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Drivel Defense [message #58996]

Wed, 07 October 2009 14:18

Macky

Really getting into it

Location: USA
Registered: November 2008
Messages: 973

The Wall Street Journal had a story about Chrissie Maher yesterday. She runs a group called "The Plain English Campaign". The story highlights her sending an edited copy of a bank brochure back to the bank to be made more understandable.

I went to the website. It's a beautiful thing that Nigel could likely spend days reading. Anyway, there is a place on the site to download a "Drivel Defense" program. I thought 'Might this be a useful editing tool for story writers?'. I downloaded it and ran one of my stories through it and it did give some interesting suggestions.

The program requires a download and java. It runs in your browser. You paste your text in a box and it generates a list in the browser that points out things like overly long sentences and alternative words. The sentences in your input are listed in order with word count at the beginning. Some of the suggestions for alternative words are just drivel, but there are a lot of good suggestions too. What I really like is where it points out long sentences.

You can download the program for free here;

http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/drivel_defence.html

Here's the output for this post.

Summary

* Total sentences with 20 or more words= 2.
* Longest sentence has 26 words.
* Total potential alternative words= 6.
* Total words=184.
* Total sentences=14.

[Average sentence length = 13.14 words].
Details

[11] The Wall Street Journal had a story about Chrissie Maher yesterday.
[9] She runs a group called "The Plain English Campaign".
[21] The story highlights her sending an edited copy of a bank brochure back to the bank to be made more understandable.
[5] I went to the website.
[11] It's a beautiful thing that Nigel could likely spend days reading.
[14] Anyway, there is a place on the site to download a "Drivel Defense" program.

* Potential alternative : place → put

[12] I thought 'Might this be a useful editing tool for story writers?'.
[18] I downloaded it and ran one of my stories through it and it did give some interesting suggestions.
[7] The program requires a download and java.

* Potential alternative : require → need, want, force

[5] It runs in your browser.
******* ↓ Your Longest Sentence ↓ *******
[26] You paste your text in a box and it generates a list in the browser that points out things like overly long sentences and alternative words.

* Potential alternative : alternative → choice, other
* Potential alternative : generate → produce, give, make

[15] The sentences in your input are listed in order with word count at the beginning.
[19] Some of the suggestions for alternative words are just drivel, but there are a lot of good suggestions too.

* Potential alternative : alternative → choice, other

[11] What I really like is where it points out long sentences.

* Potential alternative : really → (edit out?)

End of report.

[Updated on: Wed, 07 October 2009 14:22]

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together in unity!
Ps 133:1 NASB

Re: Drivel Defense [message #58998 is a reply to message #58996]

Wed, 07 October 2009 20:41

Nigel

On fire!

Location: England
Registered: November 2003
Messages: 1756

The program won't run for me because of difficulties with javascript.

Hugs
N

I dream of boys with big bulges in their trousers,
Never of girls with big bulges in their blouses.

…and look forward to meeting you in Cóito.

Re: Drivel Defense [message #58999 is a reply to message #58996]

Wed, 07 October 2009 20:57

timmy

Has no life at all

Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13796

Well, it's interesting. Like all such tools it uses a dictionary, but it doesn't seem to use context well.

I'd say it was broadly useless for stories, and has some virtues for things like Terms and Conditions. However, many of the suggestions it makes are poor.

As you can see, this post is below:

[3] Well, it's interesting.
[16] Like all such tools it uses a dictionary, but it doesn't seem to use context well.

* Potential alternative : such → the, this, that

******* ↓ Your Longest Sentence ↓ *******
[18] I'd say it was broadly useless for stories, and has some virtues for things like Terms and Conditions.

* Potential alternative : condition → rule

[9] However, many of the suggestions it makes are poor.

End of report.

Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School

Re: Drivel Defense [message #59004 is a reply to message #58999]

Wed, 07 October 2009 22:50

Macky

Really getting into it

Location: USA
Registered: November 2008
Messages: 973

True, I'm sure it's aimed at a more technical type of writing. I do like the word count feature on this though. That helps spot long run-on sentences. It's a simple tool but helpful.

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together in unity!
Ps 133:1 NASB

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