Keep in mind that speech recognition is not designed for completely hands-free operation; you'll get the best results if you use a combination of your voice and the mouse or keyboard.

If you have problems using speech recognition, check the following:

• Be sure to train speech recognition.
• Use a high-quality close-talk (headset) microphone, and position the microphone about an inch, or a thumb's width to the side of your mouth so that it is not directly in front of your mouth, and you are not breathing directly into it.
• Eliminate background noise.
• Speak in a consistent, level tone. Speaking too loudly or too softly makes it difficult for the computer to recognize what you've said.
• When dictating text, speak without pausing between each word; a phrase is easier for the computer to interpret than just one word. Also, pronounce words clearly, but don't separate each syllable in a word.
• If a voice command does not appear to work, switch to another program and switch back to the program you are working in, and then say the command again. If the command does not work as expected by the third or fourth try, do not continue to repeat the command. Instead, use your mouse or keyboard.
• See the speech troubleshooting Help topic in your Office XP program.

1. Position your microphone.
2. If the microphone is not already turned on, click Microphone on the Language bar.

   

   Language bar with the microphone and speech recognition turned off

   Note  For more information about the Language bar, see the Help in your Office XP program.

3. If Dictation mode is not already turned on, click Dictation on the Language bar, or say "dictation."

   

   Language bar with Dictation mode turned on

4. Select the error by using your mouse or keyboard, including one or two words on both sides of the error.
   
   For example, if you dictated, "This is another example sentence," and you see, "This is an utter example sentence, select "is an utter example."
5. Say the words that you selected, including the correct version of the error.
   For example, say "is another example" to correct the error "is an utter example."

6. When you're finished, turn speech recognition off by clicking Microphone on the Language bar, or by saying "microphone."

   Speech recognition will continue to process sounds until the microphone is turned off.

Note  You can also select just the incorrect word, but recognition accuracy is likely to be higher when you dictate more than one word.

1. Position your microphone.
2. If the microphone is not already turned on, click Microphone on the Language bar to turn speech recognition on.

   

   Language bar with the microphone and speech recognition turned off

   Note  For more information about the Language bar, see the Help in your Office XP program.

3. If Dictation mode is not already turned on, click Dictation on the Language bar, or say "dictation."

   

   Language bar with Dictation mode turned on

4. Select the error by using your mouse or keyboard.
5. In Dictation mode, say "spelling mode," pause slightly, and then spell the correction.
   For example, if you dictate "sun," but the text is inserted as "son," spell over the error by saying "s-u-n."

6. To turn speech recognition off, click Microphone on the Language bar, or say "microphone."
   Speech recognition will continue to process sounds until the microphone is turned off.

Note  If Word is enabled as your e-mail editor, you can also use this feature in Microsoft Outlook®.

1. Right-click an error.
2. On the shortcut menu, click the correct alternative.
3. If the correct alternative is not listed, click More, and then click an alternative.