Microsoft Word has spoiled us with grammar, syntax, and spell checking, but the default spell check in Firefox and Chrome still only does basic checks. Even webapps like Google Docs don’t check more than basic spelling errors. However, WordPress.com is an exception; it offers advanced spelling, grammar, and syntax checking with its After the Deadline proofing system. This helps you keep from making embarrassing mistakes on your blog posts, and now, thanks to a couple free browser plugins, it can help you keep from making these mistakes in any website or webapp.
After the Deadline in Google Chrome
Add the After the Deadline extension (link below) to Chrome as usual.
As soon as it’s installed, you’re ready to start improving your online writing. To check spelling, grammar, and more, click the ABC button that you’ll now see at the bottom of most text boxes online.
After a quick scan, grammar mistakes are highlighted in green, complex expressions and other syntax problems are highlighted in blue, and spelling mistakes are highlighted in red as would be expected. Click on an underlined word to choose one of its recommended changes or ignore the suggestion.
Or, if you want more explanation about what was wrong with that word or phrase, click Explain for more info.
And, if you forget to run an After the Deadline scan before submitting a text entry, it will automatically check to make sure you still want to submit it. Click Cancel to go back and check your writing first.
To change the After the Deadline settings, click its icon in the toolbar and select View Options. Additionally, if you want to disable it on the site you’re on, you can click Disable on this site directly from the popup.
From the settings page, you can choose extra things to check for such as double negatives and redundant phrases, as well as add sites and words to ignore.
After the Deadline in Firefox
Add the After the Deadline add-on to Firefox (link below) as normal.
After the Deadline basically the same in Firefox as it does in Chrome. Select the ABC icon in the lower right corner of textboxes to check them for problems, and After the Deadline will underline the problems as it did in Chrome. To view a suggested change in Firefox, right-click on the underlined word and select the recommended change or ignore the suggestion.
And, if you forget to check, you’ll see a friendly reminder asking if you’re sure you want to submit your text like it is.
You can access the After the Deadline settings in Firefox from the menu bar. Click Tools, then select AtD Preferences. In Firefox, the settings are in a options dialog with three tabs, but it includes the same options as the Chrome settings page. Here you can make After the Deadline as correction-happy as you like.
Conclusion
The web has increasingly become an interactive place, and seldom does a day go by that we aren’t entering text in forms and comments that may stay online forever. Even our insignificant tweets are being archived in the Library of Congress. After the Deadline can help you make sure that your permanent internet record is as grammatically correct as possible. Even though it doesn’t catch every problem, and even misses some spelling mistakes, it’s still a great help.
Links
Download the After the Deadline extension for Google Chrome
Download the After the Deadline add-on for Firefox
