# CAPS LOCK and spell check
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caps-lock-and-spell-check/205239
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 3, 2003, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caps-lock-and-spell-check/205239 "2003-10-03T01:49:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@caymus28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caymus28)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2003, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caps-lock-and-spell-check/205239/1 "2003-10-03T01:49:47Z")
A friend of mine is required to write an 80+ page outline while in training for a job. She was told that she has to write the entire outline in CAPITALS. She was told that this would not allow her to use the spell check feature of MS Word (attention to detail is a crucial part of the job). So, the question is, if I have an 80+ page outline in CAPITALS, can I spell check it with MS Word or some other program? She said that she could not do it on her computer. When I typed an example paragraph in Word on my computer (Win XP with Office XP Pro) in all CAPS, it did not return any errors. What gives? Any insights???
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### Author:  [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2003, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caps-lock-and-spell-check/205239/2 "2003-10-03T02:03:47Z")
Go to Tools \> Options. Click the Spelling & Grammar tab and uncheck “Ignore words in all uppercase”. You can now spellcheck all caps text.
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### Author:  [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2003, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caps-lock-and-spell-check/205239/3 "2003-10-03T02:19:03Z")
I was going to suggest to create it in lower case, do your spell check, then do a Format, Change Case. But QED’s works too.
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### Author:  [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2003, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caps-lock-and-spell-check/205239/4 "2003-10-03T04:11:05Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by caymus28 \*
> \*\*A friend of mine is required to write an 80+ page outline while in training for a job. \*\*
Does your friend want a job there if the bosses are this dumb?
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### Author:  [@scotcho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotcho)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2003, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caps-lock-and-spell-check/205239/5 "2003-10-03T04:11:28Z")
80 pages in capitals? that would be freakin’ crazy hard to read.
Scotcho
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### Author:  [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2003, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caps-lock-and-spell-check/205239/6 "2003-10-03T05:00:49Z")
I guess they aren’t requiring computer knowledge there. Dumb bosses can be obnoxious, but might be good for overtime!
_tr [a-z] [A-Z] \< in.txt \> out.txt_
(Requires GNU [coreutils](http://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/), available in your grocer’s freezer, or on your nearest \*nix installation.)
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2003, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caps-lock-and-spell-check/205239/7 "2003-10-03T07:52:26Z")
Is it possible that the boss in question is actually looking for innovative solutions to his unreasonable problem?
Probably not, but you never know.
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### Author:  [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2003, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caps-lock-and-spell-check/205239/8 "2003-10-03T14:17:51Z")
Another suggestion if your friend doesn’t want to initially write it in all uppercase: Just write the whole thing the way you normally would, then when you’re done, highlight the entire document (CTRL+A) then go to Format \> Change Case … and then click on UPPERCASE.