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Typely is more than just a proofreading tool. It's a complete writing environment.

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Typely is precise. Existing tools for proofreading raise so many false alarms that their advice cannot be trusted. Instead, the writer must carefully consider whether to accept or reject each change.

We aim for a tool so precise that it becomes possible to unquestioningly adopt its recommendations and still come out ahead — with stronger, tighter prose. Better to be quiet and authoritative than loud and unreliable.

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Writing presumes more than simply laying out words on a paper. Typely helps you get in the mood and keeps you focused, immersed and ready to write your story.

Whether you need a distraction-free environment, some chill relaxing sounds or a pomodoro timer to manage your time we got you covered.

Got questions? We have answers.

No. Typely is completely free and we plan on keeping it that way. We are considering some advanced features however that might be available under a premium plan.

The only limit we have applied thus far is on the number of characters you can submit and that is being set at a maximum of 50,000.

In theory yes but that will require a lot of work and professionals dedicated for this job. We are considering a way of letting the community participate somehow.

Typely does not do grammar checking because it's hard and almost impossible to get right. The aim for Typely is to be precise and reliable.

Slick Write

Check your grammar in seconds.

Slick Write is a powerful, free application that makes it easy to check your writing for grammar errors, potential stylistic mistakes, and other features of interest. Whether you're a blogger, novelist, SEO professional, or student writing an essay for school, Slick Write can help take your writing to the next level. Curious? See why Slick Write is the best. Try the interactive demo , or check your own document . No software download or installation is required.

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English is a difficult language, so using correct grammar and diverse vocabulary will set you apart from the crowd. Using good sentence structure and wording improves your content's impact and readability while building your readers' trust. Slick Write goes beyond spell checking to teach you the habits of effective writers. How does your writing rate?

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Bust your writer's block, and create new metaphors by playing the word association game . To begin, type a word or phrase in the box below, and hit enter. To quickly find associations for your own text, highlight a word or phrase in it, and use the toolbox popup.

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• Submission Limit There is a limit of 200,000 characters, which is approximately 30,000 words. Anything longer should be submitted in smaller chunks, or it will be automatically trimmed.
• No document It looks like you forgot to enter your document. Paste it in and try again.
• Structure This tab shows sentence structure within the context of the document. Hover over a sentence to see its word count. Select a word or phrase, or click a sentence to get more information.
• Quotes This tab shows your quotations highlighted as Slick Write sees them.

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• Sentence type flow Pieces with good flow will make use of all four sentence types, varying them to keep the reader interested.
• Sentence length flow Sentence length is indirectly related to sentence type, and is a good indicator of flow. Flow can be altered by adding, removing, lengthening, shortening, combining, or splitting sentences. Long sentences will be indicated by a red line on the graph. Sentences that flow poorly with their surroundings will be orange, and the source of the problem can often be found in a nearby sentence.
• Word length flow Word length is a minor contributor to overall flow, but even minor variations are signs of good rhythm.
• Passive Voice Index This is a measure of how frequently the passive voice is used. Consider revising your document if it scores over 100.
• Prepositional Phrase Index This is a measure of how frequently prepositional phrases are used. Consider revising your document if it scores over 100.
• Average sentence length Sentence length is a major contributor to the level of education required to read a body of text.
• Sentence length standard deviation This is a measure of the amount of variation in the length of a text's sentences. In texts that have broad appeal, this tends to fall between 50 and 90% of the average sentence length. You can increase this number by making long sentences longer, and short ones shorter.
• Sentence deviation to length ratio This is a measure of the sentence variety, and a major contributor to flow. Most novels score between 0.5 and 0.9, and popular ones often score near the high end of the range. You can increase this number by making long sentences longer, and short ones shorter.
• Just the stats preset Use this preset when you're only interested in the stats tab. Critique and Flow will be hidden.
• Honesty preset This preset checks for common indicators of deception, either by lying or omission, and is based on the findings of this study . Areas with high concentrations of these indicators should be viewed with skepticism. Note that the presence or absence of these indicators does not guarantee that a statement is true or false, and that the study was done on spoken communications, so it might be more applicable to interviews and speeches. As always, use your brain.
• Doubled words A word used twice in a row may be a typo.
• Commonly confused words This will check for the internet's most frequently confused words and notify you if it looks like you misused one. It is experimental and probably the least reliable feature. Consult a dictionary when necessary.
• Sentences starting with the same word A word should not be used to start more than one sentence in a single paragraph.
• Misplaced conjunctions It is considered poor style to place coordinating conjunctions at either end of a sentence. Placing a subordinating conjunction at the end of a sentence is against the rules.

It is said that one day, passive voice will bring weakness to your prose.

More information » Even more information »

• Overwriting Words like "very" and "really" make sentences wordier and weaken your message. These can be deleted in almost all cases without affecting the meaning of the sentence.
• Abstract words Abstract words lack specificity and overusing them can make even simple concepts difficult to understand. There are times when abstract words are desirable or even necessary; it would be difficult to write about math or programming without mentioning variables or functions, but you should use more specific terms whenever possible.
• Wordy and redundant phrases These phrases make your writing more difficult to understand. In most cases, they can be replaced with one or two words, or even deleted.
• Legalese These antiquated, arcane words and phrases will make your writing look like a contract.
• Double negatives Double negatives are almost always poor style.
• Adverbs They aren't bad in small quantities, but consider revising your document if more than 5.5% of its words are adverbs. Adverbs ending in "-ly" are considered the worst offenders.
• Adjectives They aren't bad in small quantities. A few of the words on this list can also function as other parts of speech. You have been warned.
• Contractions In formal writing, the use of contractions is considered a fault.

The boxer decked his opponent.

• Profanity Profanity should not be used in formal writing outside of direct quotations.

The critic's scathing review hit the nail on the head .

• Similes Similes and metaphors should be used sparingly. This option will detect most common types of similes.
• "Said" replacements Some people think that these substitutes for "said" are weak or obnoxious, especially if overused.

Her dress was long , and it touched the floor.

Her long dress touched the floor.

• Gender-specific pronouns Avoid using gender-specific pronouns in formal writing when the subject's gender is unknown.
• Weasel words Like abstract words, weasel words and phrases lack specificity. At best, they convey uncertainty. At worst, they can be used to "weasel out" of telling the truth in a straightforward manner. When checking a document that is speculative by nature, you might want to disable this detector.
• Third person pronouns According to this study , high concentrations of third person pronouns may indicate deception.
• Bias language These words and phrases often show the author's bias.
• Uncommon words Uncommon words will increase the document's reading difficulty.

Hot peppers burn my mouth, but I eat them anyway .

Since burritos taste good , I like to eat them.

