I find in MS Office Word 2013 that when the spell check finds a word not in this dictionary, I do not seem to have the option to add it. So far. I have not got any assistance from Word Help that is useful in this regard.

Can someone please help me sort this out?

When you right-click on it, you should have the option. Here is a screen shot from Word 2013.
For more on the spelling checker, see Mastering the Spelling Checker

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Thank you for your response.

This is not what happens when I do the right click.
This response message does not allow me to insert an image from my HD.
So, here is a text version:


The only options that I am offered are:
Ignore Once
Grammar
Hyperlink
New Comment
Additional Actions (none of these are helpful)

You have a blue rather than a red wavy underline? I suspect the context menu you are getting is for a grammar problem.

Try typing "mistaek" and right-click on that.

To insert an image or other attachment, click on the Go Advanced button in your reply screen. Then click on the paperclip.

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No, the underline is wavy red.

I don't understand that

If there is also a grammar error, the grammar context menu overrides. Did you try typing "mistaek?" What happened?

When I typed 'mistaek' into a word document there was an auto-correction to 'mistake'.

First, you probably want to turn OFF the option to automatically use spelling corrections to autocorrect. Otherwise, like autocorrect on cell phones, it is likely to embarrass you, likely in something more important than a text message.

Type it again. If it autocorrects, use Ctrl-Z to undo. Then right-click on it. This is a spelling error without a grammar error.

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This does not seem to be answering the basic problem that wasn't present in my previous version of MS Word. There ought to be a simple menu item that allows new words to be added to the dictionary.

There IS "a simple menu item that allows new words to be added to the dictionary." The screenshot below is from Word 2013.

I already pointed out that the menu you are seeing seems to be the one for a grammar problem. It is possible to have both a grammar problem and a spelling problem with the same word. I do not know what happens then.

I again ask you to type "mistaek" in a blank document and not allow it to AutoCorrect. Then right-click on it. What menu do you get? I am asking you to try this to see if something is broken in your installation of Word or if what you observed was a conflation with a grammar error.

This is a peer-to-peer, user-to-user, support forum. I am not a Microsoft employee; no one here is. I am one of your fellow users of Word trying to help you solve a problem.

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Here is the result:
Screenshot_1.png

I don't see the red wavy underline on your screenshot.

Try "mistaek" instead. Otherwise, in a new document, type some word that gets you the red underline. Just one word that is not a contraction.

You have to press the spacebar to trigger the spell checker.

Here is the result that shows the line

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Here is another:

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