LibreOffice is an exceptional office suite that can expand to meet your needs. One way to expand is through extensions. Let’s say, for example, that you struggle with grammar. How can you get help without hiring a tutor? Well, there are extensions for LibreOffice that help with that. Let’s take a look at five such tools.
1: LanguageTool
LanguageTool is probably the best of the best of these extensions. It does a great job of checking your grammar as you type. It doesn’t slow down the application and generally speaking, it does a fine job of catching things a typical spell checker can’t catch. Are you frequently using there and their wrong? LT will catch that. Does your typing have issues, causing you to leave behind a trail of accidents? LT will help with that. This extension does require Java, but it’s still worth having. I depend upon this tool to catch word repetitions and other easily missed mistakes. Note: Language Tool does not include a spelling checker.
2: After the Deadline
After The Deadline is another grammar, style, and misused word detector. This extension takes LT one step further and checks for passive voice, and it includes a spelling checker. Because of the immense amount of work ATD must do, it depends upon external servers to check your work. This is a possible deal-breaker for many. But if you aren’t concerned about a third party checking your work, ATD is an outstanding extension to keep your writing up to snuff. The server used for checking is SSL-enabled, so at least you don’t have to worry about security.
3: Read Text
Read Text offers a unique method of checking your writing. Although not intended as a grammar checker, Read Text uses an external speech synthesizer to read your text out loud. When you hear your text read aloud, you will hear mistakes you would otherwise miss when reading the text yourself. This is a trick many authors use when proofing their books. Slap the work on a Kindle, have it read a book aloud, and you’ll hear those errors glaring at you. Same thing with Read Text.
4: Review Toolbar
Review Toolbar adds a new toolbar with most of the editorial functions included. Some of the icons found here are track changes, protect records, show changes, accept or reject changes, insert comment, highlighting, toggle line number, and clear document. Although this extension won’t directly help you with your grammar, it can help you collaborate with an editor who WILL be able to help you with your grammar. All writers need to get to know these tools intimately.
5: Lightproof
Lightproof is a grammar checker framework that includes modules for U.S. English, but you can download the package and develop a module for any language. It does both spell checking and morphological analysis of a document. It also features numerous settings and options (such as high-level regex-based rule definitions, Python conditions, Hunspell morphological analyzer, and lazy loading of language modules). Lightproof was originally designed for OpenOffice, but you shouldn’t have any problems installing it in LibreOffice.
Mix and match
You won’t find tons of grammar-based extension for LibreOffice, but the ones available are helpful. I use a combination of the built-in spell checker and LanguageTool to get me through first drafts and first rewrites. This one-two combination does a great job. Give one or two of the above extensions a try. I’m sure you’ll find at least one you come to depend upon.
