FOUR APPS TO HELP YOU IMPROVE YOUR WRITING
Posted on 5 June 2017 by Nick Chubb
No matter what job you’re in, you will have to write something at some point. There’s no avoiding it, even in the world of spell checkers and auto-correct good grammar still matters to employers. This is especially true at sea, in a safety critical industry, it’s even more important to be 100% accurate when writing. A missed comma here or full stop there can totally change the meaning of a sentence. But who has the time to learn the difference between adverbials and adjuncts? Time is precious at sea and even more so ashore. To help, we’ve compiled a list of four apps that will help you learn to write perfectly every time, no matter where you are or what you’re doing.
GRAMMARLY
- Available on: Chrome, Firefox, Windows, and Mac.
- Cost: Basic version free, premium version from $12/month
- Get it from grammarly.com
“Grammarly makes sure everything you type is easy to read, effective, and mistake-free.”. The basic version is free, it monitors and corrects everything you write in your web browser or offline if you install the native Windows and Mac applications.
Grammarly spots typos, spelling mistakes, bad grammar, and poorly constructed sentences in real time. It underlines your mistakes and suggests fixes as you go. Apart from catching all of our typos and silly mistakes, one of the other things we love about Grammarly is the weekly email report full of writing stats (I wrote 21,000 words last week!)
GRAMMAR UP
- Available on: iOS, Android, Blackberry, and Mac
- Cost: Basic version free, in-app purchases
- Get if from Grammar Up website, Apple App Store, Google Play Store
Grammar Up is a grammar quiz app that’s ideal if you want to brush up on your grammar on the go. With more than 1,800 questions across 20 different grammar categories, it’s designed to help users improve their grammar, word selection and vocabulary. The app works offline and you can answer questions whenever you have time. Just five minutes a day can make a massive difference over time.
WRITING@SEA
Available on: all browsers, iOS and Android.- Cost: £1.99/month, cancel anytime
- Get it from Learn@Sea website
Writing@Sea is Marine Society College’s English writing course which helps you to spot common spelling and grammar mistakes, organise your thoughts more clearly, and draft impressive written reports. It’s available online through any web browser and offline by downloading our iOS or Android apps so you can still study when you’re at sea. It’s packed full of useful ideas and tips on grammar, punctuation, spelling, tone, and drafting clear letters and reports.
ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN USE – CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
- Available on: iOS, Android
- Cost: Basic version free, in-app purchases
- Get it from Google Play Store, Apple App Store
English Grammar in Use is the world’s best-selling series of books on English grammar and they’ve now been made available as an app. It’s full of interactive exercises, clear explanations, a glossary of words, and a study guide to help you get up to speed and writing like a pro.
What have we missed? What do you use to help with your writing? If you have any tips, tricks, or tools, that fellow seafarers can use to help with their writing get in touch in the comments below, on Twitter, or on Facebook.