Friday, January 8, 2016
Using LanguageTool to check grammar in LibreOffice
LibreOffice is a powerful, free, open-source office-productivity suite that you can run under a Linux, Mac OS X or Microsoft Windows operating system. LibreOffice has a built-in spelling checker. You can install a grammar checker by adding a LanguageTool extension.
Though the procedures below specifically apply to the Ubuntu distribution of the Linux operating system, they also generally apply to the OS X and Windows operating systems.
Adding the LanguageTool extension - To add the LanguageTool extension to your Ubuntu Linux operating system, do the following:
- Go to the LibreOffice Extensions website, and then scroll to LanguageTool.
- Click LanguageTool to open its window.
- Scroll to the Current Release, such as LanguageTool 1.7, and then click Get Language Tool for all platforms to download it to your specified download folder.
- Open a new LibreOffice Writer document, click Tools and then click Extension Manager to display its window.
- Click Add to display the Add Extensions page.
- Select LanguageTool-stable.oxt, and then click Open to add LanguageTool to your LibreOffice extensions.
- Click Close to close the Extension Manager window and redisplay your LibreOffice Writer document.
Configuring LanguageTool - To configure LanguageTool, do the following:
- Add the LanguageTool extension according to the procedure above.
- In a LibreOffice Writer document, click Tools, click LanguageTool and then click Configuration to display the LanguageTool Options window.
- Select a language, such as English, and then click OK.
- Click Tools, click Options, click the arrow at the left of Language Settings, click Writing Aids, select Check grammar as you type and then click OK.
- Verify that LibreOffice indicates grammar errors through blue, wavy underlines, and spelling errors through red, wavy underlines.
