Punctuation and Formatting
TalkWriter does not use voice commands for punctuation (like saying "period" or "new line"). Instead, it takes a smarter approach: AI Polish handles all punctuation and formatting automatically based on the context of what you said.
Why AI Instead of Voice Commands?
Traditional dictation tools require you to say "period" after every sentence, "comma" between clauses, and "new paragraph" when you want a line break. This means you are constantly thinking about formatting while you speak, which destroys the natural flow of dictation.
TalkWriter's approach is different. You speak naturally -- exactly like you would talk to a colleague -- and the AI figures out where periods, commas, question marks, and paragraph breaks should go. This means:
- You think about what to say, not how to format it
- Your dictation sounds natural, not robotic ("end of sentence period new paragraph")
- The AI uses context, so it places punctuation more accurately than manual commands
What AI Polish Handles Automatically
| Formatting | How It Works | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Periods | Added at the end of declarative sentences | "I finished the report" becomes "I finished the report." |
| Commas | Added between clauses, in lists, after introductory phrases | "First we need to review then we can approve" becomes "First, we need to review, then we can approve." |
| Question marks | Added when the AI detects a question | "when is the meeting" becomes "When is the meeting?" |
| Exclamation marks | Added when the AI detects emphasis or excitement | "that is amazing news" becomes "That is amazing news!" |
| Capitalization | First word of sentences, proper nouns, abbreviations | "i went to new york" becomes "I went to New York" |
| Number formatting | Spoken numbers converted to digits where appropriate | "twenty five dollars" becomes "$25" |
| Filler removal | "um", "uh", "like", "you know", "basically" removed | "so um basically the thing is" becomes direct phrasing |
Before and After Examples
Example 1: Email Reply
What you say:
hey sarah thanks for sending the report over I had a chance to look at it and I think the numbers look good but we might want to double check the Q3 projections before sharing with the board
What TalkWriter types:
Hey Sarah, thanks for sending the report over. I had a chance to look at it and I think the numbers look good, but we might want to double-check the Q3 projections before sharing with the board.
Example 2: Technical Note
What you say:
the API endpoint accepts a JSON payload with three required fields user ID which is a string email which is also a string and role which can be admin editor or viewer
What TalkWriter types:
The API endpoint accepts a JSON payload with three required fields: user ID (a string), email (also a string), and role (which can be admin, editor, or viewer).
Example 3: Asking a Question
What you say:
do you think we should push the release to next week or is it ready to ship now
What TalkWriter types:
Do you think we should push the release to next week, or is it ready to ship now?
When You Want Specific Formatting
For cases where AI Polish might not guess your intent, use these strategies:
| You Want | Strategy |
|---|---|
| A specific punctuation mark | Let AI Polish handle it -- it gets punctuation right in the vast majority of cases |
| Bullet points or lists | Use TalkTone with an appropriate style (Document > Instructional, or use Custom Instructions like "Always use bullet points") |
| Paragraph breaks | Pause briefly between distinct ideas. AI Polish uses pauses and topic shifts to determine paragraph breaks |
| Specific number formats | AI Polish converts most numbers automatically. For edge cases, edit after dictation |
| Code formatting | Use TalkTone's Code mode, which produces properly formatted code comments, commit messages, etc. |
If you need very specific formatting control, write a Custom Instruction in TalkTone. For example: "Always use numbered lists instead of paragraphs" or "Format all dates as YYYY-MM-DD." Custom Instructions give you predictable formatting without interrupting your natural speech.
Practical Example: Natural Speech vs Voice Commands
Here is why AI-based formatting produces better results than voice commands:
With voice commands (other tools): You say: "Dear Sarah comma new line new line Thank you for your email period I wanted to follow up on the project timeline period new line new line Could we schedule a meeting to discuss question mark new line new line Best regards comma new line John"
With TalkWriter (AI-based): You say: "Dear Sarah thank you for your email I wanted to follow up on the project timeline could we schedule a meeting to discuss best regards John"
Both produce the same output. But with TalkWriter, you spoke naturally in 8 seconds instead of struggling through commands in 20 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if AI Polish puts a period where I wanted a comma? AI Polish is highly accurate but not perfect. For the rare cases where it guesses wrong, simply edit the text after it is pasted (Cmd+Z to undo the whole thing, or just fix the punctuation manually). Over time, AI Polish learns from context and these cases become increasingly rare.
Can I disable AI Polish and handle formatting manually? Yes. Toggle AI Polish off in Settings > AI Polish. You get the raw Soniox transcription with no formatting. This is not recommended for most users, as the raw output lacks all punctuation and capitalization.
Does AI Polish work in all languages? AI Polish is most effective in English. It works in many other languages, but the quality of formatting and cleanup varies by language.
I need very precise formatting (legal documents, medical records). Can TalkWriter handle it? For precision-critical documents, use TalkTone with Custom Instructions to define exact formatting rules. Always review the output before sending. TalkWriter is a drafting tool -- it dramatically speeds up the first draft, but important documents should still be reviewed.
Was this helpful? Let us know at support@talkwriter.ai