Grammarly

Grammarly, from Grammarly. Catching errors and tightening your own writing everywhere you type.

What it does well

• A final proofreading pass on essays, emails and applications
• Spotting wordy or unclear sentences
• Checking tone before sending a difficult email
• Showing your writing process with Authorship, if an instructor asks for it

What it does poorly

• Generating an assignment you'll submit as your own
• Accepting every suggestion: it flattens voice and sometimes gets technical terms wrong

What makes it different

Works inside the apps you already use, and focuses on improving your sentences rather than writing new ones.

Quick start

1. Install the browser extension or desktop app.
2. Set your goals (audience, formality, domain) for the document.
3. Paste in a draft and accept only suggestions you can explain.
4. Turn on Authorship if your course asks you to document your process.

Strengths and limits

• Strength: Everywhere you type
• Strength: Good at grammar and clarity
• Strength: Process tracking with Authorship
• Limit: Generative features blur the line on integrity
• Limit: Style suggestions can homogenize voice

Privacy

Everything you type in a supported app is sent for checking. Pause it for confidential material.

Academic integrity

Proofreading is usually allowed; generating text usually isn't. Check your syllabus.