MSGC proofreads badly written complaint letter
We wanted to know how MS Word and its grammar checker (MSGC) would rate this badly written complaint letter (which we’ve also used for an exercise with our students).
To get the most thorough inspection, we asked the MSGC to check for every single grammar and style aspect in the document:
Here is the result:
Despite its disguised look as a relatively formal document (for which we used an MS Word template), the letter is informal and opinionated in its tone and full of spelling mistakes. It is almost screaming at the receiver despite the deceptively neutral format and friendly bird decorations.
Here are some of the things that the MSGC has missed but should have been able to recognize in the letter:
-
ALL CAPS (as in “TWO DAYS AFTER,” which suggests intensified emotion)
-
shorthand language (“atm,” meaning “at the moment”)
-
loaded language and words with negative connotations (“rip-off”; “money-making scheme”)
-
colloquial expressions (“a bit”)
-
sentence fragments (“But no”)
-
passive aggressiveness (the polite sign-off “Warm regards,” which contrasts with the tone of the rest of the content)
-
some contractions (while other have been flagged)
-
adjectives emphasizing opinion (“obviously”)
-
emoji (“
“) -
contextual mistakes (“too early rally,” instead of “too early really”)
-
the postscripta that precede the sign-off
Aside from these, there are other grammatical and lexical errors, which altogether suggest the writer’s hastiness, lack of care, and lack of respect for their audience.
Text used in the experiment: a sample complaint letter (click to download it in a .docx format) that we created for a classroom activity, using an MSGC template for letters.