How to Fix Word Spelling and Grammar Check Saying Document Is Correct
Question details
The spelling and grammar checker fails to identify obvious grammatical errors and incorrectly reports the document as completely correct.
- Product
- Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Proofreading a document where obvious text errors have been introduced, but the checker does not flag them.
- Observed behavior
- The spell check tool reports that the document is correct, completely ignoring visible spelling or grammar mistakes.
Ensure your document text is selected and verify that you haven't accidentally disabled automatic spell checking in your application's global options.
Verify Text Language and Proofing Options
The most common reason for spell check ignoring errors is that the text is set to skip checking or an incorrect language is applied.
Word relies on language tags applied to specific sections of text to know which dictionary to use. If the text is tagged to ignore spelling, the checker will pass over it entirely.
Highlight the text that contains the obvious errors, or press Ctrl+A on your keyboard to select the entire document.
Navigate to the Review tab or Tools menu at the top of the window, and click on Language.
Choose 'Set Proofing Language...' from the dropdown menu to open the language configuration dialog.
Ensure the correct language is highlighted, and uncheck the box that says 'Do not check spelling or grammar'. Click OK and re-run the spell check.
Force a Recheck of the Entire Document
If errors were previously ignored by the user or the software, forcing a manual reset of the checker will flag them again.
Use WPS Writer for Accurate Spelling and Grammar Checking
If your current word processor is struggling to detect errors, switch to WPS Writer. It features a highly accurate, built-in spell checker that highlights mistakes in real-time, ensuring your documents are perfectly proofread.
- 1. Open your document: Launch WPS Writer and open your .docx or .doc file.
- 2. Access the Review tab: Click on the Review tab located on the top ribbon menu.
- 3. Run Spell Check: Click the Spell Check button or simply press F7 on your keyboard.
- 4. Correct errors: WPS Writer will automatically scan the document, highlight ignored errors, and suggest accurate corrections in the side panel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the spell checker completely missing obvious errors?
This usually happens if the 'Do not check spelling or grammar' option is enabled for the selected text under the Review > Language settings, or if the text is formatted in a language for which the proofing tools are not installed on your system.
How do I force Word to recheck my entire document?
You can force a recheck by going to File > Options > Proofing, and clicking the 'Recheck Document' button. This resets the internal spell checker list so it flags previously ignored errors.
Does WPS Office highlight misspelled words as I type?
Yes, WPS Writer includes a feature to check spelling as you type. You can toggle this on or off by clicking the application menu, going to Options > Spell Check, and checking the 'Check spelling as you type' box.