• Sentence fragments A sentence must have at least one noun and one verb. Anything that does not is a fragment, and if it occurs outside of dialog, it should probably be rewritten.
• Long sentences Long sentences tend to be more difficult to read, making them good candidates for trimming or splitting. Alternatively, parallelism may be used to improve their readability, though this will not decrease the ARI score.
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Personalized Writing Help When You Need it

Unintentional plagiarism, grammar mistakes, and uncited sources  can turn what you thought was a good paper into a poor one. When you’re writing a paper the last thing you want is for your message to get lost due to incorrect punctuation or confusing sentence structure. You know that the great ideas in your head would make for a standout paper, if only you could get them written clearly on the page. If this struggle sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

Great ideas may be an essential part of high-quality writing, but they’re not the only component. Excellent papers and essays clearly express strong ideas with good grammar, proper punctuation, spot-on spelling, and thorough, careful citations. While this may sound like a lot, your teachers and professors are grading you on your skills as both a writer and a researcher, which means your assignments will require an ethical and attentive approach. Luckily, there is no shortage of available tools to help you along your way.

You could use a plagiarism checker free, though, these tools often lack grammatical support. Given the high stakes and rigorous requirements, the aid of a plagiarism checker without the needed support of a grammar checker could mean the difference between an “A” paper and a “C” or even “D” paper.

Thankfully, the EasyBib Plus plagiarism tool provides all-in-one support to cover all your bases. Our premium essay checker is convenient, easy to use, and includes access to a grammar and spell checker, plus a plagiarism checker. With a single scan, you’ll receive personalized feedback to help identify potentially missing citations and help improve your sentence structure, punctuation, grammar, and more.

Not sure if that noun is spelled correctly, or if the preposition at the end of your sentence is grammatically correct? The EasyBib Plus plagiarism tool is your one-stop shop to help check plagiarism, get grammatical suggestions, correct spelling and punctuation errors, and help create polished papers you can be proud to turn in. And, we haven’t told you the best part yet: you can try our tool free and scan your work for grammar suggestions right now!

Access all the tools today!

A Grammar Check for Peace of Mind

You know that grammar plays a significant role in your assignments. Not only does it factor into your overall grade, but without clear and precise language, your ideas can lose their impact or might even be misunderstood entirely. Still, with so many different parts of speech and rules to learn and apply, it’s not uncommon to get them mixed up and find yourself questioning your knowledge now and again:

Can you use an adverb to modify a noun? (No. You need an adjective for that.)

Well, can you use it to modify a pronoun ? (Still no.)

What do they modify, then? (Almost everything else. Fun, right?)

Ugh. (That was an interjection .)

Does this have to be so difficult? (Nope!)

Scanning your paper with the EasyBib Plus writing tool delivers more than the basic punctuation and spell check functions that come standard in word processing programs. You’ll receive immediate, targeted feedback that can help improve the sentence structure and style of your writing. Not only can this help ensure that you don’t lose points off your grade for grammatical errors such as mismatched verb tense, but it can also help to clarify your meaning and strengthen your arguments by eliminating confusing punctuation and run-on sentences that confuse readers.

Reviewing your work to correct errors and refine the flow of your writing is a critical part of the revision process for novices and novelists alike. Even the most conscientious of wordsmiths might make mistakes, such as using a conjunctive adverb in place of a coordinating conjunction or pairing a plural determiner with an uncountable word. They likely appreciate a subscription-based or free grammar check as much as a beginning writer. That’s why the EasyBib Plus writing tool is designed for all writers, from students who are still learning the fundamentals to published professionals who get paid by the word.

The EasyBib Plus writing tool provides quick, targeted feedback that you can use to help improve your writing immediately. Also, our free resource library is available 24/7, just like the rest of our tools, to help you brush up on the areas that challenge you the most (Conjunctive what? Uncountable who?) That means you can continue to sharpen your skills and improve your writing over time, which will help make finishing your next project easier.

Ready to give your paper a boost? Sign up for EasyBib Plus or scan a paper right now for a free spell check—it’s easy!Just upload or copy and paste your paper to the online grammar check tool and, in a matter of seconds, you’ll be able to receive up to 5 feedback cards so you can begin polishing your draft.

To learn more about proofreading tools, you can find more info here. Or, for more tips on grammar, punctuation, and style, check out this useful reference .

Why is Grammar So Important, Anyway?

Why is grammar important? As long as others know what you mean, does it really matter if you use proper grammar? These are age-old questions, but the answers remain unchanged. Grammar is important for many reasons:

Communication:  Communication is about more than merely listening and talking. We communicate in myriad ways: with our voices, our mannerisms, our facial expressions, our actions, and frequently, our written words. Written communication is just as important as all the other ways we broadcast our thoughts and feelings. Unlike our other communication methods, though, written communication leaves a record. While most of us relax our style when talking to or texting friends, the fact remains that more formal venues require a more formal tone. Proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation are a necessary element of professional and academic writing, so running your work through a spelling and grammar check before you submit it is an absolute must.

Clarity:  Expressing your thoughts, ideas, and opinions is an uphill battle when you communicate them with less-than-stellar punctuation, spelling, and grammar. A missing or misplaced comma, for example, can entirely change your meaning:

• Call me Ishmael = My name is Ishmael.
• Call me, Ishmael = I want Ishmael to call me.

Spelling errors can result in similarly muddled meaning:

• Her shoes perfectly complemented her dress. = Her shoes and dress go well together.
• Her shoes perfectly complimented her dress. = Her shoes can both speak and engage in flattery.

Grammar deficiencies such as a dangling modifier yield similarly confusing results:

• I saw the girl’s purple backpack in the library. = The purple backpack belonging to the girl is in the library; I saw it.
• I saw the purple girl’s backpack in the library. = You know the girl who mysteriously turned purple? I saw her backpack in the library. This week has not been easy on her.

Credibility: Establishing your credibility is critical whether you’re writing for school or business. Proving that you can reliably communicate using proper grammar is essential to establishing and maintaining the trust of your teachers, professors, readers, customers, and colleagues.

To learn even more about the importance of English grammar in writing, check here .

What Happens After I Upload My Paper?

Once you upload a paper, the EasyBib Plus grammar checker scans your text and highlights grammar issues within your document so you can see it in context. For users running a grammar check and spell check using the grammar check free tool, up to the first 5 issues are shown. For subscription subscribers, all of the areas that require your review will be highlighted once the scan is complete.

No matter which version of the tool you’re using, your feedback will include detailed explanations so you can understand why the text was flagged. Other highlighted areas will include examples of how the issues can be fixed. Some will include a detailed explanation as to why the issue was flagged. This personalized feedback allows you to make an educated decision about whether to edit your text or dismiss the suggestion, so you’re always in control of your final draft.

