You can use the search and replace function to check for words and expressions that you often confuse. For example, if you know that you tend to use effect (a noun meaning result) when you should use affect (a verb meaning to influence), you might want to regularly search for the two words and check to see if you've used each instance correctly. (See the Write Place handout entitled "Commonly Misused Words and Expressions" for a fairly extensive list of these "trouble makers.")

You might also check for words that you tend to replace for other words when you're typing quickly or focusing very hard on the process of getting your ideas down on paper. Let's say that one of your favorite typos is writing the for then or to for too. Since spell checking clearly won't catch such typos, when you're done drafting, you might simply search for the thes/thens or tos/toos and check to make sure that each occurrence of the word is correct.

You can also use the search and replace function to check for your typical punctuation errors--either scanning for particular punctuation marks or for language that goes with those marks. For instance, let's assume that you tend to use a semicolon when you should use a colon before a list. You might search for each semicolon in your text and check to see if the semicolon is followed by a list. If you find a spot where the semicolon is used prior to a list, you can in that instance replace the semicolon with a colon.

Most writers tend to fall into particular wordiness patterns. One writer might frequently start sentences with It is and There are, while another writer might use a lot of which and that clauses. Once you're aware of your typical wordiness patterns, you can use the search and replace feature to find specific types of wordy constructions. In each instance, then, where the pattern occurs, you can decide how you'll edit the sentence.

If you should need to change the spelling of a proper name or an acronym throughout an entire draft, use the search and replace function. Change the name or acronym "globally"--that is change every instance at once rather than finding and changing each instance one by one.