4 free grammar checker tools to improve your writing skills

As university students with an endless amount of assignments, you may find yourself constantly writing. After a while, the words and phrases you use can start to blur in your mind, sounding like gibberish on a page.

Don’t worry, though. Making grammar mistakes doesn’t mean that you’re a bad writer. Whether it is simple grammar mistakes such as using “your” instead of “you’re” or writing in a passive voice, these common errors are made even by those who are native speakers of English.

So how can you prevent these grammatical errors from happening if you don’t even realise you’ve made them in the first place?

Enter free grammar checker tools. These are online tools designed to help you avoid making simple grammatical mistakes in your essays, assignments, or any other written work.

There are many grammar check tools available online for students. The best part? Many offer free packages — which is especially useful for those that are on a budget and can’t afford the extra costs. 

What is a grammar check tool?

This handy tool is a software that can be used online or downloaded onto your computer. As its name says these tools are used to check grammar. However, they can also be used to help a writer check their punctuation, misspellings and sentence structure.

Many of these tools also have advanced settings which are able to evaluate the tone, style and syntax of one’s writing. Suggestions to improve your sentences or paragraphs will also be provided. 

What are the benefits of using a grammar checker tool?

A grammar checker software can be useful to all writers — especially those whose first language is not English. This tool will proofread a text and show a writer the mistakes and errors that have been made. This can be extremely helpful to second language speakers and help them to improve their knowledge of the English language. 

We have scoured the internet to find you the best grammar check tools to help you while completing your university assignments. 

Four free grammar checker tools for students: 

1. Grammarly

With a name that has the word “grammar” in it, it is no surprise that Grammarly is one of the most popular free grammar checker tools available for students. As one of the best tools in the market, this software can be used to check grammar, spelling and punctuation errors. 

Known as a writing assistant, this software has over 30 million users worldwide. The reason for its popularity is its ability to check around 100,000 characters at a time. It is really easy to use, as well. All you have to do is copy and paste your text into the Grammarly editor, and it will check your work for you. 

Besides its online web versions, Grammarly also has a Chrome browser extension that can be downloaded. Many users opt as it will be available to use when typing on many platforms. The programme will highlight errors by underlining them in red as you type and suggest grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style changes. 

Some other features that the software offers include a personal dictionary where you can select your preferred English dialect and a plagiarism checker that compares your work to over eight billion web pages. 

While Grammarly is free, there are Premium and Business options available which allow users to unlock more advanced features. 

2. ProWritingAid

Another commonly used grammar check tool on the market is ProWritingAid. With over one million users this online software provides a detailed report on all the grammar errors in a text. It is popular among writers and content creators as it checks their sentence structure, punctuation and tone of voice. 

This software is especially useful among students, as besides being able to detect any plagiarism-related issues, it is also able to run a readability analysis. Students who are busy working on assignments will benefit from this as the programme allows you to test how easy it is to read and understand your work.  

ProWritingAid has both a free and premium version and is available on Windows and Mac devices. What’s more, the software can be integrated across Microsoft Word, Gmail, Outlook, Google Docs, Google Chrome and many other websites. This way, not only will your assignments be error free, but your emails will look great, too. 

However, for those who wish to avoid the hassle of installing the app, ProWritingAid has a web-based platform where documents can be uploaded for checking.

What makes this tool unique is that aside from providing explanations and suggestions for one’s errors, students can also improve their writing skills with the quizzes, videos and articles available. 

3. Linguix

Another free grammar checker available to aid students in their writing is Linguix. This AI-based software allows users to copy and paste their text onto the platform to scan it for errors. Texts are analysed for grammar, spelling and punctuation errors, after which alternative words and phrases are provided.

However, Linguix doesn’t just correct mistakes. Writing advice and detailed explanations are given alongside this, allowing users to recognise their errors and learn about how they can improve their writing in academic work, as well as other forms such as composing business emails. 

What sets Linguix apart is its “Look Up in Linguix” feature which allows users to immediately look up the definition of a word while reading. 

Available on both Windows and Mac, the browser extension can be used everywhere on the web to detect errors and guide you in your writing. 

4. Ginger Software

Last but not least on the list is Ginger Software. Aside from being a standard tool that identifies grammar, spelling and punctuation errors, Ginger’s features include a text reader, sentence rephrasing, a dictionary and a translator that supports over 50 languages. 

Commonly used to correct grammar mistakes, Ginger can also check spelling, punctuation and misused words. Students benefit from the app by learning to write faster and more accurately.

But that’s not all. Ginger stands out from other free grammar checker tools as it has a personal trainer feature to help users improve their English language.  

This free app can be used directly on the site online or downloaded on Windows and Mac. It is compatible with a number of programmes including emails and Microsoft Office, and is also available as an app on both Android and iOS. 

However, to access the advanced features that the software offers, users would need to subscribe to the premium version.