In word processors and smartphone keyboards, the Autocorrect feature was originally designed primarily to automatically replace which type of text while you are typing?

Introduction / Context:
Autocorrect is a familiar feature in modern word processors, email programs and smartphone keyboards. Many users associate it with funny mistakes or automatic changes in their text, but originally its purpose was very simple and focused. This question tests your understanding of what Autocorrect was first designed to do, before it started including richer grammar tools and predictive text features in later generations of software.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The context is common office software and mobile text input tools.
• We are considering the original design goal of the Autocorrect feature.
• Options mention spelling, grammar, repetition and general mistake correction.
• We assume a basic understanding of how typing and spell checking work.

Concept / Approach:
Autocorrect was introduced to reduce the time spent fixing simple spelling and typing errors. When a user types a common misspelling such as teh instead of the, the software automatically replaces it with the correct word. This behaviour differs from a grammar checker, which analyses sentence structure, and from style tools, which suggest better wording. The original Autocorrect list typically stored pairs of misspelled words and their correct replacements. Therefore, the best answer focuses on misspelled words and common typing errors, not on grammar or all possible types of mistakes.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Documentation and settings for early Autocorrect features usually show a custom list of replace and with entries, containing items like adn → and or recieve → receive. Users can edit this list to add their own frequent typing mistakes. Grammar tools, on the other hand, are usually configured separately under grammar and style settings and do not automatically rewrite text without user confirmation. This separation in configuration and user interface confirms that Autocorrect began as a spell and typo correction tool, rather than a general purpose grammar engine or style rewriter.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Grammatically incorrect sentences: Grammar checkers highlight sentence structure issues, but Autocorrect was not initially designed to fix complex grammar automatically.
• Repetitive or overused words in a document: Detecting repetition is related to style analysis, not simple automatic replacement of typos.
• All types of mistakes, including spelling, grammar and style: This overstates the feature; no single tool corrects everything automatically without user review.
• Slang words with formal language automatically: Some tools may suggest more formal words, but this is not the original, primary use of Autocorrect.

Common Pitfalls:
Users sometimes confuse Autocorrect with broader intelligent writing tools because modern software bundles many features together. It is easy to think that a single system handles spelling, grammar and style. However, exam questions often focus on the initial, core purpose of a feature. For Autocorrect, that purpose was to replace frequently misspelled words and basic typing mistakes automatically, reducing manual editing time. Keeping that narrow definition in mind helps you select the correct option in similar questions.

Final Answer:
Autocorrect was originally designed primarily to automatically replace misspelled words and common typing errors while you are typing.