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How to Use Grammarly for School Papers (Is It Worth It?)
Free vs premium, what it catches, what it misses, and whether teachers can tell you used it.
Table of Contents
How to Use Grammarly for School Papers (Is It Worth It?)
TL;DR
Grammarly's free version catches basic grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors — and that's enough for most students. Premium adds style suggestions and plagiarism checking. It's a useful PROOFREADING tool, not a writing replacement. Teachers generally can't tell you used it (it's not the same as AI writing).
What Grammarly Does
Grammarly is a writing assistant that checks your text for:
- Spelling errors
- Grammar mistakes (subject-verb agreement, tense consistency)
- Punctuation errors (commas, semicolons, apostrophes)
- Clarity issues (wordy sentences, passive voice)
- Tone (formal vs. casual)
It works as a browser extension, desktop app, and integrates with Google Docs and Microsoft Word.
Free vs Premium
Free (Enough for Most Students):
- Basic grammar and spelling checks
- Punctuation corrections
- Conciseness suggestions
- Tone detection
- Works in browsers and most writing apps
Premium ($12/month with student discount):
- Advanced grammar and style suggestions
- Word choice improvements
- Plagiarism detection
- Full-sentence rewrites
- Genre-specific writing style checks
Our take: The free version catches 80% of what you need. If you're a strong writer, free is plenty. If you struggle with grammar consistently, premium might be worth the investment.
How to Use It Effectively
- Write your paper first, then run Grammarly. Don't edit as you write — it breaks your flow.
- Review each suggestion before accepting. Grammarly isn't always right, especially with:
- Academic writing conventions
- Intentional style choices
- Subject-specific terminology
- Sentence fragments used for effect
- Don't accept everything blindly. Understanding WHY a correction is suggested teaches you to avoid the mistake next time.
- Use it as a learning tool. Pay attention to patterns — if Grammarly keeps fixing your comma splices, learn the comma splice rule.
Can Teachers Tell You Used Grammarly?
Grammarly helps you fix errors in YOUR writing. It doesn't write for you (unlike AI chatbots). Your teacher cannot detect that you used Grammarly — it's no different from asking a friend to proofread.
That said, if your writing suddenly goes from error-filled to perfect overnight, a teacher might wonder. The best approach: use Grammarly to improve gradually and actually learn from the corrections.
Grammarly vs Other Tools
| Tool | Best For | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Grammarly | General grammar/writing | Free / $12/mo |
| Hemingway Editor | Readability and conciseness | Free (web) |
| ProWritingAid | Deep writing analysis | Free / $10/mo |
| LanguageTool | Privacy-focused grammar | Free / $5/mo |
| Microsoft Editor | If you use Word/Edge | Free with Office |
Let Gradily Help You Write Better
Grammarly fixes surface-level errors. Gradily helps you develop stronger arguments, better structure, and clearer communication — the stuff that really earns the A.
[Try Gradily for Free →]
Grammarly is a proofreading tool, not a writing tool. It catches mistakes but can't write your paper for you. Use it wisely, learn from its corrections, and your writing will improve over time. ✅
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