# Essay help that keeps the essay yours Canonical: https://duckyhelper.com/for/essay-writing-help/ Updated: 2026-10-01 DuckyHelper helps with essays by reading the draft you have open and talking with you about it. Ask whether your thesis is clear and Ducky underlines it, writes a question in the margin, and helps you find a sharper claim in your own words. It can read a paragraph back to you so you hear what's awkward, and plan an outline with you. It won't write the essay for you. ## A feedback session on your draft Your draft is open in Google Docs or Pages. You press fn and say: "Is my thesis any good?" 1. Ducky underlines your last sentence in the first paragraph and writes in the margin: *"What exactly do you claim? Who would disagree?"* 2. It asks you to say your main point out loud in one sentence. You do, and it's clearer than what you wrote. Ducky points that out. 3. You rewrite the sentence yourself. Ducky looks again and circles the one word that is still vague. 4. In paragraph three, it draws an arrow from your example back to the thesis and asks how the two connect. ## Hear your own writing Long sentences are easier to catch out loud. Ask Ducky to read a paragraph back, and each word lights up on your screen as it is read. Or read it aloud yourself: the highlight follows you, and Ducky notes the places you stumbled, which are often the sentences to fix. ## Before the draft: plan it - **Outline on a whiteboard.** Ducky lays out your thesis and points on a whiteboard, step by step, so you see the shape of the essay before you write it. - **Words.** Not sure a word means what you think? A dictionary card shows the meaning, part of speech and an example sentence. - **Your class materials.** Give Ducky the prompt, the rubric or your reading notes and it keeps them in memory, so it can hold your draft up against the rubric later. > **Note: On a Chromebook** > > Open [app.duckyhelper.com](https://app.duckyhelper.com), share your draft's tab and ask. Ducky reads it and marks up the preview. Notes written on your real screen and read-along highlighting are in the Mac app. ## What it won't do > **Watch out: Ducky doesn't write your essay** > > It asks questions, points out what's unclear and helps you say it better yourself. Don't hand in Ducky's words as your own where that isn't allowed, and follow your teacher's rules about AI. If you used Ducky to learn, it's fine (and often good) to say so. See [AI Use & Academic Integrity](https://duckyhelper.com/legal/ai/). Ducky can't see your teacher's expectations unless you show them, so share the rubric. And it can be wrong about facts or quotes: check anything you cite. ## Frequently asked questions ### Will DuckyHelper write my essay? No. Ducky helps you think, plan and revise, but the writing stays yours. It asks questions, points out unclear sentences and helps you say your idea better in your own words. Don't hand in Ducky's words as your own where that isn't allowed. ### Does DuckyHelper work in Google Docs? Yes. Ducky sees your screen, so it can read a draft in Google Docs, Pages, Word or a school website. On a Mac it draws and writes notes on top; in the browser you share the Docs tab. It doesn't edit your document for you. ### Can DuckyHelper check my grammar? Ask Ducky about a sentence and it can circle the problem and explain the rule in plain words, then quiz you on it. It reads your writing back too, which helps you hear mistakes. It isn't an automatic grammar checker that rewrites your text. ### Can Ducky help with a college application essay? It can help you brainstorm, outline and hear your draft read back, and ask questions that get to what you really mean. The story and the words should be yours, so Ducky won't write it for you. ## Related - [Homework help that shows you how](https://duckyhelper.com/for/homework-help/) - [Essay Writing study guides](https://duckyhelper.com/learn/essay-writing/) - [Grammar study guides](https://duckyhelper.com/learn/grammar/) - [Study from your own lectures, out loud](https://duckyhelper.com/for/college-students/) - [DuckyHelper features](https://duckyhelper.com/features/) - [Plans and pricing](https://duckyhelper.com/pricing/) ## Try asking Ducky - "Is my thesis clear? Underline it and tell me what's missing." - "Read my second paragraph back to me." - "Help me outline this essay on the whiteboard." - "Check my draft against the rubric I gave you." ## Get DuckyHelper Free to start. The web app works in any browser, Chromebooks included; the Mac app can also draw on your real screen. [Try it free in your browser](https://app.duckyhelper.com/?utm_source=duckyhelper.com&utm_medium=for) or [Get the Mac app](https://duckyhelper.com/download/)