Google Search’s Latest AI Feature Is a Grammar Checker. How to Use It

Google has added a new artificial intelligence-powered grammar checker in its search engine. While Gmail and Docs have had grammar and spelling checks for a while, this is a new feature for Search.

In a support page, Google says the grammar check feature uses “AI systems” to analyze language and is able to “check if a phrase or sentence is written in a grammatically correct way or how to correct it, if not.”

This new Search feature, spotted earlier Sunday by 9to5Google, is one of several AI-powered tools Google has rolled out this year. In May, Google launched an experimental AI-powered search, called Search Generative Experience, that’s able to summarize information from multiple sources in response to search queries. Google has also added generative AI tools to Gmail and Docs and launched its own AI chatbot, Bard.

Google, along with Microsoft, Adobe and nearly every major tech company, has been rapidly releasing new generative AI tools and products. While such tools have vast potential to help people on tasks big and small, concerns have been raised about job loss and misinformation. Advanced AI systems have also sparked worries about their impact on society.

Google cautions that the tool’s responses might not be 100% accurate. 

Partial phrases especially are harder for Google to check, and as of now, it can only check searches in English.

How to Use Google Search’s AI-Powered Grammar Check

To take advantage of Google’s grammar check, simply type the sentence or passage you would like to be checked into the search bar and add the phrase “grammar check” or “check grammar” after it. Adding these phrases to the end of your search ensures that this feature is activated.

Google will bold and underline any issues in the sentence; if there are no issues, a green check mark will appear to let you know. You can copy the corrected sentence by hovering your mouse over it and selecting the Copy button that will appear.

We tried the new feature, and while it did catch some errors, it wasn’t 100% right, particularly when it comes to longer, more complex sentences.

For example, Google correctly identified and fixed an issue with the noun-verb agreement in the sentence: “The dogs is running.”

However, when asked to check more complex passages, Google failed to correctly identify and remedy this sentence: “The dogs aren’t outside today it is too hot.”

Google’s fix — adding a comma between the two clauses — might be alright for informal writing, but it is technically incorrect. The two clauses are complete sentences and require either a period or semicolon to separate them.

The “feedback” option in the lower right hand corner allows you to give feedback to Google, including options to report an incorrect suggestion or a particularly helpful one.

Editors’ note: CNET is using an AI engine to help create some stories. For more, see this post.