This browser is no longer supported.
Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(128, 8%, 22%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EA%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
I have been using Word for more years than I can remember. I am currently using Microsoft 365 and 2 days ago, Word started flagging every one of my contractions. Instead of 'isn't', Word wants me to use 'is not'. It is like this for everyone I've been using. I know I can ignore it, but it is annoying. I am also annoyed with the fact that when I use 2 spaces after a period it gets flagged. I started typing in the 1950's when we had to use 2 spaces and it is a very hard habit to break. Why were these changes made and how can I do something to eliminate them. I want spelling and grammar checking as it was.
A family of Microsoft word processing software products for creating web, email, and print documents.
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
Answer accepted by question author
You can change these settings at File | Options | Proofing. Under "When correcting spelling and grammar in Word," click Settings..., choose Grammar and Refinements and check/clear the settings as you prefer.
Answer accepted by question author
Word has been tweaking its grammar checker regularly since the introduction of Word 2016. What you are experiencing is a part of that. It is annoying. The alert for the wrong number of spaces just changed, as well.
Suzanne has shown you how to change the grammar settings. The one for one or two spaces is there, too. It is not a checkbox but a drop-down.
The change to one space came with the introduction of proportionally-spaced fonts. Both Suzanne and I learned to type on typewriters. For me it was on a manual typewriter. Those had mono-spaced type. The appropriate space is built into the font. If you are typing using Courier font, by all means keep using two spaces. Here is the Chicago Manual of Style on the subject: https://cmosshoptalk.com/2020/03/24/one-space-or-two/