Rechecking Spelling and Grammar

When you check the spelling and grammar of your document, Word keeps track of which errors you choose to ignore. Even if you later go through a grammar and spell check again, Word still remembers your earlier decisions, and it can affect the current check you are doing.

At some point you may want to toss out your earlier decisions and recheck the document from scratch. You can do so by following these steps if you are using a version of Word prior to Word 2007:

1. Choose Options from the Tools menu. Word displays the Options dialog box.
2. Make sure the Spelling & Grammar tab is selected. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. Click on Recheck Document. You'll see a dialog box asking if you really want to recheck everything from scratch.
4. Click on Yes.
5. Click on OK to close the Options dialog box.

If you are using Word 2007, follow these steps instead:

1. Click the Office button and then click Word Options. Word displays the Word Options dialog box.
2. At the left side of the dialog box click Proofing. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. Click Check Document. You'll see a dialog box asking if you really want to recheck everything.
4. Click on Yes.
5. Click on OK to close the Word Options dialog box.

At this point it may not look like anything has changed in your document. However, if you do a grammar and spell check (press F7) you will find that Word once again questions everything it thinks is wrong in your document.