Auto punctuation setting
The Auto punctuation feature allows you to dictate naturally without needing to pronounce punctuation marks aloud (such as "comma", "period", or "question mark"). SpeechLive Direct's speech recognition engine analyzes speech flow, pauses, and grammatical phrasing in real time to insert standard punctuation marks and capitalization automatically.
Note
Auto punctuation is configured within the Speech recognition settings of the SpeechLive Desktop App.
When Auto punctuation is turned off, punctuation must be dictated explicitly (manual punctuation mode).
When the Multi-speaker feature is active, Auto punctuation is automatically engaged and locked in the On state.
Enable or Disable Auto Punctuation
In the SpeechLive Desktop App, click the Main menu icon (☰) in the top-left corner.
Click Speech recognition to expand the section.
Locate the Auto punctuation setting.
Toggle the switch to On to enable automatic punctuation, or Off to dictate punctuation marks manually.
How Auto Punctuation Works
The speech recognition engine uses acoustic models and natural language processing to evaluate sentence structure based on natural speech cadence and pause duration:
Clauses and commas: Brief, natural pauses between ideas signal clause boundaries, automatically inserting commas where grammatically appropriate.
Sentence endings and periods: A distinct pause signals the conclusion of a sentence. The engine inserts a period (or question mark) and capitalizes the initial letter of the following word.
Best Practices for Fluent Dictation
To achieve optimal results with Auto punctuation, follow these dictation recommendations:
Recommendation | Detail |
|---|---|
Dictate in complete thoughts | Speak fluently and finish your sentence before pausing. The engine relies on complete grammatical units to determine punctuation placement. |
Avoid mid-sentence hesitation | Try not to hesitate or pause for several seconds in the middle of a clause. If you pause excessively mid-sentence, the engine may interpret the silence as the end of a thought and insert a period prematurely. |
Maintain natural speaking pace | You do not need to speak unusually fast or slow; speak at your normal conversational cadence. |
Tip
When Auto punctuation is turned Off, SpeechLive uses classic dictation, where you speak punctuation marks aloud as usual (for example, saying "comma" or "period").
Interaction with Multi-speaker
If you enable the Multi-speaker feature (speaker diarisation for multi-person conversations), Auto punctuation is automatically turned on and locked in the On position.
Because participants in a multi-party dialogue cannot naturally dictate punctuation commands, automatic punctuation is mandatory during multi-speaker transcription. Once you turn Multi-speaker off, manual control over the Auto punctuation toggle is restored.