Vision, Knowledge, Engineering

Writing Enhancement software - by VK 14/02/2011 @ 18:39

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 18:39:00 +0200

Writing Enhancement software

Those, who often wrote in English are acquainted with the situation when after reading the written text, you suddenly found the annoying errors. And what if you wrote a huge text? Proofreading of such writing can take a long time and requires the great attention. Agree that this is a very important aspect of your work. Perception of you as the intellectual, professional and reliable person is a vital necessity in today's world. Grammatical and spelling mistakes on the job or during correspondence with your colleagues and friends, may negatively affect the perception of you as the professional. However, you can get the invaluable assistance by using the Writing Enhancement software.

So, what is that?
Writing enhancement software, this is a software that includes comprehensive spelling and grammar check tools, going far beyond what MS Word can offer.
By using such a kind of software, you can check the text for commonly misused words, homonyms, syntactical, grammar and spelling errors, just in a few clicks. In addition, you will get an explanation of the mistakes (if any), and several options for possible amendments.

Of course, somebody might say that MS Word already offers this feature, and why it is needed to clutter up the computer with unnecessary software. However, let's compare the work of built-in MS Word spell checker and WhiteSmoke Writer (one of the most advanced English Grammar Correction Software).

Below you can see two screenshots, first is taken from MS Word, the second from WhiteSmoke Writer. Both they have the same text. I think that comment is superfluous.

MS Word Screenshot

White Smoke Writer Screenshot

However, to whom it can be handy?
This software can be very useful for children at school and for adults at work, for those who study English as a second language and for the professionals who write business reports and documentation.
Anyone who writes in English, either in the internet or in his own computer can benefit from using WhiteSmoke Writer for correction and enrichment of the text.

So, what features can be provided by WhiteSmoke Writer?
There are several versions of this amazing software. You can see the comparative table below.

General Writing Version 2011	All Inclusive Pack 2011	Executive Writing Version 2011
Spelling, Grammar, Punctuation, Style and Structure. Includes Multi Lingual Dictionary, Full Text Translation, Error Explanation Tool. Intended for general writing purposes.	Includes the General, Business and Creative profiles, Multi-Lingual Dictionary, Full Text Translator and Error Explanation Tool. Includes corrections for: Spelling, Grammar, Punctuation, Style and Sentence Structure.	This Version is designed for corporate business or professionals in the field of management as well as for those who need a full set of professional tools for fast and accurate document creation. It uses the most advanced algorithms for correcting grammar, spelling, punctuation errors, plus a text enrichment engine. The full package includes all writing profiles: general, business, creative, medical, legal, hi-tech, multilingual dictionary and full-text translator. Bonus - 600 ready-to-use templates for any profile.

WhiteSmoke 2011 - by VK 24/12/2010 @ 09:37

Fri, 24 Dec 2010 09:37:00 +0200

The updated version of WhiteSmoke Writer.
WhiteSmoke Writer 2011!

You need to write a lot?
English is not your native language?
WhiteSmoke Writer is the best solution for you!

WhiteSmoke Writer? What's that?!
This is a proofreading of your English writing in one click! WhiteSmoke is the most comprehensive grammar checker in the world today. It provides advanced options that Microsoft Word does not provide. Checking your texts with WhiteSmoke before sending them out is the easiest, fastest way to avoid embarrassing mistakes. You can check your texts everywhere! WhiteSmoke runs with MS Word, Outlook, Explorer, Messenger, and all other text-based applications.

Try before buy!! Download 3-day FREE Trial.

It allows to correct mistakes in Spelling, Grammar, Punctuation, Style and Structure of your writing work. Owing to the unique artificial intelligence algorithm, WhiteSmoke detects regular as well as contextual spelling mistakes (e.g. their - they're; whether - weather).

A high quality template solution could mean all the difference between a text that works, and one that doesn't achieve your goals.