Subscription users also have the plagiarism checker at their disposal when scanning their papers for style and grammar suggestions. Just as with our other writing tools, when you use the tool to check plagiarism, changes are never made without your review, so you are always in the driver’s seat. You can review each highlighted area as well as the sources of matching text and will always be given a choice to either accept or ignore both citation and grammar suggestions.

Whether you are a student or a professional, the EasyBib Plus tools are powerful allies that can help you improve your paper, establish credibility as a writer, and maintain an ethical writing process.

Try our checker free for 3 days to see what you think*. Trust us; you’ll wonder how you got along so far without it!

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Check for Unintentional Plagiarism

Persistent use of the best grammar checker and spell checker you can find will help to shape up the style and substance of your composition. However, to ensure the integrity of your work and root out unintentional instances of academic dishonesty, you’ll also need to incorporate a subscription-based or free plagiarism checker for students.

The ability to scan your paper and check plagiarism and grammar before submitting your work is an invaluable tool for students. It’s so valuable, in fact, that students are not the only ones who consistently use this type of software.

Many teachers and professors use a service to ensure that student papers are original and include properly formatted and sourced citations for all reference materials. For some, this may be a consistent element of their grading process, while others may utilize one only when they feel there is a reason to do so.

What Exactly Does a Plagiarism Checker Do?

If you’ve used an online plagiarism checker before, you may be familiar with the process that these tools employ. For those who have never used one, it can be helpful to understand how these tools work and what you should expect as a result of using one.

The most basic free tools will scan your paper and provide you with a percentage that indicates how much of your work is original. This feature can be useful to a point, as some instructors and institutions set a percentage for the amount of similar text that is considered acceptable. This policy does not mean that they are lenient about academic dishonesty but, instead, that they recognize that similar or even matching word choice is not always an indicator of copying.

However, some schools do not tolerate any form of incremental plagiarism, period. In these institutions, “check paper for plagiarism” is likely a standard action when grading all papers.

With a free plagiarism checker, the percentage of word-for-word plagiarism in your text may be the only feedback you receive. Moreover, some of these providers may wade in unethical waters, and offer essay writing services in conjunction with their checking services. This is why many students and teachers prefer subscription-based checkers that focus on integrity, such as the EasyBib writing tools.

With our premium tools, you get more than just supporting proof that your paper is original and in your own words. Your writing is scanned for potentially matching text and areas that needs your attention is highlighted. We’ll provide you with the source of the matching text so you can review it and decide how to proceed. If you agree that a citation is needed, our citation tools and resources will provide you with the information you need to help format and insert the new sources in your text as well as your works cited page.

How Does the EasyBib Plus Online Plagiarism Checker Work?

The EasyBib Plus writing tool provides an all-in-one spell check, grammar review, and plagiarism checker that not only helps you with the paper you’re writing now but enables you to gain new knowledge and improve your writing for the future, too.

Our essay checker searches online for phrases, sentences, or passages that are similar to those in your paper. If it returns matching text, this may indicate that you have passages that are missing citations.

Just as with many checkers, our tool will tell you how many instances of matching text it finds in your paper. Our plagiarism tool is designed to do more than most free tools, however.

When a portion of your paper is flagged for review, we provide you with the source that it matches. As with our online spell check tool, you have the power to review each area and choose how to proceed. If you decide to cite the flagged text, you can review the suggested source and access our citation tools to help create a proper citation and start building a bibliography for your paper. Or, you may determine that no citation is needed, in which case it’s simple to dismiss the suggestion and continue to the next section.

If you’re unsure about how to proceed, our library of resources can help you learn more and make an educated decision. In this way, you gain more than just the ability to correct your work; over time, you can learn how to avoid plagiarism altogether.

Reasons Your Teacher May Run Your Paper Through a Plagiarism Detector

As stated previously, your teachers and professors grade papers with a fixed process that includes “check paper for plagiarism” as a standard, across-the-board action. Others may check for plagiarism only when they feel there is cause to do so. There are a few red flags that may stand out to them while reviewing a paper that would lead to their running a plagiarism check, including:

Style/Voice:  Most teachers are familiar with the style and voice that you use in your writing. While most will hope that the feedback they provide when grading your work will help you to improve problem areas over time, a paper or essay that has a dramatically different style or voice than the work you’ve previously submitted can be a red flag.

Inconsistency:  Changes in the font, font size, formality, formatting, and more may indicate that portions of a paper have been copied and pasted. If these inconsistent passages are not presented as quotations or don’t include citations, this may further indicate to your teacher that there’s plagiarism in the paper.

Old References:  Part of a well-researched paper is verifying the legitimacy and relevance of your sources. While some older references may be acceptable depending on the topic, if all of your sources are outdated, it may lead your teacher to believe that you’ve recycled your own work or someone else’s.

Looking for a checker to try? With EasyBib Plus you get unlimited checks to give you peace of mind when turning in your papers!

What is Plagiarism?

If you’re looking for a free online plagiarism checker , you’re already aware that it’s not something you want to be found in your papers. However, you may still be wondering: what does plagiarism mean? It’s a reasonable question and one that merits exploring. After all, some of the actions and circumstances that fall within the plagiarism definition come as a surprise to those who only learn that they’ve committed them after it’s too late.

So what is plagiarism? To define plagiarism in the most basic sense, you might say that it is taking someone else’s ideas and words and passing them off as your own.

If your goal is avoiding plagiarism entirely, you’ll need to go beyond the basics to thoroughly define plagiarism, recognize it, and keep clear of it. Some examples of plagiarism that students find surprising include forgotten citations, poor paraphrasing, and re-submitting your own work in whole or in part for more than one assignment. This useful article provides more help in recognizing and understanding the different forms that academic dishonesty can take.

Of course, using your own words and ideas does not count as plagiarism, nor does using common knowledge . Basically, common knowledge is information that is well known by the average person. Examples of common knowledge:

• there are 12 months in a year
• the freezing point of Celsius is zero degrees
• Socrates was a Greek philosopher

So should you only include your original thoughts and common knowledge in your papers? Of course not! Research-based assignments are meant to demonstrate your skills as a researcher, after all, as well as your ability to build upon the work of others to formulate new ideas. To avoid accidentally committing an act that falls within the plagiarism definition when you’re using another person’s words or ideas, though, you need to give them proper credit. This means you’ll need to clearly identify direct quotations or properly paraphrase them when including them in your paper.

Regardless of your approach, you’ll also need to cite your sources according to the style your professor specifies. Generally, you will use MLA format for the arts and humanities and APA format for the sciences, but it’s always best to check with your instructor when you’re unsure.

