Editing Custom Dictionaries

As you use the spell-checking capabilities of Word, you undoubtedly have added words to your custom dictionary. Normally you do this when you run across a word that the main dictionary does not understand, but which you know is correct. When you click on the Add button in the spell-check dialog box, the word is added to your custom dictionary. You can edit the custom dictionary by following these steps:

1. Choose Options from the Tools menu. Word displays the Options dialog box.
2. Make sure the Spelling & Grammar tab is displayed. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. Click on the Dictionaries button.
4. In the list of dictionaries, select the one you want to edit.
5. Click on the Edit button. The dictionary is opened, as a document, and you can make changes to it.
6. Close the dictionary document when you are through editing it.

If you are using Word 2003, editing the custom dictionary is a bit different. Follow these steps, instead:

1. Choose Options from the Tools menu. Word displays the Options dialog box.
2. Make sure the Spelling & Grammar tab is displayed.
3. Click on the Custom Dictionaries button. (Click here to see a related figure.)
4. In the list of dictionaries, select the one you want to edit.
5. Click on the Modify button. Word displays a dialog box showing the words in the dictionary. (Click here to see a related figure.)
6. To add words, enter a word at the top of the dialog box and click Add.
7. To delete words, select the word in the list, then click Delete.
8. Close all the open dialog boxes when you are done editing.

It is interesting to note that custom dictionaries are simply text files, which means you can also edit them by using a different text editor, such as Notepad. In order to find the dictionaries, simply look in the directory indicated in the dialog box that appears in step 3, above. The dictionaries are nothing but a list of words that the spell-check should consider as acceptable. You can add words to the dictionary as needed, or delete words that never should have been added in the first place.

Note that when you edit a custom dictionary in Word 97 or Word 2000, automatic spell-checking is turned off. In order to again enable automatic spell-checking, follow these steps:

1. Choose Options from the Tools menu. This displays the Options dialog box.
2. Make sure the Spelling & Grammar tab is displayed.
3. Make sure the Check Spelling as You Type check box is selected.
4. Click on OK to close the Options dialog box.