This obscure Microsoft Phrase characteristic makes proofreading paperwork straightforward

In my job, I write and edit quite a lot of textual content each single day, and parsing all of it for spelling or grammar errors can take up extra time than I like. However when certainly one of my colleagues right here at PCWorld launched me to the Learn Aloud characteristic in Microsoft Phrase, it modified the entire recreation for me.

The characteristic does precisely as you’d count on: it reads the chosen textual content aloud. Simply spotlight the textual content you need it to learn, click on on the Evaluate tab in Phrase, and choose Learn Aloud. Utilizing the gear icon that pops up whereas it’s studying, you possibly can change between female and male voices and modify the studying velocity to your private choice.

I now use the Learn Aloud software with virtually all of my writing to establish grammatical errors, awkward phrases, or structural points. I even copy and paste most of my longer emails into Phrase and use the software to learn them again to me. Listening to somebody—or quite one thing—learn your textual content out loud forces us to decelerate, which makes it extra possible for us to find issues.

And earlier than you go complaining that one of these factor has been round because the days of floppy disks and the way Home windows outdated text-to-speech voices gave the impression of a staccato robotic, you possibly can relaxation assured it’s a lot simpler to take heed to now. It even does an honest job decoding intonation and rhythm. So subsequent time you’re proofreading a doc or electronic mail, give the Learn Aloud software a strive.

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