How to Use Grammarly AI: Beyond Grammar to Full AI Writing (2026)

Grammarly has evolved far beyond spell-checking. With GrammarlyGO (its generative AI assistant), tone detection, full text rewrites, and context-aware suggestions, Grammarly is now a comprehensive AI writing platform that works everywhere you write — emails, documents, social media, and messaging apps.

This guide covers all of Grammarly‘s AI features, from basic corrections to advanced generative capabilities that transform your writing process.

TL;DR — Quick Start

1. Install the Grammarly browser extension or desktop app
2. Write anywhere — Grammarly activates automatically
3. Click suggestions to fix grammar, spelling, and style
4. Use GrammarlyGO (the diamond icon) for AI rewrites and generation
5. Set your profile (audience, formality, domain) for personalized suggestions

Pricing

Plan	Price	Key Features
Free	$0	Grammar, spelling, punctuation, tone detection
Premium	$12/mo	Advanced suggestions, GrammarlyGO (1,000 prompts), rewrites, tone adjustments
Business	$15/user/mo	Brand tones, style guides, team analytics, admin controls

Installation

Grammarly works across platforms:

Browser Extension

1. Visit grammarly.com
2. Install the extension for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge
3. Sign in with your account
4. Grammarly activates on every website automatically

Desktop Apps

• Grammarly for Windows/Mac: System-wide writing assistance
• Grammarly for Microsoft Office: Direct integration with Word and Outlook
• Grammarly Keyboard (iOS/Android): AI writing on mobile

Editor Integrations

• Google Docs (via extension)
• Microsoft Word (native add-in)
• Gmail, LinkedIn, Twitter, Slack, and most web apps

Core Grammar and Style

Real-Time Corrections

As you type, Grammarly underlines issues:

• Red underline: Grammar and spelling errors
• Blue underline: Clarity improvements
• Green underline: Engagement and delivery suggestions
• Purple underline: Word choice and vocabulary

Click any underline to see the suggestion and apply with one click.

Correction Categories

Correctness: Grammar, spelling, punctuation

• Subject-verb agreement
• Comma splices and run-on sentences
• Misused words (affect vs. effect)
• Incorrect tense usage

Clarity: Readability and conciseness

• Wordy sentences that can be shortened
• Passive voice that should be active
• Complex sentences that need simplifying
• Unclear pronoun references

Engagement: Reader interest

• Bland word choices with better alternatives
• Overused phrases
• Sentence variety suggestions
• Compelling language recommendations

Delivery: Tone and formality

• Formal vs. informal language
• Confident vs. uncertain phrasing
• Friendly vs. distant tone
• Respectful vs. direct language

Tone Detection

Grammarly analyzes the emotional tone of your writing in real time.

How It Works

1. Write your text
2. Click the tone icon (smiley face) at the bottom
3. Grammarly shows detected tones: “Confident, Formal, Direct”
4. If the tone doesn’t match your intent, use GrammarlyGO to adjust

Tone Categories

• Friendly vs. Formal
• Confident vs. Tentative
• Optimistic vs. Concerned
• Direct vs. Diplomatic
• Appreciative vs. Critical

Practical Use

• Before sending an important email, check the tone
• Adjust client communications to be more professional
• Ensure team messages are friendly but clear
• Match your tone to the platform (LinkedIn vs. Slack)

GrammarlyGO: Generative AI

GrammarlyGO is Grammarly’s AI assistant for generating, rewriting, and transforming text.

Accessing GrammarlyGO

Look for the diamond icon (💎) that appears:

• At the start of any text field
• When you select text
• In the Grammarly sidebar

Generate New Text

Click the diamond icon and type a prompt:

• “Write a professional email declining a meeting request”
• “Draft a LinkedIn post about our product launch”
• “Create a project update for my team”
• “Write a customer response about the delayed shipment”

Rewrite Existing Text

Select text and click the diamond icon:

• Improve it: General enhancement
• Make it shorter: Condense without losing meaning
• Make it longer: Expand with more detail
• Change tone: Specify the desired tone
• Simplify: Use simpler language
• Paraphrase: Say the same thing differently

Custom Prompts

Type any instruction in the GrammarlyGO field:

• “Rewrite this to be more persuasive”
• “Add specific data points to support the argument”
• “Make this sound more empathetic”
• “Convert these bullet points into a flowing paragraph”
• “Rewrite for a C-suite audience”

Voice and Profile Settings

Personal Profile

Set your writing context for better suggestions:

1. Go to Account → Customize
2. Set your preferences:

• Audience: General, knowledgeable, expert
• Formality: Informal, neutral, formal
• Domain: Academic, business, general, technical, casual, creative
• Tone: Neutral, confident, joyful, optimistic, respectful, urgent, friendly
• Intent: Inform, describe, convince, tell a story

