I need some sort of method to check the readability and grammatical cohesion of my sentences, namely involving the structure of the sentences and the use of particles. (Spelling isn't an issue.) Google Translate is out of question for me because the translation quality is spotty.
I use DeepL translator, which tends to be better than Google Translate for Japanese.
As noted by other experienced users on Renshuu, it's a tiered process of first attempting to convert the draft Japanese sentence to English and then converting the draft English sentence (- which should be as close to idea that you want to express) back to Japanese. Then compare the original draft sentence with the clone result, so to say, and note the differences. It's not needed to be even 70% match between the two, but the more similar the two are, the better the original, I think.
Of course, it's a lot better if you have in-person tutor/guide, as no translator (as of now) can match that level of proof-reading and suggestions.
I use chatGPT to help me check and correct my sentences. Although sometimes the corrections it suggests sound off or are wrong, most of the time it's helpful enough.
I also use Twitter search bar to see whether the phrases or structures I'm using are commonly used. If they appear on some posts, I'm convinced that my sentences are correct. I know that even natives sometimes don't write their language correctly especially on social media, but at least now I know my sentences are not entirely wrong and possibly sound natural.
I was using Mazii dictionary, it showed if my sentences were gramatically correct and even suggested mistake corrections, but now this app doesn't work properly on any of my devices for some reason :( But if everything is fine, you can give it a try.
I haven't tried reverso.net or linguee.com for Japanese translation yet, but they both have example sentences of words in context which may help with structure, or at least meaning. ?
On a peripherally related note: For the less tech-savvy, for mitigating tunnel vision issues (excluding lack of language proficiency), we use the "writers' overnight test".
Go to sleep, forget everything, wake up tomorrow to proofread the writing again.