If you know what style to use but still aren’t sure how to create your citations, don’t fret! Our library of resources includes free guides to help you learn about various styles so you can properly structure and place them. And our premium tools not only help you check grammar, spelling, and originality in your papers, but subscribers also enjoy access to our citation creation tools!

What are the Different Types of Plagiarism?

In addition to the question “what is plagiarism,” you may also be wondering, “why do students plagiarize?” While some students do intentionally plagiarize because they believe they can pass off someone else’s work as their own to avoid spending time on their assignments, many others do so accidentally. They may not understand how broad the plagiarism definition is or they haven’t learned how to research and cite their sources properly. That is why it is vital to recognize plagiarism in all of its forms if you wish to ensure the integrity of your work.

Examples of plagiarism & How to prevent it

Direct plagiarism:

Intentionally copying another person’s work without including a citation that gives credit to the source. When most students are asked to identify potential plagiarism examples and behaviors, this direct and deliberate act is what they think of first.

• Prevention: If you use an idea or quote from another source, cite it in the text. Make it clear that it was not your own words. 

Incremental plagiarism:

Copying parts of another person’s work, such as phrases, sentences, or paragraphs without crediting the source. When deciding which tools to use to check a paper for plagiarism , instructors often seek out those that will identify incremental forms as well as instances of direct copying and similar phrasing.

• Prevention : Decide to either directly quote the phrases or sentences you want to use, or write a good paraphrase. In both cases, be sure to add a citation. Using a plagiarism checker could also help you identify problematic passages.

Self-plagiarism:

Academic self-plagiarism occurs when a student submits the same paper or parts of a paper for more than one assignment. When your instructors are grading your papers, they’re assessing your research and writing skills in the present. When you submit work that you completed in the past, they are both unable to evaluate your current skills and unaware that you haven’t completed the assignment.

• Prevention: Write a new paper for each assignment you’re assigned. If you feel strongly that your past work could enhance your new paper, speak to your instructor and ask for permission first.

Misleading citations:

Including a citation for a quote or idea that misrepresents the source material. This can occur if a student does not understand the reference they are citing; if a student includes a citation for a disreputable source; or the source material simply does not align with the idea or argument that the student has attributed to it.

• Prevention: Carefully review your assignment to understand it. As you research, take the time to evaluate each source notes . Remember, it’s better to have quality citations over an abundance of citations.

Invented sources:

If a reference in a student’s bibliography is found not to exist, it is considered an invented source. This may occur if a student couldn’t find a reputable source to back their argument, or if they needed to include additional references to meet the requirements of the assignment and chose to take an unethical shortcut rather than completing the required amount of research. No matter the reason, this behavior ultimately hurts them in the long run. Not only will they fail to gain the experience they need to conduct research in the future properly, but they’ll also experience significant consequences if they’re caught.

• Prevention: Set aside time to do proper research so you can find enough sources. Start creating a list of sources as you’re researching and take good notes. This will help you keep track of your sources so none are forgotten. If you do end up forgetting where a quote came from, a paper checker could help you pinpoint the original source. 

Patchwriting/Spinning:

Patchwriting is often confused with paraphrasing, but there’s a significant difference. When you paraphrase, you demonstrate that you understand the topic well enough to restate it in your own words. When you patchwrite or spin, it is more akin to a word-swapping game; there’s no need to understand the subject, merely to have access to a thesaurus so you can substitute enough synonyms to mask the source material. This can be intentional, but it may also be a result of having a poor understanding of how to paraphrase.

• Prevention: Using your own words, write down the key points of the phrase or idea, and put them together in a sentence. Be sure to include a citation as well. 

A good way to test if you’re patchwriting or paraphrasing is to remove your sources from view. If you can write about what you’ve read without looking at the source material, you likely understand it well enough to paraphrase it. If you have to review the source material with each new sentence or consult a thesaurus while writing about it (except when you’re adding direct quotations), you may be spinning your sources instead of paraphrasing them.

Academic Integrity Policies and Statements

If you’re still uncertain about what counts as plagiarism, look for your school’s/ organization’s policies on academic integrity and plagiarism. The policies of academic institutions usually cover what is considered plagiarism, the consequences of committing it, and how to avoid it. One great example is Purdue University’s Academic Integrity statement .

What are the Consequences of Plagiarism?

No matter the setting, plagiarism is not taken lightly, and the consequences can be significant. For a good reason, too! Whether in an academic or professional setting, the plagiarism consequences reflect the seriousness of the act, which is ultimately a form of theft that hurts everyone involved.

Just as with the theft of a tangible object, there can be legal punishments for plagiarism. It is, after all, a form of copyright infringement in many instances. A quick search for plagiarism articles will reveal that professional instances of intellectual theft have resulted in civil lawsuits and can even be criminally prosecuted under rare circumstances. In addition to the possible legal consequences, professionals may lose their jobs or have to start over in a new field after their acts of fraud are uncovered.

As a student, you’re likely to wonder what happens if you plagiarize in college or high school. While there will almost always be consequences for this behavior, there is no one-size-fits-all plagiarism sentence. Depending on the circumstances, academic dishonesty could result in outcomes such as:

• You might get a zero for the assignment in which the infringement occurred.
• You may receive a failing grade for the class. If it is a required course, this could leave you without enough credits to move on to the next level until you can repeat it and, in some instances, postpone graduation.
• You may be expelled from your school or university.

The academic dishonesty may be noted on your transcript, which can lead to you not getting into your preferred college, graduate school, or Ph.D. program in the future.

Nobody wants to be known as a fraud or to have a reputation for dishonesty follow them through their career. And, given the consequences that can extend beyond just their reputation, it’s no wonder that professional and academic writers who wish to avoid them take the time to understand the complete definition of plagiarism and run their work through a plagiarism checker before sending it out into the world.

Even the vigilant can fall prey to inferior tools, unfortunately. Before selecting a plagiarism checker, you should understand how they work and what they can (and cannot) detect.

How We Check for Plagiarism

When exploring how to check for plagiarism, most students and professionals conclude that including a checking tool in their revision process is not only helpful but necessary. When you consider the Herculean task of checking each line of your paper against the text of each of your resources, the benefits of a checker are clear. Moreover, this manual approach would only alert you to matching text in the sources you’re aware of, after all, and leaves the sources you haven’t reviewed untouched.

But, hang on. Why would sources you haven’t reviewed factor into your review? The answer to this lies in the plagiarism definition you learned above. What is plagiarism? It’s presenting someone else’s work or ideas as your own, intentionally or otherwise. It is not uncommon to uncover an idea while you’re researching a topic and later misremember it as your own. This might even occur years after you originally came across it.