Finally, WhiteSmoke includes a full-text translator.
WhiteSmoke Translator is the last word in the machine-based translation technology for the desktop and the web.

Please pay attention, WhiteSmoke does not exclude the presence of at least the basic knowledge of English. It just helps you to avoid most common mistakes and improve your writing skills.

Countable and non-countable nouns - by VK 07/10/2010 @ 18:05

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 18:05:00 +0200

Writing Tips provided by the WhiteSmoke Inc., and published with kind permission of the company.

Countable and non-countable nouns

Countable Nouns

Countable nouns are things that we can count (i.e. pens, computers, bags etc').
For example, "chair". We can count chairs. We can have one, two, three or more chairs.

Countable nouns can be either singular or plural:
"I have one dog."
"I have 3 dogs."

We can use the indefinite article a/an with singular countable nouns.
"I want a cat."
"He wants an orange."

We can also use the definite article the/ my/ this with singular countable nouns.
For example:
"I want my book back."

When a countable noun is plural we can use it alone.
For example, "I love bananas."

We can use some/any with countable nouns:
"I need some dollars."
"Do you have any cards?"

We can a few and many with countable nouns:
"I have a few dollars."
"I have many friends."

Some singular nouns change when they are turned into plural:
Singular -     Plural
    man       -      men
   woman -      women
    child       -     children
   person    -     people

Uncountable Nouns

Uncountable nouns are things we cannot count (substances, concepts).
Examples of uncountable nouns:
music, love, money, furniture, information, water

Pay attention:
"I need money" --> money cannot be counted.
"I need some dollars" --> dollars can be counted.

We usually treat uncountable nouns as singular. We use a singular verb:
"The water is cold."
"The rice tastes good."

We can use some/ any with uncountable nouns:
"I need some money."
"Do you have any rice?"

We can use a little or much with uncountable nouns:
"I have little money."
"I have much money."

WhiteSmoke Inc. offers best software on the market. Its WhiteSmoke Writer+ is a most comprehensive tool for proofreading and editing your writing.

This is the best investment of your money.

Using of a Comma - by VK 02/09/2010 @ 19:31

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:31:00 +0300

Writing Tips provided by the WhiteSmoke Inc., and published with kind permission of the company.

The five uses of Comma

The five uses of the comma are:

   1. Separating the main elements of a sentence from each other
   2. Setting off a parenthetical element from the rest of the sentence
   3. Separating elements in a series
   4. Setting off dialogs or quotations
   5. Other uses of the comma

1. Separating the Main Elements of a Sentence from Each Other

- Right or Wrong?
The students completed their math test on Monday, and the teachers handed in the grades on Thursday.
- Right!
The above sentence is composed of two independent clauses, each informing about two different people who did different things. A comma is needed before the coordinating conjunction, even though many English writers do not use a comma in such a case.

2. Setting off a Parenthetical Element from the Rest of the Sentence

Right or wrong?
Last week's test says my best friend was the hardest ever.
It Depends!
In the above example sentence my best friend is probably not a part of the main sentence Last week's test was the hardest ever and should be separated with commas. Without commas, the reader may get confused and think that the test "says" that the friend was the hardest, while it is the test that was the hardest. Says my best friend serves as a comment, known as a parenthetical element. The correct punctuation would therefore be:
Last week's test, says my best friend, was the hardest ever.

3. Separating Elements in a Series

- Right or wrong?
Dan's lifelong project is to be able to speak American English French German and Mandarin Chinese.
- Wrong!
In the above example sentence the language names come in a series whose elements should be separated with commas. In addition, not having a comma between "American" and "English" may make readers think that there is an independent language called "American," whereas it is considered only as an English language variety; or conclude that there is a French variety of German.
The correct punctuation would therefore be:
Dan's lifelong project is to be able to speak American English, French, German, and Mandarin Chinese.

