Spelling Checker - Auto Correction

[RAC]

I have seen others complain about the way this works and I agree with them.

When you mistype a word (I never misspell words) it is underlined in red and a correction is usually proposed, so far so good. The problem is that you have to actually reject the suggested correction, if you just press space, it is adopted.

This is fine if the suggested correction is the intended word otherwise quite annoying. For example, just a few minutes ago, "fragile" got replaced by "erectile" in a post that I was typing, amusing but also a bit of a nuisance.

As far as I know most other spelling checkers leave mistyped words unchanged unless you explicitly accept the suggested correction.

 

[Taylork1]

I agree with you. I got so frustrated with this "feature" that I turned off auto correct and check spelling. All or nothing.

 

[chowdown]

I find the iPad's spellcheck too useful to switch off, but the autocorrect thing is sometimes a real pain.

Try typing the word you want, then delete the last letter, then replace it. This seems to work a lot of the time and you don't have to be jabbing the screen with your finger.
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[RAC]

I find the iPad's spellcheck too useful to switch off, but the autocorrect thing is sometimes a real pain.​

If you turn off Auto Correct do you also turn off the Spelling Checker? I guess that I should experiment.

 

[chowdown]

When I said spellcheck I meant autocorrect. Maybe they're the same thing anyway?

 

[RAC]

When I said spellcheck I meant autocorrect. Maybe they're the same thing anyway?

Yeah, I am a unsure about this myself. As I said, some experimentation is required.

EDIT: I just checked in Settings. The Keyboard has Check Spelling and Auto Correct options. If you turn off Auto Correct, Check Spelling is turned off automatically. So you can have Auto Correct without Check Spelling but not the other way around. This doesn't make any sense at all to me.

 

[zorah]

I turned the feature off in my previous iPhones and ever since a couple years ago. I can't stand it.
And I agree, it does not make sense to not be able to have spell check turned on with Auto Correct off.

 

[DontUnderstandMyIpad]

Yes, the autocorrection can be quite tedious. Especially, when writing in two different languages interchangeably, as the correction can end up being in a different language then the rest of the text. Still use it though, as I don't always know how to spell words properly.

 

[pluto6]

I like it. Much like Dragon Dictation, one has to be patient and initially correct a lot of spellings you don't like. I rarely have words anymore that are just wrong, and lots of words, companies, etc that use are suggested and I hit space and a lot of time is saved.

Just takes a while to build up the custom dictionary, but I agree, it does take patience. However, I am now realizing the time that I initially lost with enhanced speed, that will last me as long as I use this iPad.

 

[RAC]

I like it. Much like Dragon Dictation, one has to be patient and initially correct a lot of spellings you don't like. I rarely have words anymore that are just wrong, and lots of words, companies, etc that use are suggested and I hit space and a lot of time is saved.

Just takes a while to build up the custom dictionary, but I agree, it does take patience. However, I am now realizing the time that I initially lost with enhanced speed, that will last me as long as I use this iPad.

So, how do you add words to the dictionary? I wasn't aware that this was possible, although it is a standard feature of most spell checkers.

Also, I would still like to have Check Spelling without Auto Correction, that way spelling errors are highlighted and not replaced by an inappropriate correction.

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

I think a previous poster has suggested this technique, but just in case it needs a little more explanation then this website might be helpful.

Undocumented Spell Check Features Found on the iPad | iPhone Alley

Tim
Scotland

 

[RAC]

I think a previous poster has suggested this technique, but just in case it needs a little more explanation then this website might be helpful.

Undocumented Spell Check Features Found on the iPad | iPhone Alley

Tim
Scotland

Thanks for the tip, one that I will certainly make use of.

I have noticed something strange about this feature.

I typed in "frem" expecting "from" to be proposed as a correction but "Fremont" was proposed instead. When I pressed delete, it was replaced by "ferment" and the cursor moved to the start of the word.

If the spell checker had two words to propose, why did it it originally propose only one?

Probably the behaviour that is most annoying is that, if there is only one suggested correction, replacement is automatic. Fair enough, that's Auto Correct, my complaint is that you can't have Spell Checking without Auto Correct.

It also seems that only US spelling is available, even if the "British" keyboard is selected.

Thanks again for the tip though.

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

In another post someone mentioned that the dictionary 'learns' over a period of time. It can be reset - 'Settings', 'General', 'Reset', 'Reset Keyboard Dictionary'. Maybe that can 'cure' some of these problems. Pity there's not an app that lets you edit the dictionary or, as you say, choose a region-specific one.

Tim
Scotland

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

I saw a really neat - if somewhat unusual - way around the problem of getting 'custom' words into the iPad dictionary. The post was in another Forum. The author noted that all entries in your Contacts list (i.e. names, companies etc) are automatically included in the iPad dictionary. So this person suggested (I've tried it too and it works!) that, if you want to stop the iPad constantly trying to correct words that you *know* are spelt correctly, but clearly are not in the iPad dictionary (maybe some product names from your company, scientific terms and so on), simply enter them into the Contacts list. For example, if your company makes a product called a 'sproc' and iPad keeps trying to correct it to 'spruce' - just as it did as I typed this now, then simply create a dummy entry in the Contacts list with, say, first name as 'sproc' and it will not be corrected or flagged as a spelling error in future. Since anything in the Contacts list will be included in the iPad dictionary you can use First Name, Last Name, Company Name and populate a contact with as many custom words as you want. That will limit the number of 'non-real contacts' in your Contacts List. OK - it's tedious entering a whole series of custom words that way, but it can be very annoying when the same word is flagged again and again and again!!

A bit of lateral thinking on behalf of the other poster.

Tim
Scotland

 

[RAC]

A bit of lateral thinking on behalf of the other poster.

Back in the 90's Apple's slogan was "Think different"

I think they need to do so in relation to the Spelling Checker. I would really like to be turn Auto Correct off but keep the Spelling Checker on.

The Contacts work around will useful words that are constantly a problem.

Thanks.