use 2016/365 on a PC) "IGNORE in this Document" and "IGNORE THIS ITEM in this Document" to both Spell Checking & Grammar Checking.
There are sometimes very weird, wrong conclusions Word makes. I don't want to turn off Checking, but I don't want to see that double blue line every time I open that document.
Thank you.
Jim Guigli
2018-05-21 16:42:48
pj
Thanks, fixed this annoying contractions assumed error.
2016-10-23 13:00:39
Richard
I agree with the earlier comment on the policy of no contractions in formal writing. I have also found that sometimes contractions can lead to imprecise and confusing sentence structure in other writing styles.
2016-10-23 12:55:01
Richard
I think there is a grammar error in the article: "Word actually includes to checks".
I do thank you for the article and the information it contains.
I would not usually comment but this is an article on grammar.
2016-09-20 04:11:45
Richard Price
@A W A: I'm not sure what point you're making with "It is vs that are.... singular or plural choices".
If you simplify the sentence to "It is the rules that are causing the problem", it looks correct, doesn't it? Plural "rules... are", but singular "it is" - what would you change?
2016-09-19 10:59:18
Janette Sexton
Contractions should not be used in technical documentation. Below is an excerpt from Edit My English found on the Web:
"If you are engaged in formal writing, I would suggest that you avoid using all contractions. This includes cover letters, résumés, theses, essays, etc. Because the use of contractions seems more informal, you should avoid them in any instance in which you want to portray a professional, respected image."
2016-09-18 07:50:06
Abdul Quadir
@Fred Holmes:
All you need to do is open the Find and Replace dialog box and type the following in the two text boxes:
To replace every occurrence of "he is" or "He is" with "he's" or "He's", respectively:
Find what: <([hH]e) is>
Replace with: 1's
Make sure to tick the 'Use wildcards' check box.
For "they are" or "They are":
Find what: <([tT]hey) are>
Replace with: 1're
2016-09-17 16:34:35
I have just the opposite problem. In writing my fiction I write a lot of dialog and frequently neglect contracting phrases. Is there any way to find the phrases using find and replace so I can for example enter find He is and replace with he's. Then they are to they're. and so forth.
my proof reader would love any tip
Thank you
Fred Holmes
2016-09-17 14:59:25
Ted Duke
Something didn't compute. I'm in Word 2016 and two of us (I sought help) could not find any relationship between the advice and the displays. I think it likely that recent updates may have changed things once again. It was a forehead slapper.
The Writing Style Grammar button's Drop down "list" now has only one option: Grammar
The Settings button to the right of the Grammar still displays the Grammar Settings dialog.
2016-09-17 11:44:04
A W A
Speaking of grammar... in your tip: " It is the style rules, in Margaretrose's case, that are causing the problem."
It is vs that are.... singular or plural choices. Is it the 'style' rules or the 'rules' you are referring to?
FYI
:-)
2016-09-17 09:11:09
Margaretrose
Thank you so much for this. It has helped a great deal.
2016-09-17 07:58:01
Abdul Quadir
A minor typo:
Truth be told, grammer checking in Word actually includes "to" checks: grammar and style.
It should be "two checks".
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