You might wonder: how can plagiarism be avoided if you have to account for the source of every thought you include in your work? A few exceptions minimize the scope of this. Common knowledge about your topic does not need to be supported by a citation, nor does knowledge that you gained through your personal experience. Using a subscription-based or free plagiarism checker will help you locate any passages that may fall into these categories so you can review them and decide for yourself whether a citation is needed.

EasyBib Plus writing tools provide easy, convenient, and reliable support to help you find potentially missed citations and can help you improve your paper into a high-quality paper with integrity. Simply upload your paper, select the checker, then sit back and relax as the site scans your document. In mere moments, we’ll search the web for passages of similar text and highlight duplicate content for your review.

Regardless of the tools you use to help you revise and polish your work, it’s ultimately your responsibility to ensure that you’re writing and submitting ethical work. That’s why our tools go beyond the basics and require your participation. The tool never automatically makes changes to your paper, but only flags sections that may need your attention and provides you with the matching source so you can to make an educated decision.

If you find that a citation is needed, our citation tools can help you create properly formatted citations and develop a complete bibliography. And, if you review the passage and determine that the match is coincidental, you can dismiss the alert and move on to the next.

Seamless Citation Creation

Professional writers and students alike can find creating citations incredibly confusing. Nevertheless, they are an integral part of a well-written and researched paper and a requirement in almost all academic settings. But, have you ever wondered why they are so important? Citations really do have a purpose—other than driving us crazy— that make it necessary always to cite our sources.

We cite our sources for a few important reasons:

We need to give credit where credit is due. When you use a quote from someone else’s work, you need to give credit for using their words and ideas. Research is often based on the works and ideas of others. However, to include the words and ideas of another without giving them proper credit is to plagiarize, even if the act was unintentional.

In addition, showing that you’ve done proper research by including in text & parenthetical citations and a comprehensive list of sources to back up your arguments gives your work a layer of credibility that can help you earn the trust of your reader or teacher.

Readers can find the sources you used.  When you’re writing high school or undergraduate papers, your only readers may be your instructors and peers. However, including citations at every level of writing helps to ensure that anyone who reads your work can access your sources to check their accuracy, learn more about your topic, and further their own research.

Sources can take your research and learning to the next level, too. When you are conducting research on a topic, checking the works cited or annotated bibliographies prepared by your sources can lead you down new avenues in your research to further develop your ideas and help you write your papers.

Correctly utilizing citations gives strength to your thoughts and opinions. Understanding the value of citations does not, unfortunately, make them any easier to create. We know how confusing it can be, but don’t throw in the towel on learning how to cite websites in MLA , create your APA citation website references, or format your works cited —this is where we come in!

While a free online plagiarism detector may tell you how much of your work is unoriginal and may even identify the passages that meet their plagiarize definition, a premium EasyBib Plus plagiarism checker account also gives you access to our powerful citation resources and generator so you can:

Scan your papers with the plagiarism tool to check for plagiarism-free work before you submit.

Review flagged passages to determine if they meet the plagiarism definition and create unlimited citations in APA format and MLA format for anything fitting the plagiarism meaning. Need more styles ? Check out our regular citation generator for thousands of choices and free resources to help you learn how to create an APA parenthetical citation , APA book citation , APA works cited , and so much more!

Build a full bibliography for your paper right along with your parenthetical or in-text citations, which can save you hours of work along the way compared to manually creating and formatting them.

How Else Do We Help You Improve Your Paper?

The EasyBib Plus plagiarism detector helps you check your content or paper for text that may be missing a citation—which may fall within the definition of plagiarism—to help ensure you don’t accidentally plagiarize. It also includes grammar check and spelling check tools to help identify errors and suggest grammatical tweaks that could help to elevate the level of your writing.

Running a plagiarism check couldn’t be easier! Just upload your paper to the online proofreader, and in a few moments we’ll have your writing and citing suggestions. And, there’s no need to worry about your paper after it’s been scanned.

Run a Grammar and Spell Check for Free!

There’s no denying that your schoolwork can be challenging at times, and your assignments can lead to some late nights even when you’ve started them early. The last thing you want is to submit assignments that don’t reflect your best effort, but it can occasionally be quite the juggling act to get everything done on time.

Why not let our plagiarism checker free up space on your calendar by helping you revise your papers quickly and efficiently? The EasyBib Plus paper checker is your one-stop shop to check for plagiarism, create citations, spot spelling mistakes, and receive feedback on your grammar and style.

When you proofread and do a manual spelling check on work that you’ve written, you’re more likely to overlook mistakes. This is even more likely if you’re pressed for time or trying to complete several different assignments at once. There are tricks to help minimize this, such as reading your work aloud to identify poor grammar or reading each sentence backward to find spelling errors. When time is of the essence, though, these solutions aren’t the most convenient or useful options. That’s why many students seek the assistance of online tools that will run a grammar and plagiarism check on their work.

Are you asking yourself, “ How do I check my grammar online ?” We’ve got the perfect checker for you! Our advanced tools help you find and correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. Our targeted feedback and free writing and citing resources help you learn as you go to improve your writing over time.

The best part? You can use our grammar and writing tools any time of the day, any day of the year for! Looking to try it? Just upload or copy and paste your text into our online proofreader for a free grammar check with up to 5 suggestions, or sign up for EasyBib Plus today! EasyBib Plus gives you use of the plagiarism checker and unlimited access to suggestions that can help improve your spelling, sentence structure, punctuation, writing style, and grammar.

Published February 3, 2019. Updated April 9, 2020.

Written and edited by Michele Kirschenbaum and Melissa DeVrieze Meyer . Michele is a school library media specialist and the in-house librarian at EasyBib. You can find her here on Twitter. Melissa is a professional writer and editor based in New Jersey. She writes for academic brands and independent publishers about writing, grammar, and literature, and creates study and curriculum materials for ESL learners. You can find her on Twitter .

Visit our EasyBib Twitter feed to discover more citing tips, fun grammar facts, and the latest product updates.

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7 Common Errors in Writing + How to Fix Them (With Examples)

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Yona Schnitzer

We’ve all made errors in our writing — from simple spelling and grammar mistakes to larger structural issues. While we’ll likely make mistakes again (we’re human, after all!), the good news is that we can learn to spot them and keep our writing as polished as possible. 

But to do that, we have to identify them first. 

That’s where I come in. As a professional writer, I’ve made — and corrected — plenty of writing mistakes over the years. 

In this blog post, I share seven common errors in writing and explain how to fix them using handy before-and-after examples. 

What are the different types of writing errors? 

