Use exclusion dictionaries to specify a preferred spelling for a word

The following are a few situations where it is useful to be able to force the spelling checker to flag a word as misspelled, even though it is listed in the main dictionary as a correctly spelled word.

• Obscene or otherwise embarrassing words While working on a Microsoft Office PowerPoint presentation, you accidentally type pubic instead of public.
• Style guidelines that you or your department wants to follow For example, theater is a correctly spelled word, but the style guidelines of your department require the word to be spelled theatre.

How the exclusion dictionary affects the spelling checker

After you add a word to the exclusion dictionary, whenever you check the spelling on a file, the spelling checker:

• Flags the word whenever you check spelling
• Does not suggest the word as a correction to a flagged word.

Find and modify the exclusion dictionary for a language

1. Check the spelling on a file that contains text in the language for which you want to modify the exclusion dictionary. For example, if you want to modify the exclusion dictionary in English, make sure the file contains some text tagged in English.

   Find links to more information about how text is tagged for a language in the See Also section.

2. In Microsoft Windows Explorer, go to the location where custom dictionaries are stored. The location is usually one of the following:
   • Microsoft Windows Vista

     C:\Users\user name\AppData\Microsoft\UProof

   • Microsoft Windows Server 2003 or Microsoft Windows XP

     C:\Documents and Settings\user name\Application Data\Microsoft\UProof

     I don't see the folder. How do I make it visible?

     1. In Windows, click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.
     2. Under Pick a Category, double-click Performance and Maintenance.

        Note If you are using Classic View in Control Panel, skip to the next step.

     3. Under See Also, click File Types.

        Note If you are using Classic View in Control Panel, double-click Folder Options.

     4. Click the View tab.
     5. Under Advanced settings, under Files and Folders, under Hidden files and folders, click Show hidden files and folders.
3. Locate the exclusion dictionary for the language whose settings you want to change. The name of the file you need to open is ExcludeDictionaryLanguage CodeLanguage LCID.lex. For example the name of the English exclusion dictionary is ExcludeDictionaryEN0409.lex.

   Find links to more information about locale identification numbers (LCID) code of the language you are using in the See Also section.

4. Edit the file using the text editor of your choice (such as Notepad or WordPad).
5. Add each word that you want the spelling checker to flag as misspelled to the file. Be sure to type the words in all lowercase letters, and then press ENTER after each word.
6. Save and close the file.

See also:

• Check spelling and grammar
• Choose how spelling and grammar checking work
• Locale identification numbers for language-specific files