Checking Spelling

The Spelling feature helps you proofread your data by identifying potentially misspelled words and suggesting possible spellings to use instead. You can correct the spelling, ignore the word, add the word to the dictionary, or create an AutoCorrect entry. In addition, you can control the kinds of spelling errors Access identifies by specifying the spelling options you want in effect. If the text in your database is written in more than one language, you can automatically detect languages or designate the language of selected text so the spelling checker uses the right dictionary.

Check the Spelling in a Table

Display the table in Datasheet view, click the row selector for the record or select the field you want to check. Drag to select additional rows.

Click the Spelling button on the Table Datasheet toolbar. If Access identifies any misspelled words, it opens the Spelling dialog box.

Correct or ignore the identified words, as appropriate.

• Click Ignore to ignore the word and retain its spelling. Click Ignore All to ignore all instances of the word.

• Click Add to add the word to the dictionary so the spelling checker won't identify it as a misspelled word.

• Click a word in the Suggestions list, and then click Change to spell the word with the selected spelling. Click Change All to change all instances of the word to the selected spelling.

• Click AutoCorrect to add the word to the AutoCorrect list.

Customize Spelling Options

In the Spelling dialog box, click Options.

Select the options you want to change.

• Clear the Suggest From Main Dictionary Only check box if you want to omit the list of suggested spellings or to check spelling from both the Custom and Main dictionaries.

• Clear the Ignore check box if you don't want to ignore words in uppercase, words with numbers , or Internet and file addresses.

Click OK.

Did You Know?

You can proofread in different languages . The Microsoft Proofing Tools Kit provides fonts, templates, and spelling and grammar checkers to help you create and edit databases in different languages.

See Also

See "Using Multiple Languages" on page 300 for information on using different languages in Access.