Writing errors can be divided into several categories, including: 

• Spelling errors: These occur when words are misspelled — e.g., “bisness” instead of “business.”
• Grammar errors : These are mistakes in sentence form or structure, such as writing an incomplete sentence like “Because of the snow.”
• Punctuation errors: These involve using punctuation incorrectly or not using it at all — like writing “Let’s eat Dad” instead of “Let’s eat, Dad.” 
• Structure errors: These occur when the ideas in a piece of writing are unclear, not well-organized, or repetitive.
• Style errors: These happen when a writer doesn’t follow language and style rules — e.g., using passive instead of active voice.

7 common errors in writing (and how to fix them)

Now that you understand the categories of writing mistakes, we can look at specific examples. Below, I cover seven common errors and how to fix them. 

1. Run-on sentences 

A run-on sentence is a grammatical error that occurs when two independent clauses (complete thoughts) aren’t properly joined. This kind of sentence makes it difficult to see where one idea ends and the other begins . 

Two common types of run-on sentences are fused sentences and comma splices. 

Fused sentences

A fused sentence joins two independent clauses without using a punctuation mark or coordinating conjunction (e.g., “and” or “but”), as seen below: 

❌ Kel loves orange soda it’s his favorite drink. 

You’d correct this sentence by inserting a semicolon between the two complete thoughts: 

✅ Kel loves orange soda ; it’s his favorite drink.

Another option is to use a period to divide the clauses into two sentences:

✅ Kel loves orange soda . It’s his favorite drink. 

Comma splices 

A comma splice uses a comma between two independent clauses but forgets the necessary coordinating conjunction . 

For example: 

❌ Margaret went to Lenox Mall , she bought a new dress. 

To correct this sentence, simply add a conjunction after the comma. 

✅ Margaret went to Lenox Mall, and she bought a new dress. 

2. Passive voice 

Passive voice occurs when the receiver of the action (object) becomes the focus of the sentence rather than the one performing the action (subject). 

Passive voice:

The decision was made by the jury. 

Here, the focus is on the decision being made (object) instead of the jury making the decision (subject). As a result, the reader spends more time processing who is doing what . 

To rewrite this sentence in active voice , put the subject at the front of the sentence. That way, the jury becomes the focus and performs the action, as shown here: 

Active voice:

The jury made the decision.

This sentence is easier to understand because it follows a straightforward structure: subject (“the jury”) + action (“made”) + receiver of the action (“the decision”). 

3. Subject-verb disagreement

Subject-verb agreement means that a singular subject (one person, place, or thing) takes a singular verb , and a plural subject (two or more people, places, and things) takes a plural verb . 

For example, in the sentence “ Nancy eats popcorn,” “Nancy” is a singular subject, and “eats” is a singular verb. 

Meanwhile, “ Nancy and Rodney eat popcorn” pairs a plural verb (“eat”) with a plural subject (“Nancy and Rodney”). 

Notice that when you use a third-person singular subject (e.g., “Nancy,” “he,” “she,” and “it”) in the present tense (the tense for action happening now), you add an “s” at the end of the verb . 

Ignoring this rule results in subject-verb disagreement, meaning the subject and its verb don’t match. 

For example:

❌ Nancy eat buttered popcorn. 

✅ Nancy eats buttered popcorn.

That said, you don’t add an “s” to the end of the verb when using the subjects “I” (singular), “we” (plural), and “they” (plural), as this would also lead to subject-verb disagreement. 

❌ I eats buttered popcorn. 

❌ We eats buttered popcorn. 

❌ They eats buttered popcorn. 

To correct the error, simply remove the “s” from the end of “prefer” for these subjects: 

✅ I eat buttered popcorn. 

✅ We eat buttered popcorn. 

✅ They eat buttered popcorn. 

AI tip: Wordtune’s Editor can identify subject-verb disagreement and offer suggestions on how to correct it.

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4. Incorrect word choice

Many writers confuse one word for another or misuse words in their work. This often happens with homophones — words that sound the same but have different meanings or spellings, such as “weather” and “whether.”

❌ The whether is lovely today.

The word “whether” means a choice between alternatives or indicates uncertainty. However, in this sentence, it’s used like the homophone “weather,” which refers to the state of or changes in the air or atmosphere (e.g., sun, rain, etc.)

Therefore, the word “weather” is the correct choice for this sentence:

✅ The weather is lovely today.

Now, let’s reverse the context: 

❌ I don’t know weather I should read a book or watch a movie. 

The word “weather” is incorrect here because the sentence focuses on the speaker’s inability to choose between two options: read a book or watch a movie. 

Therefore, you’d use “whether”:

✅ I don’t know whether I should read a book or watch a movie. 

Pro tip: The best way to avoid incorrect word choice is to use a memory device. For example, you could remember that “we a ther” refers to the “ a ir” or “ a tmosphere” because all three words contain the letter “ a .”

5. Vague pronouns

A vague pronoun is a pronoun (e.g., “he,” “she,” or “it”) with more than one antecedent (the person, place, or thing that a pronoun refers to). Using vague pronouns confuses readers because they don’t know who or what you’re referencing. 

For instance, this sentence about Mitchell and Mike (antecedents) doesn’t clarify who the pronoun “he” refers to: 

❌ Mitchell and Mike went to the football game after he finished work. (Who finished work, Mitchell or Mike?)

To fix this issue, you could restate the subject (for instance, “Mike”) so readers know who you’re talking about:

✅ Mitchell and Mike went to the football game after Mike finished work.

A less redundant option would be to rewrite the sentence so the pronoun (“he”) is closer to the subject it replaces (“Mike”): 

✅ After Mike finished work, he and Mitchell went to the football game. 

6. Dangling modifiers 

A modifier is a word, such as an adjective, or phrase that describes another part of the sentence . 

For example, in the sentence “Lex is an English professor,” the word “English” modifies the word “professor.” Additionally, in the sentence “After watching TV, Hunter went to sleep,” the phrase “After watching TV” modifies the word “Hunter.”  

However, when a modifier describes the wrong thing because the intended subject isn’t in the right place, you get a dangling modifier. 

❌ While standing in the freezing outdoors , thoughts of hot chocolate consumed Louise . 

In this sentence, the phrase “while standing in the freezing outdoors” modifies “thoughts of hot chocolate.” However, that’s incorrect because “thoughts of hot chocolate” don’t stand outdoors.

Instead, “While standing in the freezing outdoors” is supposed to modify the person having the thoughts — the intended subject, Louise.

To correct this error, place the subject being modified immediately after the modifying phrase :

✅ While standing in the freezing outdoors , Louise was consumed with thoughts of hot chocolate. 

Now, the modifier describes what it intended to all along: the person thinking about hot chocolate, not the thoughts themselves. 

7. Missing or misplaced apostrophes

An apostrophe is a punctuation mark that forms a contraction (e.g., turning “you are” into “you’re”). It’s also used to indicate ownership . For instance, the apostrophe in the sentence “Lily’s cell phone went off in class” shows that Lily owns the phone. 

