A Grammar and Style Checker Based on Internet Searches

Abstract

In this paper we present an English grammar and style checker for non-native English speakers. The main characteristic of this checker is the use of an Internet search engine. As the number of web pages written in English is immense, the system hypothesizes that a piece of text not found on the Web is probably badly written. The system also hypothesizes that the Web will provide examples of how the content of the text segment can be expressed in a gramatical and idiomatic way. So, after the checker warns the user about the odd character of a text segment, the Internet engine searches for contexts that will be helpful for the user to decide whether he/she corrects the segment or not. By means of a search engine, the checker also suggests the writer to use expressions which are more frequent on theWeb other than the expression he/she actually wrote. Although the system is currently being developed for teachers of the Open University of Catalonia, the checker can also be useful for second-language learners, translators, and post-editors.

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