Grammarly Cheat Sheet
Last updated: April 2026
Quick Facts
Pricing
Freemium model with a robust free tier and a Premium subscription at $12/month (annual billing).
Free Plan
Yes. Includes core grammar, spelling, and punctuation checks, plus basic tone detection.
Rating
4.6/5
Best For
Anyone who writes regularly online and needs a seamless, integrated assistant for error-free, clear communication.
Key Features
- ✓Real-time Grammar & Spelling
I tested this everywhere. It catches typos and complex grammatical errors in real-time as you type in browsers, docs, and emails.
- ✓Clarity & Conciseness
In my experience, this is Premium's killer feature. It flags wordy sentences and suggests tighter phrasing, making your writing punchier.
- ✓Tone Detector
What surprised me was its accuracy. It analyzes word choice to gauge if your email sounds friendly, formal, or assertive and offers adjustments.
- ✓Plagiarism Checker
Scans your text against billions of web pages. Essential for academics and professionals, but it's locked behind the Premium paywall.
- ✓Full-sentence Rewrites
This isn't just fixing errors. For awkward phrasing, it suggests multiple complete alternative sentences, which is a huge time-saver.
- ✓Word Choice (Synonyms)
Double-click any word for instant synonyms. I use this daily to avoid repetition and find more precise vocabulary.
- ✓Punctuation Checker
It goes beyond commas. It expertly handles tricky em dashes, semicolons, and quotation mark placement that most native speakers miss.
- ✓Formality Level
You can set a goal (e.g., Formal, Informal). Grammarly will then highlight language that doesn't match your chosen tone.
- ✓Browser Extension
This is where Grammarly shines. It works seamlessly in Gmail, Google Docs, social media, and CMS platforms like WordPress.
- ✓Desktop App
The app lets you check documents offline and provides a distraction-free editor, which I prefer for long-form content.
- ✓Mobile Keyboard
Integrates with your phone's keyboard to proofread texts, notes, and social posts on the go. Surprisingly effective.
- ✓Goals Setting
Before you start, you tell it your intent (Inform, Describe, Convince), audience, and formality for tailored suggestions.
- ✓Consistency Checks
Flags inconsistencies in spelling (e.g., color vs. colour), date formats, and compound words (e.g., healthcare vs. health care).
- ✓Readability Score
Provides a Flesch Reading Ease score. I find it a useful, objective metric to ensure my writing isn't overly complex.
Tips & Tricks
Don't just accept every suggestion. Read the explanation—it's how you actually learn and improve your own writing skills.
Use the 'Goals' setting for every document. Tailoring the audience and intent dramatically improves the relevance of its advice.
For important emails, paste the text into the Desktop App editor for a final comprehensive review with all Premium features.
Right-click on Grammarly's underlined suggestions to dismiss them for that document or learn more about the specific rule.
In the browser extension settings, you can disable Grammarly on specific websites (like your bank) for privacy and performance.
Limitations
- -It can be overly cautious, sometimes flagging correct but creative sentence structures as 'hard to read.'
- -The tone detector can misinterpret sarcasm or nuanced professional language, leading to odd suggestions.
- -It struggles with highly technical, scientific, or creative fiction writing where standard grammar rules are bent.
- -The browser extension can occasionally slow down typing in heavy web apps like Google Docs.
- -It's not a fact-checker. It will polish well-written nonsense, so you must still vet your content's accuracy.