Writers often forget to include apostrophes, or they use them in the wrong place. 

The following sentence is an example of a missing apostrophe :

❌ Its hot outside.

This example uses a possessive pronoun (its), but the context of the sentence doesn’t indicate ownership. Instead, the sentence is trying to say that “it is” hot outside. 

Therefore, we need to add an apostrophe to create a contraction for “it is”:

✅ It ’ s hot outside. 

As for misplaced apostrophes , writers often make this error when dealing with plural possessive nouns. These nouns indicate that something belongs to more than one person — e.g., “the teachers’ lounge” belongs to more than one teacher. 

❌ Lane heard laughter coming from the girl ’ s locker room.

Here, the apostrophe is misplaced because the locker room doesn’t belong to only one girl (singular noun). It belongs to a group of girls (plural noun). 

So, we’d correct the sentence by adding an apostrophe after the letter “s” to make “girls” a plural possessive noun: 

✅ Lane heard laughter coming from the girls ’ locker room.

Common writing errors include run-on sentences, passive voice, subject-verb disagreement, incorrect word choice, and dangling modifiers. Many writers make these mistakes, and the first step in correcting them is knowing what they are and when they happen.

By using the information and tips in this guide, you can better understand these errors and how to fix them in your writing. 

For even more actionable advice on improving your work, read our guides on writing better sentences and making your writing flow smoothly . 

What are grammar errors in writing?

Grammar errors in writing are mistakes writers make when constructing sentences. These mistakes include subject-verb disagreement (e.g., “I eats” instead of “I eat”), run-on sentences (e.g., “Lisa was thirsty she drank three water bottles”), and inconsistent verb tense (e.g., shifting from past to present tense). 

What are common errors in writing essays?

Common errors in writing essays are grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. These include using dangling modifiers, spelling words incorrectly, and forgetting to use an apostrophe to form a contraction (e.g., writing “its” for “it is” instead of “it’s”). Essays may also feature structural errors, such as disorganized sections or redundant arguments.

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Michael Cohen describes moment he decided to turn on Trump after more than a decade as his ‘fixer’

M ichael Cohen recalled the moment he decided to turn on his longtime boss Donald Trump as he continued testifying against the former president Tuesday in Manhattan court.

Cohen — who was Trump’s “fixer” and lawyer for about a decade — told jurors in the hush money case against the 45th president that a conversation with his family around the time he pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2018 changed his mind about staying loyal.

“I made a decision, based again on a conversation with my family, that I would not lie for President Trump any longer,” Cohen said, shifting in his chair to face the jurors.

Cohen copped to tax evasion , campaign finance violation and making false statements to a bank in August 2018 in connection to the $130,000 payment he made to porn star Stormy Daniels allegedly on Trump’s behalf to keep her quiet about claims she once slept with the married pol.

The day he admitted to the crimes in Manhattan federal court was “the worse day of my life,” Cohen testified on Tuesday.

He took another guilty plea months later in November 2018 for lying to Congress about seeking financing and approvals from the Russian government for a Trump development project in Moscow.

“I regret doing things for him that I should not have — lying, bullying people in order to effectuate the goal,” Cohen testified, during his second day on the witness stand.

The now-disbarred attorney said he had repeatedly lied to cover for Trump “out of loyalty and to protect him.”

He said he didn’t regret working for the Trump Organization, “But to keep the loyalty and to do things that he asked me to do, it violated my moral compass and I suffered a penalty, as did my family.”

Cohen was sentenced to three years behind bars in December 2018. He served over a year in prison and then additional time in home confinement starting in 2020 when prisons sought to limit the spread of COVID. Cohen walked free in November 2021 .

Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger repeatedly questioned Cohen about why he lied — likely in a bid to get ahead of Trump’s lawyers expected efforts to tear apart his credibility on cross examination.

Cohen told the jury that he’d lied to Congress to cover up Trump’s alleged development efforts in Russia and that he fibbed to the Federal Election Commission by having his lawyers write a “misleading” letter to the agency in 2019 about the Daniels payment — all to protect his boss of 10 years.

And he instructed others to lie for Trump as well, such as to keep hidden the Daniels hush money payment, as well as the $150,000 that Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal got for the rights to her story that she had a month-long affair with Trump.

For instance, Cohen tried to pressure Daniels’s lawyer Keith Davidson to keep quiet, “in order to protect Mr. Trump,” he testified.

Cohen also described being “concerned, despondent, [and] angry” on April 9, 2018 when federal agents raided his home, law offices and a safety deposit box at a bank, turning his “life upside down.”

He said Trump called him on his cellphone after the raid telling him to “stay tough.”

“Don’t worry, I’m the president of the United States… you are going to be OK,” Cohen recalled Trump telling him.

But Cohen also alleged Trump pressured him not to turn on him and not to cooperate with the feds.

“Stay in fold. Stay loyal. I have you, you’re a fine person. Don’t flip,” Cohen said Trump told him.

After the raid, Cohen also received an email from Rudy Giuliani’s then-lawyer Bob Costello telling him “you are loved” and to “sleep well tonight, you have friends in high places.”

Prosecutors finished questioning Cohen before the lunch break following about eight hours of direct testimony.

Cohen — who is considered the prosecutions’ star witness — also testified against Trump last year in a civil fraud trial that ended with the presumptive GOP presidential nominee being hit with a $454 million judgment for exaggerating his assets for a decade to get better loan and insurance terms.

Trump’s lawyers at that trial sought to highlight Cohen’s criminal past and history of lying — a strategy they will likely employ when they grill him in the ongoing criminal case.

Looking back at former Trump fixer on the stand in hush money trial: Who is Michael Cohen?

Michael Cohen , Donald Trump 's former lawyer and fixer, took the witness stand Monday in Trump's criminal hush money trial .

Cohen's testimony could be a central link prosecutors use to show Trump authorized the $130,000 paid to porn star Stormy Daniels in an attempt to stop her story about an alleged affair from becoming public ahead of the 2016 election. Trump has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records to allegedly disguise reimbursing Cohen.

But Cohen's journey to the witness stand has been complicated. Once an adamant Trump loyalist, Cohen has repeatedly attacked Trump in recent years. He has also been convicted of several felonies, including lying to Congress:

Here is what to know about Cohen, a key witness in Trump's criminal trial:

Trump trial live updates: Latest updates as Michael Cohen returns as hush money witness

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

How long did Michael Cohen work for Trump?

Cohen was Trump's personal attorney and fixer from 2006 until 2018.

How long was Michael Cohen's prison sentence?

Michael Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison . He started his sentence in May 2019, but was sent home early for house arrest due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Where did Michael Cohen go to law school?

