Automatic AutoCorrect Exceptions for Beginning Sentences

Ken asked about a problem he was having with AutoCorrect not capitalizing words at the beginning of sentences as he expected. When typing a document, he would sometimes discover that AutoCorrect was not capitalizing the first word of some sentences, despite being configured to do so.

The reason for this is because AutoCorrect watches (to a limited extent) how you type and tries to adjust itself for what it perceives as your needs. If you are typing along and Word makes an AutoCorrect correction, and you immediately backspace and type over the correction, Word figures that you don't want it to make those corrections any more in the future. To ensure this, it adds the last word of the sentence, with its ending punctuation, to the AutoCorrect exceptions list.

Depending on the way you type, this can cause some problems. For instance, consider this scenario:

1. You finish a sentence and type the closing punctuation mark and space after the punctuation mark.
2. You type the first word of the next sentence with the initial letter of that word in lowercase.
3. You press the space after the first word, and AutoCorrect automatically capitalizes the first letter of that first word.
4. Before starting on the second word, you change your mind about what the first word should be.
5. You backspace through the old first word.
6. You type a new first word, with the initial letter in lowercase.

When you type the space after this new first word, AutoCorrect does two things. First, it doesn't correct the capitalization of the first letter of the new first word—it leaves it lowercase. Second, it automatically adds the last word of the previous sentence, with its terminating punctuation mark, to the AutoCorrect exception list. This means that any time you end a sentence with that word in the future, AutoCorrect will not automatically adjust the capitalization of the first word in the following sentence.

If you don't want Word to behave this way (second-guessing why you are backspacing), then you should follow these steps if you are using a version of Word prior to Word 2007:

1. Choose AutoCorrect from the Tools menu. Word displays the AutoCorrect dialog box.
2. Make sure the AutoCorrect tab is displayed. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. Click the Exceptions button. Word displays the AutoCorrect Exceptions dialog box. (Click here to see a related figure.)
4. Clear the check box labeled Automatically Add Words to List.
5. Click OK twice to dismiss both dialog boxes.

If you are using Word 2007 then the steps are slightly different:

1. Click the Office button and then click Word Options. Word displays the Word Options dialog box.
2. Click Proofing at the left side of the dialog box.
3. Click the AutoCorrect Options button. Word displays the AutoCorrect dialog box.
4. Click the Exceptions button. Word displays the AutoCorrect Exceptions dialog box.
5. Clear the check box labeled Automatically Add Words to List.
6. Click OK three times to dismiss all the dialog boxes.