Free tool
Online Spell Checker That Knows the Difference Between Color and Colour
Type or paste a text and every word not in the list is underlined where it stands. Choose a country and the other countries' spellings are marked too, with the local form offered first.
Cmd or Ctrl + Enter goes to the next marked word (add Shift to go back). In the suggestions, press 1 to 6 to pick one, Esc to close.
Marked words
My dictionary
Word list: SCOWL by Kevin Atkinson, about 115,000 words with American, British, Canadian and Australian spellings, plus country, language, day and month names and a short list of newer words like app and wifi.
Words are checked in your browser and your text is never sent anywhere. Your dictionary, settings and typed text stay on your own device, but text opened from a file is not kept.
Matching the spelling to your readers
A site written for readers in one country should use that country's spelling throughout, and mixed forms such as color in one line and colour in the next look sloppy. Set the English menu to the country you write for and any word spelled the wrong way for that country is marked, with the local spelling suggested first. Leave it on Any and every accepted spelling passes, which is useful when you only want to catch typing slips.
Fixing marked words
Click a marked word, or press the keyboard shortcut for the next marked word, and a small menu offers suggestions. Press a number key from one to six to pick one, or Esc to close it. From there you can ignore the word for this session or add it to your own dictionary.
- Use the first suggestion for every word fixes the whole text at once. Read the result afterwards, since the first suggestion is not always the right one.
- Skip words with capitals leaves names and brands alone.
- Mark repeated words catches a doubled word, the sort of slip a plain word-by-word check lets through.
How suggestions are chosen
The checker looks for words one or two letters away from the marked one and puts the cheapest slip first. A doubled letter, two swapped letters or a changed vowel count as small slips, and so does a nearby key on the keyboard. Between similar candidates the more common word wins. That is why a typed recieve will usually offer receive near the top.
| Left unmarked | Reason |
|---|---|
| Web addresses and email addresses | They are not words |
| Words with numbers in them | Codes and product names |
| Country, language, day and month names | Added from the browser's own list |
| Words in My dictionary | You added them |
What it does not do
This is a spelling check only. A real word used in the wrong place, such as there for their, passes because both are in the list. It also does not judge grammar or style. The word list holds about 115,000 words with American, British, Canadian and Australian spellings, plus a short list of newer words like app and wifi, so a technical term or a very new brand name may be marked even when it is correct. Add those to your dictionary once and they are remembered. For style problems, the readability checker covers long sentences and passive voice.
A short proofreading routine
- Pick the English for your readers and leave the repeated word check on.
- Paste the text and work through the marked words with the next-word shortcut.
- Add product names and technical terms to your dictionary the first time they appear.
- Read the text once more aloud, since a spell checker cannot see a correct word in the wrong place.
Doing the dictionary step once means later texts for the same site come back clean, as your list is kept in the browser.
Common spelling differences to watch
| American | British, Canadian or Australian |
|---|---|
| color | colour |
| organize | organise, in British and Australian use |
| center | centre |
| license, as a noun | licence, in British use |
Which form is right depends on the readers and the house style of the client, so ask which one to follow before you start.
Opening files and exporting
You can drop in a text, Markdown or Word file, and afterwards copy the corrected text or save it as a text file. Since this is where site copy often starts, our website redesign SEO checklist is a good companion for the content review that follows.
Frequently asked questions
Does it check American and British spelling?
Yes. It also covers Canadian and Australian English. Pick one and the other countries' spellings are marked.
Will it catch the same word typed twice?
Yes, when Mark repeated words is on.
Is my writing uploaded?
No. The check runs in your browser. Your typed text and dictionary are kept on your own device only.
Can I add my own words?
Yes. Use the add to dictionary choice on a marked word. Your list is saved in this browser and you can see it under My dictionary.
Why was a correct name marked?
The word list may not hold it. Turn on Skip words with capitals for names, or add the word to your dictionary.
Does it fix grammar?
No, only spelling. A correctly spelled but wrong word, like affect for effect, will not be marked.
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