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When you think of grammar checking, the first thing that comes to mind is probably Grammarly — and with good reason. Grammarly is an outstanding option and even the free version of the tool can help you learn the mistakes you commonly make.
There are other options in the automatic grammar-checking space, including LanguageTool. But why would you bother with that service when what is often considered the de facto standard is available?
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Although LanguageTool might not offer the plethora of suggestions that come from Grammarly, as far as the paid accounts go, LanguageTool is a bit more affordable. Yes, they both offer free accounts, but when you want to get serious about your grammar, a paid account is a worthy upgrade.
While Grammarly costs $12.00/month, LanguageTool can be had for as low as $4.99/month. And with a handy browser extension (available for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, and Opera), LanguageTool is just as handy as Grammarly.
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Let me show you how to install LanguageTool for Opera, so you can keep your content clean and free from grammar issues.
How to install LanguageTool for Opera
What you’ll need: The only things you’ll need for this are a running instance of the Opera browser and a LanguageTool account. You can sign up for the free version of LanguageTool and then, if you like the tool, upgrade to a premium plan later on.
The first thing to do is head to languagetool.org and create a free account. You can sign up with your Google account for an even faster onboarding process.
Installing the LanguageTool extension in Opera.
Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET
When you see the Okay, got it button, click it, and it will take you to the configuration page, where you can select the languages you typically use.
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Make your choices and click Start using LanguageTool. On the resulting page, click Continue. You can then close the LanguageTool tab.
You can select as many languages as you like.
Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET
Once the extension has been added, click the Extension icon in the upper-left corner (directly to the right of your profile icon), and then, from the drop-down menu, click the pin icon associated with the LT Grammar Checker.
Pinning the extension is optional, but gives you quick access to some basic help.
Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET
The LanguageTool popup is very easy to navigate.
Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET
In my opinion, when you compare LanguageTool and Grammarly, LanguageTool not only has a leg up on pricing, but also the user interface. I find LanguageTool easier to use. For shorter documents, I tend to use LanguageTool and Grammarly, as I find they both discover different issues — and I’m all about learning from my mistakes as often as possible to improve my craft.
Give LanguageTool a try and see if it doesn’t help improve your writing.