Level 1

22 points

The Mac's Spell Check — Why So Awful?

I have been using Mac's now since the early 1990s, and would never consider any other computer. I am a diehard fan.

However, I have to point out that the spellcheck on the Mac could do with some major improvements in terms of its ability to guess and suggest the correct spelling, when a spelling error occurs. The Mac really is really appalling sometimes in terms of its complete inability to guess the correct spelling.

For example, if you type the following spelling error into the Mac:

approximaltey

it is pretty clear that the Mac should be suggesting the correct word: "approximately" when you right click on the misspelled word, and get the Mac's pop-up menu spelling suggestions.

Yet in this example the Mac seems incapable of recognizing the correct word, and so does not present any spelling suggestions when you right click on this misspelled word. The pop-up menu just says: "No Guesses Found". And this is not an isolated example: I frequently find that the Mac is clueless at guessing the correct spelling for lots of words that are only slightly misspelled.

However, if you type the same misspellings into a Google search, Google guesses and suggests the right spelling correction every time.

So if Google is able to correctly guess the right spelling correction for slightly misspelled words, why can't the Mac?

Apple, what is you answer to this?

Mac mini, OS X El Capitan (10.11.4), null

Posted on Mar 22, 2016 8:26 PM

23 replies

dialabrain

Level 10

137,649 points

Jul 28, 2017 6:48 AM in response to eversurfer

FWIW, Apple is not here. This is a user forum.

If you would like to make suggestion to Apple you can do so here…

http://www.apple.com/feedback/

pinkstones

Level 5

4,266 points

Mar 23, 2016 12:06 PM in response to Hip89

Hip89 wrote:

Thanks for your reply, dialabrain.

That is very interesting that the Mac's spellcheck suggestions work OK for you. They definitely do no work OK for me, as you can see:

I have tried this using US, British, Canadian and Australian English, and I get the same result. There aren't really many spelling settings on the Mac, so I don't think this can be an issue of spelling settings. I get the same issue whether or not I select "Correct Spelling Automatically", or whether or not I select "Check Grammar With Spelling".

I appreciate that this is a user to user forum, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Apple reads it from time to time.

If this bothers you so much, go into System Preferences --> Keyboard --> Text and press the ➕ button. In the left column, type "approximaltey" and in the right column, type "approximately." That way, when you accidentally type the former, it will replace it with the latter.

Barney-15E

Level 10

124,278 points

Nov 27, 2016 12:30 PM in response to mtill

You should probably just use Goole, then.

mtill

Level 1

4 points

Nov 27, 2016 12:51 PM in response to Barney-15E

I can't use Google spellcheck in Apple Mail, Apple Pages, Apple TextEdit, Apple Numbers, etc.

Barney-15E

Level 10

124,278 points

Nov 27, 2016 1:32 PM in response to mtill

Arghh, the ironey.

Nivrot

Level 1

16 points

Jul 28, 2017 7:51 AM in response to dialabrain

You are probably right.

Why would Apple spend time scanning a USER forum? They seem to have been born with infinite wisdom and have no interest in what us lowly consumers might discuss.

dialabrain

Level 10

137,649 points

Jul 28, 2017 8:10 AM in response to Nivrot

Apple does read feedback, which is why I posted the link. This forum is a users helping users forum.

Nivrot

Level 1

16 points

Jul 28, 2017 8:30 AM in response to dialabrain

I know, and thanks for the link. I did leave a message there just before.

Just thought it is a pity that things are not picked up from the official forum, thats all.

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The Mac's Spell Check — Why So Awful?