Michael Cohen went to Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan. Politico reported that "Cooley may be, by some measurements, the worst law school in America."

What did Michael Cohen lie about? 

In November 2018, Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements to Congress. In an effort to protect Trump, had told Congress his boss stopped trying to pursue a real-estate deal in Moscow in January 2016 when they actually continued efforts through June 2016.

That guilty plea came months after Cohen pleaded guilty to tax evasion, making false statements to a bank, and violating campaign finance laws by causing or issuing two hush money payments: $130,000 to Stormy Daniels and $150,00 to Karen McDougal, the latter of which was paid by American Media Inc. Those amounts greatly exceed the personal contribution limits to a political candidate.

Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison, according to a Department of Justice release .

Why did Michael Cohen turn on Trump? 

Cohen's falling out with Trump was partly due to his conviction. In February 2019, he told a congressional committee he made a clean break with Trump.

"I have done bad things, but I am not a bad man. I have fixed things, but I am no longer your fixer, Mr. Trump," Cohen said in a dramatic testimony.

The two have continuously lobbed attacks at one another since then.

Contributing: Aysha Bagchi, Erin Kelly, Josh Meyer

Here’s Why Key Trump Witness Michael Cohen Was Sentenced To Prison

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Michael Cohen, the former Trump fixer who is the key witness in former President Donald Trump’s criminal hush money case in New York, faced cross-examination Tuesday, with Trump attorneys quick to attack him and make the case the former Trump attorney cannot be trusted.

Former Trump fixer Michael Cohen testified that the Trump Organization falsely labeled former ... [+] President Donald Trump’s reimbursement for a hush money payment central to Trump’s criminal case in New York.

Cohen, a former personal injury attorney-turned Trump fixer who once said he would “ take a bullet ” for Trump, became distant with the then-president following a criminal investigation in 2018 into bank fraud and campaign finance violations.

Cohen pleaded guilty to eight criminal counts in August 2018, including charges of causing an unlawful campaign contribution, stemming from a $130,000 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels to hide an alleged affair with Trump before the 2016 presidential election.

Among the other charges were five counts of tax evasion and one count of false statements to a bank, over a scheme to hide more than $4 million in personal income from the Internal Revenue Service as well as a false report on a $500,000 home loan.

He was sentenced in December 2018 to three years in prison, and fined $50,000—Cohen was released from prison in November 2021, two-and-a-half years into his prison sentence.

Defense attorneys grilled Cohen in cross-examination Tuesday in Trump’s criminal hush money trial, where Trump faces 34 felony charges of falsifying business records over a reimbursement payment to Cohen for the hush money payment to Daniels. During his testimony, Cohen said he sent invoices to the Trump Organization for reimbursement checks, claiming they were falsely labeled as legal services, a key accusation made by prosecutors.

Analysts believe defense attorneys in the case will make Cohen’s guilty plea of lying to Congress a central part of their bid to make the case to the jury that Cohen cannot be trusted. During cross-examination, however, Trump attorney Todd Blanche immediately questioned Cohen on whether he took to TikTok before the trial, calling Blanche a “crying little s**t,” according to a transcription by The New York Times —Cohen said the post “sounds like something [he]

Cohen also pleaded guilty in a separate case in 2018 to lying to Congress following a letter he sent to the House and Senate intelligence committees in which he said a since-abandoned Trump real estate project in Moscow had been aborted years before it was actually dropped.

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Advertisement

Trump Firm’s Ex-Finance Chief Was Key to Hush-Money Deal, Witness Says

Allen H. Weisselberg instructed Jeffrey S. McConney to send reimbursements to Donald J. Trump’s former fixer, Mr. McConney testified.

• Share full article

By Matthew Haag

• May 6, 2024

The name of Allen H. Weisselberg, the Trump Organization’s former chief financial officer, arose repeatedly on Monday during the criminal trial of his former boss, as a former employee that Mr. Weisselberg knew about the payments at the heart of the trial.

The former Trump Organization employee on the stand, Jeffrey S. McConney, said that Mr. Weisselberg had instructed him in early 2017 to send money to Donald J. Trump’s former fixer, Michael D. Cohen. A few months earlier, Mr. Cohen paid $130,000 from a home equity credit line to buy the silence of Stormy Daniels, who claimed to have had a sexual encounter with Mr. Trump.

Mr. Cohen was repaid for that deal throughout 2017 in 11 checks — nine of them originating from Mr. Trump’s personal banking account — that were recorded as “legal expenses” in Trump Organization records. Prosecutors have accused Mr. Trump of falsifying those business records to conceal the hush-money deal.

The checks to Mr. Cohen ultimately totaled $420,000, covering the hush money, a bonus and additional funds for taxes.

Mr. McConney joined the Trump Organization in 1987 and worked as its corporate controller, reporting to Mr. Weisselberg. He said he had a close relationship with Mr. Weisselberg and ate lunch with him every day. For nearly 50 years, Mr. Weisselberg worked for Mr. Trump’s family business, with an unflinching devotion to the former president.

Mr. Weisselberg, who previously pleaded guilty to perjury in another case involving Mr. Trump, is currently incarcerated and is not expected to testify in the case.

He and Mr. McConney were sued along with Mr. Trump in a civil fraud case brought by the New York attorney general’s office. In his ruling, the judge in that case, Arthur F. Engoron, issued a fine of more than $450 million to Mr. Trump and gave a lifetime ban to Mr. Weisselberg from serving in a financial management role in any New York company.

Last month, Mr. Weisselberg, 76, was sentenced to five months in jail after pleading guilty to lying during his testimony in that case. He had already served about three months for tax fraud at the Rikers Island jail.

Matthew Haag writes about the intersection of real estate and politics in the New York region. He has been a journalist for two decades. More about Matthew Haag

Our Coverage of the Trump Hush-Money Trial

News and Analysis

Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s one-time fixer and the key witness in the trial, faced hours of bruising questions  from a defense lawyer who sought to destroy his credibility with jurors.

Liberal and conservative media outlets seemed to agree on one thing: Cohen was worth belittling. But they made that argument in far different ways .

Trump’s trial has become a staging ground  for Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson  and Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio , to prove their fealty to the former president.

More on Trump’s Legal Troubles

Key Inquiries: Trump faces several investigations  at both the state and the federal levels, into matters related to his business and political careers.

Case Tracker:  Keep track of the developments in the criminal cases  involving the former president.

What if Trump Is Convicted?: Could he go to prison ? And will any of the proceedings hinder Trump’s presidential campaign? Here is what we know , and what we don’t know .

Trump on Trial Newsletter: Sign up here  to get the latest news and analysis  on the cases in New York, Florida, Georgia and Washington, D.C.