Found in translation: Microsoft tool talks pretty

Found in translation: Microsoft tool talks pretty | CNET News.com
By David Becker , Staff Writer, CNET News.com

EWW is meant to assist people who know a fair number of English words but need help mastering the often arcane and seemingly contradictory patterns that govern how they're put together.

"It's a tool to help users select the correct words according to the context," Zhou said. "If you say 'book,' you need to know how to use it. Is it being used as a noun or a verb? Non-English users find it very difficult to use words like that correctly."

EWW works by analyzing English words in relation to each other. The software looks at the words surrounding "book," for example, to gather clues on whether the word is meant as a noun or verb. It then suggests alternative phrasing based on the analysis.

Zhou said one advantage of the software is that it helps users achieve a more natural and pleasing writing style by suggesting new English usages.