WD6X: Grammar Check Replaces Smart Quotes with Straight Quotes

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a
• Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, version 6.0

SYMPTOMS

The grammar checker replaces curly ("smart") quotation marks with straight quotation marks if you accept a change involving quotation marks.

CAUSE

The grammar checker does not recognize smart quotation marks, so it reads them as straight quotation marks. When the grammar checker proposes a change including quotation marks, it inserts straight quotation marks into the document if the change is accepted.

WORKAROUND

There are no options to prevent the grammar checker from changing smart quotation marks to straight quotation marks. You can work around this problem by using the AutoFormat feature in Word to replace the straight quotation marks with smart quotation marks. After completing the grammar check, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.



2. Click the AutoFormat tab. To ensure that no unwanted styles are applied to the document, click to clear every check box except Straight Quotes with Smart Quotes.



3. Click OK.



4. On the Format menu, click AutoFormat. Click OK when reminded that Word will automatically format your document.



5. Once the AutoFormatter has run, choose Accept or choose Review Changes if you want to be certain that Word has not changed other formatting in the document.



6. Restore the options in the AutoFormat options dialog box (click Options from the Tools menu, and select the AutoFormat tab). All options are selected by default.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This problem has been corrected in Microsoft Word version 6.0c for Windows and Microsoft Word version 6.0.1 for the Macintosh.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Word User's Guide," Chapter 9, "Automatic Formatting and Styles," "Formatting Text Automatically" section

Additional query words: typesetter's typesetters double opening closing punctuation smart quote

Keywords : winword macword word6 kbformat
Version : MACINTOSH:6.0; WINDOWS:6.0,6.0a
Platform : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type : kbbug