You Need to Know the Language to Use ChatGPT
And you need to know grammar to use Grammarly
A common misconception is that plugging your work into a language assistance software and applying its suggestions is sufficient in order for a piece to be published. Many believe that for new English writers, these tools are enough to catch all of our mistakes and get our essays ready for the world. Because few free alternatives can provide much better guidance than Grammarly, though, it’s an application that editors are often quick to both use and recommend.
But the truth is that using Grammarly isn’t simple. If I were to employ each edit that Grammarly proposed when I plugged in my work, I’d end up obscuring my meaning. I’d introduce errors where previously none were. Lines would lose their cogency.
Many of Grammarly’s suggestions are useful and applicable; it frequently still catches me in mistakes I’ve overlooked. Yet other corrections it points toward make it as clear as day that these grammar assistance programs are imperfect. It’s a hard truth for many up-and-coming writers that it demands a fairly deep understanding of the English language to even know which edits make sense to apply.
As an editor myself, oftentimes the best I can do is to direct people toward these grammar aid programs. But it’s hard to…
