11.0

Dictating Special Text: Numbers, Dates, Addresses, Units…

As you saw in your first dictation, Dragon NaturallySpeaking automatically inserts spaces between words. It also

follows spacing and capitalization rules: for example, it inserts a space after close quote but none after open

quote, and it capitalizes at the beginning of sentences and paragraphs.

In this lesson, you learn about contextual automatic formatting that allows you to naturally dictate prices,

times, dates, abbreviations, contractions, units of measure, street addresses, e-mail addresses, URLs, ISO

currency codes and other special text. You also learn about Spell Mode and other recognition modes.

Automatic Text Formatting During Normal Dictation

On the Auto-Formatting Options dialog (available from the Tools menu), you can turn Dragon’s rules of

automatic formatting off and on, as desired. For example, you can choose to have Dragon:

Transcribe numbers greater than two -

as numerals. (By default, Dragon

follows the rule that small integers

should be written as words unless in

contexts such as a unit or address.)

Use the drop-down list on this dialog.

automatically expand contractions -

(such as “won’t” and “didn’t”).

insert two spaces after periods. -

Please see the Help for details.

TIP

The Vocabulary Editor’s Word

Properties dialog offers related capabilities.

It lets you obtain contextual formatting: you

can ask that numerals always be used after a

particular word (as in “version 4”) and you

can set alternate written forms (for

instance, if you prefer “figure” to be written

“Fig.” before numbers, as in “Fig. 3”). Note:

The Vocabulary Editor also lets you change

the properties of dictation commands (for

instance, you may wish “new line” to trigger

capitalization, as “new paragraph” does).

Please see Vocabulary Customization.

Exercise 1: Dictate some phone numbers, with and without area code; no need to say "hyphen".

Please call 607-585-3926 instead of 587-1239. Toll free directory: 1-800-555-1212