word grammar checker doesn't work

Question

word grammar checker doesn't work

Sheila.P 0

Word spell and grammar checker doesn’t work in my computer. It only takes the foreign words and names in the text. I’ve done everything in the settings, fixed microsoft office online, took out the foreign languages that were set up, nothing works. It’s in my original language (Portuguese/Brazil). But it doesn’t check grammar, punctuation or spelling (only spelling when I type). I don’t know what else to do. I use word for academic papers and it’s not helping me because of this problem. Does anyone have any idea what else to do?

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Answer 1

Hello @Sheila.P

Since spelling is working while you type but Word isn't checking the existing document for grammar or punctuation, first check the proofing language applied to the document itself. Changing Office's general language settings doesn't necessarily change the proofing language already assigned to existing text.

Please try this on one affected document:

Press Ctrl+A to select the entire document.
Go to Review > Language > Set Proofing Language.
Select Portuguese (Brazil).
Make sure Do not check spelling or grammar is not selected.
Since the document is primarily Portuguese, temporarily turn off Detect language automatically as well, then click OK.
Then go to Home > Editor (or press F7) and check whether Grammar now appears under Corrections.

Microsoft Word can apply different proofing languages to different portions of a document, and the Do not check spelling or grammar setting can prevent proofing even when the Office language itself is configured correctly.

Next, go to File > Options > Proofing and confirm that:

Check spelling as you type is enabled;
Mark grammar errors as you type is enabled; and
under Writing Style, Grammar & Refinements is selected.

Microsoft Editor requires an Internet connection for some Editor/refinement functionality, and Microsoft also recommends confirming that its connected/Intelligent Services are enabled when refinements aren't appearing.

Since you mentioned you already repaired Office, here's another useful isolation test: open the same document in Word for the web, select all the text, and set the proofing language to Portuguese (Brazil). Word for the web also uses Microsoft Editor for spelling and grammar.

If grammar works in Word for the web but not Word desktop, that points toward the desktop Office installation/configuration rather than the document itself. If it fails in both, the document's language/proofing configuration becomes more likely.

One other test would help: create a completely new blank document, set Portuguese (Brazil) as its proofing language, type a few intentionally incorrect Portuguese sentences, and press F7. If Editor catches them there but not in your academic documents, the problem is probably stored in the formatting/proofing properties of those existing documents rather than Word globally.

Could you let us know the result of those two tests: a new blank document and the same document in Word for the web? Also, under File > Options > Language, does Portuguese (Brazil) show as installed under Proofing?

References:

Check spelling and grammar in a different language

Set up or change languages used for spelling and grammar

Check grammar, spelling, and more in Word

Editor language availability

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