Using a grammar checker does not by itself mean your essay was generated by AI. Check what the feature did: did it flag a mistake, rewrite a sentence or create new text? Whether that help was allowed, and whether you must declare it, depends on the rules for your assignment.
The tool's name is not enough. One writing app can check spelling, rewrite paragraphs and generate text. Review the features you actually used.
Separate corrections from rewrites and new text
These fictional examples show different types of help. They do not describe a particular product or give permission to use a feature.
| Action | What changed | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Accepting a spelling correction | A misspelled word was fixed | Whether proofreading is allowed and must be declared |
| Accepting a sentence rewrite | Wording or structure was replaced | Whether rewriting is allowed and how to describe it |
| Asking for a new paragraph | New prose was supplied | Whether generated text is allowed, and any statement or citation needed |
| Translating a passage | Text was produced in another language | The assignment's rules on translation and help |
Calling a rewrite a "grammar check" does not change what happened. Describe the help accurately.
Read the rules before accepting edits
Check whether the task tests your language skills as well as your argument. The rules may treat small corrections differently from large changes to your wording. If you are unsure, show your teacher an example and ask before using the feature.
The University of Melbourne's guidance on translation and editing tools explains that allowed help can depend on what the assessment is testing. This is one institution's guidance. Follow the rules for your own work.
Check whether a suggestion changes the meaning
Imagine your draft says, "The survey involved twelve students, so its findings may not apply to the whole school." An editing suggestion changes it to, "The survey shows how students across the school behave."
The new sentence drops the limit and makes a broader claim. Rejecting that edit improves accuracy, whatever a detector might say. This is a fictional example, not an actual tool output or detector test.
Before you accept an edit, check whether it changes a fact, a quotation or what a source supports. You are responsible for the meaning of the essay you hand in.
Keep a simple record of the help
Keep the original and edited versions where you can. Note the tool, the feature and why you used it. Do not describe a whole-paragraph rewrite as a spelling correction. Check the rules before saying all the help was allowed.
If you need an AI-use statement, explain what you used and what you kept. The acknowledgement guide includes an example you can adapt. Use your course's required format if it provides one.
A score cannot tell you what was allowed
AI detectors cannot tell which feature you used or what your course rules are. A high score does not prove you broke a rule. A low score does not give permission.
For a broader review, read how to check your essay for AI. Use the text detector as an optional review aid alongside your draft and the assignment rules.