4. Setting off Dialogs or Quotations

1. A quote is a text that brings the exact words of a speaker in direct discourse. A text that consists only of dialogue (plays, novels etc.) is punctuated according to regular punctuation rules. However, in a text that combines both dialogue and non-dialogue text, the quotations are separated from introductory words (e.g., said, stated, explained, claimed) with quotation marks, commas and other punctuation marks.

2. The punctuation mark that comes before the quote is left outside the opening quotation mark. The punctuation mark that comes after the quote is put inside the closing quotation marks. The quote itself starts with a capital letter. See the following examples for different positions of the introductory words.
The singer Madonna said, "We are living in a material world."
[introductory words before the quote]

"We are living in a material world," said the singer Madonna.
[introductory words after the quote]

"We are living," said the singer Madonna, "in a material world."
[introductory words within the quote]

The singer Madonna said, "We are living in a material world," and left the stage.
[introductory and non quote words before and after the quote]

5. Other Uses of the Comma

A. Indicating Omitted and Repeated Words

1. A general stylistic convention in writing is that the more you can say in less words, the more elegant and polished the writing is. Elliptical constructions which omit words are one way of achieving such brevity in writing.

2. In the following examples, no comma is needed to indicate omitted words:

    * Madonna was sure that she would get an Oscar.
    * Madonna was sure ___ she would get an Oscar.

[Omission of "that" in object relative clauses]

Madonna looked angrily at Michael Jackson, and he at her.

[ellipsis]

    * Madonna is as short as I am.
    * Madonna is as short as I.

[ellipsis]

3. In the following examples, a comma is needed to indicate omitted words. The sentence may be ungrammatical without it.
Madonna's first album sold only 2,000 copies but her second, 2,000,000.

[Omission of album sold, comma instead]

In spring Madonna's fans sent her 1,000 letters; in summer, 3,000; and in the fall, none.

[ellipsis of they sent her, notice the semi-colons dividing between the three independent clauses that contain commas]

4. Use commas to separate words repeated within a sentence to avoid confusion.

    * Whatever that is here that smells, smells just awful!
    * What she does, she does well.
    * She came in, in tears.

B. Commas with Dates

1. Use a comma to separate the date from the year, when written in American style.
December 30, 1975 [12.30.75 - US style]

2. Do not use a comma to separate any element of the date, when written in British style (also common around the world and in the U.S. army.)
30th of December 1975 [30.12.75 - UK style]

Note: As confusion may arise from having two styles of dates, you had better not write dates using numbers alone. Instead, write the month's name as a word and the date and year as numbers.

3. Use a comma to separate the day from the date.
Tuesday, December 30 [12.30.75 - US date]

4. In a full sentence, use a comma on both sides of the year in a full date.
Many people were waiting on December 30, 1975, to celebrate the birth of the writer of this punctuation guide.

5. Do not use a comma when writing only two date elements, namely, the month and the year, the month and the day, or the season and the year.

    * Madonna's concert in August 1983 is well remembered by all her fans.
    * Madonna's concert on August 30 is well remembered by all her fans.
    * In summer 1983 Madonna gave a memorable concert.

C. Commas with Numbers

1. Use a comma as a thousands separator after every three digits in a number, counting from right to left.
87,950 people arrived to demonstrate in London against the government's decision. 1,850,400 signatures were collected nationwide in support of the protest.
(Note: In some countries a space is used instead of a comma, e.g. 87 9500)

2. A comma is optional with most four-digit numbers. Whatever option you choose, remember to be consistent in your writing.
    * This car costs 8,500 $. or This car costs 8500 $.
    * He drove for 2,250 miles. or He drove for 2250 miles.

3. Never use a comma in a four-digit year. Use a comma if the year has more than 4 digits.
In 1992 German zoologists discovered rare animal fossils from 35,000 BC.

