OS X El Capitan: Commands for dictating text
While you’re dictating, you can use commands for punctuation, formatting, capitalization, and symbols for math, currency, emoticons, and intellectual property. The commands listed here are always available while you’re dictating text.
If you use Enhanced Dictation, you can also speak commands to control your Mac. For example, you can say commands to select text, to scroll a document, or to press the Return key. For more advanced tasks, such as switching apps, navigating in windows, or clicking items in menus, dialogs, or windows, you can enable a set of advanced dictation commands. You can also create your own commands. For more information, see Control your Mac and apps using dictation commands, Click items using a dictation command, and Enable, disable, and create dictation commands.
Punctuation
| Command | Result |
|---|---|
| apostrophe | ‘ |
| open bracket | [ |
| close bracket | ] |
| open parenthesis | ( |
| close parenthesis | ) |
| open brace | { |
| close brace | } |
| open angle bracket | < |
| close angle bracket | > |
| colon | : |
| comma | , |
| dash | – |
| ellipsis | … |
| exclamation mark | ! |
| hyphen | - |
| period/point/dot/full stop | . |
| question mark | ? |
| quote | “ |
| end quote | “ |
| begin single quote | ‘ |
| end single quote | ‘ |
| semicolon | ; |
Typography
| Command | Result |
|---|---|
| ampersand | & |
| asterisk | * |
| at sign | @ |
| backslash | \ |
| forward slash | / |
| caret | ^ |
| center dot | ・ |
| large center dot | ● |
| degree sign | ° |
| hashtag/pound sign | # |
| percent sign | % |
| underscore | _ |
| vertical bar | | |
Formatting
| Command | Result |
|---|---|
| new line | Starts a new line. |
| numeral | Formats the next phrase as a number. |
| roman numeral | Formats the next phrase as a Roman numeral. |
| new paragraph | Starts a new paragraph. |
| no space on | Formats the next phrase without spaces. |
| no space off | Resumes default spacing. |
| tab key | Moves the cursor to the next tab stop. |
Capitalization
| Command | Result |
|---|---|
| caps on | Formats the next phrase in Title Case. |
| caps off | Resumes the default case lettering. |
| all caps | Formats the next word in ALL CAPS. |
| all caps on | Formats the next phrase in ALL CAPS. |
| all caps off | Resumes the default case lettering. |
Mathematical
| Command | Result |
|---|---|
| equal sign | = |
| greater than sign | > |
| less than sign | < |
| minus sign | - |
| multiplication sign | x |
| plus sign | + |
Currency
| Command | Result |
|---|---|
| dollar sign | $ |
| cent sign | ¢ |
| pound sterling sign | £ |
| euro sign | € |
| yen sign | ¥ |
Emoticons
| Command | Result |
|---|---|
| smiley face | :-) |
| frowny face | :-( |
| winky face | ;-) |
| cross-eyed laughing face | XD |
Intellectual property
| Command | Result |
|---|---|
| copyright sign | © |
| registered sign | ® |
| trademark sign | ™ |