Word Count Checker: Does It Check Grammar?

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(Newswire.net — May 30, 2020) —

A good word count checker will do more than just calculate the number of words you have written. It will also check your grammar, review your content’s SEO, tell you about reading level, speaking time, reading time, and more.Why is Grammar Important?

Proper grammar is something that has been force-fed to students for generations. As such, many of us have inherited a distaste for lessons on grammar as it brings up back to the days of lectures and sitting in a classroom, counting the minutes until the bell rings. If, however, you rediscover grammar as an adult, you will learn the subject is not only simple and straightforward, it is also highly practical.

In short, grammar is a system of linguistic rules that guides how we speak and write. Grammar is not the same thing as spelling, and many people make the mistake of thinking that just because they are using a word count checker that has “spell check” that it also is searching their content for potential grammar errors. This is not always the case. It is important if you are running your work through an online word count checker that you see if it also features a grammar checker because issues related to proper written grammar are among the most common. 

Parts of Speech

Grammar deals with all eight parts of speech. 

  • Adjectives: Adjectives describe things—namely, nouns or pronouns. For example, you might say you saw a “big” horse. The word big is an adjective. When checking for grammar usage, word count checker will search your adjectives for proper usage. Many writers make the mistake of overusing adjectives. Some writers, like Stephan King and others, even go as far as to say you should eliminate all adjectives. This suggestion is somewhat hyperbolic as even King is known to use adjectives. But the heart of the issue that the suggestion is getting at is that, in good writing, strong nouns and verbs often reign supreme over the excessive use of adjectives. For example, it is better to say he “sped” through the room, and it is the “walked quickly” through the room. The first word, “sped,” is more concise and powerful. Adjectives do and always will play a major role in the English language; they just may not in great English writing.

  • Adverbs: Adverbs modify verbs and are another important part of the English language. Adverbs often end in “ly.”

  • Conjunctions: Grammar deals with many conjunctions. Words like “it’s” and others which link words and phrases are considered conjunctions. Many people misuse conjunctions confusing them when doing things like writing; its when they mean “it is.” To write the conjunction form of “it is,” it needs to be “it’s.” The other version, “its,” is actually possessive.

  • Nouns: Nouns are people, places, and things. Odds are you have heard of nouns. They are one of the first things you cover while in school. One of the more common noun-based grammar problems people often stumble into has to do with capitalization. There are certain nouns—like proper nouns—which must be capitalized, while others don’t need to be.

  • Prepositions: Preposition should generally not occur at the end of a sentence. A grammar checker can look for this mistake. 

  • Pronouns: Pronouns are words like “I, he, she, his, her,” and the like.

  • Verbs: Verbs are action words.

Now that you know that the Word Count Check looks not only at spelling, SEO, reading level, word count, and also grammar, you can be sure to run all of your content through it before dotting the last “i” or crossing the last “t.”