4. Never use a comma in an address of four digits or more.
Beverly Hills 90210 was a very popular T.V. series.

5. Use a comma to separate related measurements written as words.
My son is five feet, four inches tall.

6. Use a comma to separate a scene from an act in a play.
act II, scene vi; or act 2, scene 4

7. Never use a comma in a page number of four digits or more.
For more information, see page 1378.

8. Use a comma to separate references to a page and line.
For more information, see page 1378, line 30.

9. Use a comma to separate two numbers that lie next to each other in a text.
In 1994, 3 of Madonna's songs reached the top ten in the music charts.

D. Commas with Names, Places, Addresses and Correspondences

1. Use a comma to separate people's names and their academic degrees. Use a comma after the degree if other words follow it.
Dan Smith, MD, will speak after Rosanne Smith, PhD.

2. Do not use a comma when an indicator of birth order or succession follows a name.
Martin Luther King Jr. Henry VIII.

3. Use a comma if you write a person's last name before the first name.
Smith, Dan, MD, will speak second.

4. Use a comma to separate between two place names in sequence, e.g. city and county/state/country. Add another comma after the place name if more words follow.
Dan Smith, MD, is coming from Houston, Texas, to speak at the conference.

5. When a complete address is part of a sentence, use a comma to separate all the items, except the county/state/country and the zip code.
Dan wrote to Clara Clausowitz, 1001 Rule Road, Commaville, England ETS432, for more information about comma usage in English.

6. Use a comma for the opening of an informal letter. Some instructors suggest a colon in formal business letters.
Dear Dave, [friendly, informal] Dear Mrs. Clausowitz: [business, formal]

7. Use a comma for the closing words of any letter, and a point for the closing sentence that precedes it.
Hope to hear from you soon. [closing sentence]
Yours, or Love, [informal closing words]
Sincerely, or Best regards, [formal closing word]

WhiteSmoke Inc. offers best software on the market. Its WhiteSmoke Writer+ is a most comprehensive tool for proofreading and editing your writing.

This is the best investment of your money.

Common Mistakes in Punctuation - by VK 14/08/2010 @ 16:16

Sat, 14 Aug 2010 16:16:00 +0300

3 Common Mistakes in English Punctuation

Punctuation marks that are not placed where they should be give a negative impression of the writer as much as bad grammar does. When proofreading your work, an online punctuation checker will be helpful. It will help you to avoid committing the most common punctuation mistakes people make, three of which are given here:

1. Writing Sentence Fragments

Sentence fragments are not complete sentences but they can be made a part of sentences. You should avoid using them, as such. For example:

I would go there. If I could.

There should be no period before the sentence fragment ‛if I could�. Instead, the fragment should be made part of the sentence, so that it reads like this:

I would go there if I could.

2. Using the Comma Splice

The comma splice joins two independent clauses with a comma. Below is an example.

I saw the itinerary, I want to join.

In this sentence, a comma connects two independent clauses. To correct this, you can either put a period after the first independent clause or add a conjunction after the comma.

I saw the itinerary. I want to join.
I saw the itinerary, and I want to join.

3. Putting Apostrophes for Plural Forms of Nouns

Another common mistake is adding apostrophes to plural nouns. Below are examples.

The ~~orange�s~~ are really sweet.
The ~~kid�s~~ will be performing in a musical.

The apostrophes in these examples should be omitted.

The oranges are really sweet.
The kids will be performing in a musical.

There you have it: three of the most common punctuation mistakes you should watch out for. Be mindful of sentence fragments, the comma splice, and apostrophes. As previously mentioned, WhiteSmoke's grammar checker will also help clean up your punctuation errors, helping you spot things that you might otherwise miss. In any event, editing with your eyes or editing with WhiteSmoke Writer, correcting errors of punctuation is important for the quality of your text.

Writing Tips provided by the WhiteSmoke Inc., and published with kind permission of the company.
WhiteSmoke Inc. offers best software on the market. Its WhiteSmoke Writer+ is a most comprehensive tool for proofreading and editing your writing.
This is the best investment of your money.