WhiteSmoke Reviewer's Comments

When searching for writing enhancement programs, the WhiteSmoke website tops the Google list and is certainly one you will run across if you are looking for this type of software. WhiteSmoke is the recipient of our “TopTenREVIEWS Bronze Award” and helps writers by searching for grammar and spelling errors and additionally offers a list of alternative word choices to enrich writing.

This product works with a variety of applications including Word and MSN messenger, so you can check your writing anytime and instantly modify your correspondence. This program can also look for passive verbs, overused words, wordy phrases and more.

Although this product is easy to use and works with numerous applications, we found some of the feedback incorrect or irrelevant. For example, some of the comments and edits offered included incorrect spelling and out of context suggestions. This product may be best for those that have a good basic understanding of English grammar, word usage and spelling, so they can make a proper selection from the suggested word lists.

Editing Tools:  

WhiteSmoke has a huge database of suggestions that consists of 6,007,005 enrichment corrections, 7,484,611 grammar corrections and 3,684,281 spelling corrections. When you submit your writing samples into the program it can check for spelling and grammar errors, punctuation, passive verbs, overused words and wordy phrases.

This software helps you enhance your text by providing adverb and adjective suggestions, much like the synonym tool in Word. This program cannot however evaluate the content or tense of a sentence, so it is ultimately up to you to decide which word fits the situation.

Feedback:  

We tested three writing samples with this program, a business letter, a marketing devise or white paper and a technical document. However, much of the feedback was incorrect or inapplicable. In general, most of the suggestions did not extend beyond what a basic thesaurus can offer, without regard to content or tense.

When we put the white paper through the edit process, the feedback included some misleading comments and four obvious incorrect suggestions, such as we were prompted to change “used” to “used” and “supposing” to “supposed,” which would have made the sentence incorrect.

The program did offer some good feedback, but the toughest part would be discerning between a valid and invalid suggestion, especially if you are an inexperienced writer or an ESL student.

Reference Tools:  

WhiteSmoke has a built in dictionary and thesaurus to help you choose applicable and effective words.

Additional Tools:  

This software includes a diverse collection of templates, from business letters and proposals to love letters.

Applications:  

This manufacturer offers several programs for the application of your choice. We looked at the basic White Smoke Version but they also offer business, legal, medical, creative writing, dating and executive versions.

WhiteSmoke can be used with Microsoft Word, Outlook, WordPerfect, HTML, any chat program and more.

Help/Support:  

WhiteSmoke can be contacted by telephone, email or chat; however, we could not get their live chat to work. WhiteSmoke responded to our first email within 24 hours, but instead of answering our email they provided general sales information. We sent a second email with a list of questions and they responded within an hour with useful and relevant information.

Summary:  

WhiteSmoke works with a wide variety of software applications and offers the writer alternative word and grammar choices to enhance their writing. Nonetheless, we found the feedback to be misleading or incorrect.