# downloadable spelling checkers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 18, 2000, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-spelling-checkers/25990 "2000-07-18T16:35:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-spelling-checkers/25990/1 "2000-07-18T16:35:42Z")
As you might guess from my sig line, I’m not the world’s spelling champion. Internet Explorer doesn’t seem to have a spellcheck feature. I can use Microsoft Word to check the spelling of something, but that’s a major pain if I only want to spellcheck a single word while composing a post on a message board. Does anyone know of a program that can be downloaded that will check spelling? Preferably, I could start it up, and just type a word into a box, and get the results. Kind of like a disembodied version of the spellcheck feature in MS Word. Anybody know about something like this? ---
**Author:** ![Aceospades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Aceospades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aceospades)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-spelling-checkers/25990/2 "2000-07-18T17:00:31Z")
ya, me to. (or is that too?) ---
**Author:** ![Zabes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b19c9b/32.png) [@Zabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabes)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-spelling-checkers/25990/3 "2000-07-18T17:08:55Z")
[http://fornada.com/quickspell\_frame.htm?from=CleverKeys.com](http://fornada.com/quickspell_frame.htm?from=CleverKeys.com) I haven’t used this, and it’s not freeware. But you can download a trial version. I found the link through [Dictionary.com](http://Dictionary.com). ---
**Author:** ![PRISM02](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@PRISM02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PRISM02)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-spelling-checkers/25990/4 "2000-07-18T17:41:40Z")
I’ll tell you the easiest thing to do. Just as I do, being barely able to spell cat. If you have e-mail letter writing capability, like AOL does, it has spelling in it. When I reply to a post, I drop down the letter blank, compose my scathing response, then have the built in spell program check it. I copy & paste the result into the message board blank. ---
**Author:** ![starfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/87869e/32.png) [@starfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/starfish)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-spelling-checkers/25990/5 "2000-07-18T17:47:43Z")
[http://www.pcworld.com/fileworld/file\_description/0,1458,4726,00.html](http://www.pcworld.com/fileworld/file_description/0,1458,4726,00.html) It is a freeware stand alone dictionary. Go to pcworld a search for spellcheck and freeware I have not tried it. ---
**Author:** ![VexPrime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/74df32/32.png) [@VexPrime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VexPrime)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-spelling-checkers/25990/6 "2000-07-18T18:09:35Z")
Whew not many programs out there that check your own spelling, i know MS Word does. I’m not sure if these are downloadable, but look around for Adobe Acrobat, or WordPerfect. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-spelling-checkers/25990/7 "2000-07-18T18:38:35Z")
Well, I downloaded the trial version of Quick Spell from Starfish’s link. When installed, it checks spelling as you type. As I type this post, a little icon (a check or a crossed-out check) appears above my cursor to indicate whether the current word is spelled correctly. When on a misspelled word, you can hit ctrl-s to get a list of spelling suggestions in a little Windows pop-up menu. It’s kind of neat, although some people may find it annoying. It can be disabled by right-clicking on an icon on the bar at the bottom of the screen. What you download is a 14-day trial version (curiously, Quick Spell does not seem to recognize ‘download’ as a valid word). The registered version is $24.95, and the latest version supposedly has an improved dictionary. I’m not sure I’ll purchase the registered version; I’ll have to see just how useful I find Quick Spell in the next two weeks. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-spelling-checkers/25990/8 "2000-07-18T19:17:18Z")
A spellcheck for IE5= [http://www.hotlingo.com/](http://www.hotlingo.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2000, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-spelling-checkers/25990/9 "2000-07-19T01:14:59Z")
Be warned: I’m running into some problems with Quick Spell. Namely, you have to keep it disabled when you’re not using it, because it tends to conflict with programs that use the Ctrl key for commands. I probably won’t get the registered version. I will, however, try the ‘Hot Lingo’ add-on for IE5. I’ll let you know what I think. ---
**Author:** ![Minxsmom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d07c76/32.png) [@Minxsmom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minxsmom)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2000, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-spelling-checkers/25990/10 "2000-07-19T02:10:36Z")
I’m a horrid speller, too. I always have a second page up that is always on [http://www.m-w.com](http://www.m-w.com). Its the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary/Thesaurus. It does exactly what you are looking for - put the word in the box and it gives you choices of what you might be looking for if you had any ability to spell at all. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![starfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/87869e/32.png) [@starfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/starfish)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2000, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-spelling-checkers/25990/11 "2000-07-19T14:54:07Z")
also from PCWorld [http://www.pcworld.com/r/shw/1%2C2087%2C7346%2C00.html](http://www.pcworld.com/r/shw/1%2C2087%2C7346%2C00.html) All-Purpose Spell Checker Make sure your spelling is flawless. This tool lets you check the spelling of text in almost any application. It runs inconspicuously on your system, and offers customized dictionary and multilanguage support. File Facts Author: Palware Version: 3.1 Operating System: Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows 9.x Type: Shareware Upload Date: 06/08/00 Downloads: 3973 Price: $5