In addition to Smart Compose, grammar checks, and automatic spelling correction, Google Docs is now rolling out writing suggestions that feature purple underlining to help with tone, style, and word choice.
Google Docs will mark the following “style and writing” suggestions with a purple underline:
- Alternative label
- Using active voice
- Make sentence structure more concise
- Use of more inclusive language
- Potentially inappropriate words
This joins the red wavy line for misspellings and the blue underlines for grammatical errors. Selecting an underline (with your cursor) will provide a brief description with the option to implement the change, ignore, send feedback, or open settings.
They appear as you type to “help you avoid repeated or unnecessary words, diversify your writing, and ensure you’re using the most effective word for the situation.”
You’ll see suggestions when it’s possible to structure a sentence with an active voice or when a sentence can be more concise, which helps make your writing more impactful. Potentially discriminatory or inappropriate language will be flagged, along with suggestions on how to make your writing more inclusive and appropriate for your audience.
The goal is “to elevate your writing style and create more dynamic, clear, inclusive, and concise documents.” These purple underlines/corrections will be on by default but can be turned off individually in Tools > Style Suggestions on the web. Education administrators will have the option to opt out entirely.
This Google Docs feature will be rolling out over the next few weeks and its availability is as follows:
tone and style
- Available for Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus
- Not available for Google Workspace Essentials, Business Starter, Enterprise Essentials, Education Fundamentals, Frontline, and Nonprofits, and G Suite Basic and Business customers
Word Warnings
- Available for Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Standard, Education Plus, Teaching and Learning Up
- Not available for Google Workspace Essentials, Business Starter, Enterprise Essentials, Frontline, and Nonprofits, and G Suite Basic and Business customers
Learn more about Google Docs:
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