Software-assisted writing

Grader A: partial

Spelling and grammar checking was universal in word processors, and Word had style options. But dedicated style-improvement and automatic-editing software was not widely used in 2009; Grammarly was founded in 2009 and such tools spread in the 2010s.

Test: Dedicated style or editing software users: under 20% of writers in 2009; built-in checks near 100% of Word users but these are basic checks, not style improvement.

• Grammar checker (Wikipedia) (2026-09-28): Style checkers existed since the 1970s-1980s (Writer's Workbench, Grammatik); integrated browser tools like Grammarly came later.

Grader B: partial

Style and grammar checking was built into Microsoft Word and so was available to most writers in 2009. It was basic, and experts judged its advice unreliable. Software that improves style in a way writers widely rely on (Grammarly and similar tools) spread in the mid-2010s. Availability was near universal, but real use for style improvement was limited.

Test: Test: 20% of writers routinely use style-improvement software. Word's style and grammar options were present for nearly all users, but quality was contested. Dedicated style tools reached the mainstream after 2014.

• Grammar checker (Wikipedia) (accessed 2026-09): Grammatik (1981) was the first commercial diction and style checker; integrated into Word from 1992; quality criticized in 2007; Grammarly and others widespread by 2019.