Brand Tones (Business Plan)

Create custom brand tones for team-wide consistency:

1. Go to Brand Tones in admin settings
2. Upload sample content that represents your brand
3. Define tone attributes (e.g., “professional but warm, never salesy”)
4. Team members can select the brand tone when writing
5. All suggestions align with the brand voice

Style Guide (Business Plan)

Enforce team-wide writing rules:

• Company-specific terminology preferences
• Words to use or avoid
• Formatting standards
• Acronym definitions
• Name and brand spelling rules

Advanced Features

Full-Text Analysis

Click the Performance tab in the Grammarly sidebar to see:

• Overall writing score (0-100)
• Word count and reading time
• Readability level (Flesch-Kincaid grade)
• Vocabulary diversity
• Sentence length distribution
• Tone analysis summary

Plagiarism Checker (Premium)

Check originality of your content:

1. Click the plagiarism icon in the sidebar
2. Grammarly scans against billions of web pages
3. Flagged passages show the source
4. Use GrammarlyGO to rewrite flagged sections

Citations

Grammarly helps format citations:

• Detects when claims need sources
• Suggests citation formats (APA, MLA, Chicago)
• Checks for properly formatted references

Platform-Specific Tips

Email (Gmail/Outlook)

• Check tone before sending important emails
• Use “Make it shorter” for long emails
• Generate subject line alternatives
• Ensure professional formality

Slack/Teams Messages

• Quick tone check for sensitive messages
• Simplify complex explanations
• Ensure clarity in asynchronous communication

Google Docs/Word

• Full document analysis and scoring
• Section-by-section improvement suggestions
• Readability optimization for target audience
• Consistency checks across long documents

Social Media

• Character count optimization for Twitter/X
• Engagement-focused suggestions
• Hashtag and CTA recommendations
• Platform-appropriate tone matching

Academic Writing

• Citation and source checking
• Formal academic tone enforcement
• Passive voice management
• Vocabulary level appropriate for the field

Tips for Best Results

1. Set your profile accurately: Audience and formality settings dramatically improve suggestion quality
2. Don’t accept every suggestion: Use your judgment — Grammarly sometimes oversimplifies
3. Use GrammarlyGO for first drafts: Generate the initial version, then refine with standard suggestions
4. Check tone before sending: A 2-second tone check can prevent miscommunication
5. Build a personal dictionary: Add industry terms and names Grammarly doesn’t recognize
6. Review the score, not just individual suggestions: The overall score shows how your writing compares
7. Use the desktop app for system-wide coverage: Catches errors even in apps without browser extension support

Grammarly vs Competitors

Feature	Grammarly	ProWritingAid	LanguageTool	Hemingway
Grammar/Spelling	Excellent	Excellent	Good	Basic
AI Writing	GrammarlyGO	Limited	Limited	No
Tone Detection	Yes	No	No	No
Platform Support	Everywhere	Web, Office	Web, Office	Web only
Plagiarism Check	Premium	Yes	No	No
Free Plan	Generous	Limited	Good	Free (web)
Price (Premium)	$12/mo	$10/mo	$5/mo	$10/mo

FAQ

Is Grammarly Free worth it?

Yes. Grammarly Free catches most grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors, plus basic tone detection. It’s a significant improvement over built-in spell checkers. Premium adds advanced suggestions, GrammarlyGO, plagiarism checking, and full rewrites for $12/month.

Does Grammarly work offline?

Basic spelling and grammar checking works offline with the desktop app. Advanced AI features including GrammarlyGO, tone detection, and plagiarism checking require an internet connection.

Is my data private?

Grammarly encrypts data in transit and at rest. The Business plan includes additional enterprise security features and compliance certifications. Grammarly does not sell user data. Text is processed to provide suggestions and is not used to train models for free-tier users. Check their privacy policy for full details.

Can Grammarly replace a human editor?

Grammarly handles mechanical errors (grammar, spelling, punctuation) excellently and provides useful stylistic suggestions. However, it cannot replace human judgment for content quality, argumentation, factual accuracy, or nuanced creative writing decisions. Use it as a powerful first-pass editor, with human review for important content.

Does Grammarly support languages other than English?

Grammarly primarily supports English in multiple dialects (American, British, Canadian, Australian). GrammarlyGO can generate text in several languages, but grammar checking is English-only. For other languages, consider LanguageTool.

Conclusion

Grammarly has transformed from a grammar checker into a comprehensive AI writing platform. The combination of real-time corrections, tone detection, and GrammarlyGO’s generative capabilities means better writing across every platform with minimal effort.

Install the browser extension to start getting value immediately. Set up your writing profile for personalized suggestions, and experiment with GrammarlyGO for drafting and rewriting. For teams, the Business plan’s brand tones and style guides ensure everyone writes with a consistent voice.