Matt Elliott/CNET

I understand that Apple is only trying to be helpful with its new predictive text engine in iOS 8. It offers suggestions as you type, learning your writing habits and favorite phrases over time and tailoring its suggestions to your way of texting and emailing.

I've tried using this new feature for two weeks now and find the suggestions more of a distraction than anything. Perhaps we are still in the getting-to-know-each-other phase, but I think I'm better off parting with the text predictions and going it alone. I rarely type out anything longer than a short text or email reply on my iPhone and have become a fairly fast thumb typist over the years, so I'm fine with going letter by letter for any correspondence on my iPhone. If you are ready to cut bait with the predictive text engine, you have two options: hide the predictions temporarily or disable the feature altogether.

To hide the predictions and continue typing without them changing and blinking and distracting you as you type, just pull down on the predictive text bar at the top of your keyboard. Admittedly, it takes a deft touch to collapse the thin predictive text bar instead of accidentally hiding the entire keyboard. You can then pull up to show the text predictions again.

Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET

If you have had it with the text predictions, then you can fully disable the feature. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard and toggle the switch for Predictive to off.

For more iOS 8 tips, check out our complete guide on how to use iOS 8.