⭐ False Starts & Corrections in Transcription (Clean Verbatim Guide)

 


⭐ False Starts & Corrections in Transcription (Clean Verbatim Guide)

Essential for passing the TranscribeMe exam

Introduction

False starts are one of the MOST common things in real speech — people restart sentences, correct themselves, or stop mid-thought. Clean Verbatim has strict rules about how to format these moments, and exam graders pay very close attention.

The good news?
Once you learn the pattern, it becomes automatic.

This guide walks you through exactly how to transcribe false starts and corrections using double dashes (--), with plenty of examples.

✔ 1. What Is a False Start?

A false start is when a speaker begins a word or phrase, stops, and then starts over.

Example (audio):

“I— I didn’t mean to do that.”

Correct transcription:

I-- I didn’t mean to do that.

Two hyphens.
No spaces around them.

✔ 2. Always Use the Double Dash (--)

Never use:

  • a single hyphen (-)

  • an em dash (—)

  • ellipses (…)

False starts ALWAYS use:

👉 -- (two hyphens)

✔ 3. Corrections Also Use the Double Dash

If the speaker corrects themselves mid-sentence, it’s formatted the same way.

Example:

“I went to her house— I mean, his house.”

Correct:

I went to her house-- I mean, his house.

✔ 4. Use Double Dashes for Cut-Off Sentences

If the speaker stops suddenly (not trailing off naturally), use a double dash.

Example:

“I was going to say-- never mind.”

This is abrupt, not a gentle fade, so it’s --, not “…”

✔ 5. Do Not Use Dashes for Trailing Thoughts

This is where people get confused.

If the speaker fades out instead of stopping abruptly:

Correct:

“I thought he might come over…”

Ellipsis = trailing off
Double dash = cut off / interrupted

✔ 6. One False Start Per Restart

If the speaker restarts multiple times, EACH restart gets its own double dash.

Example:

“I-- I-- I don’t know what happened.”

Do NOT combine them or shorten them.

✔ 7. False Starts Inside Long Sentences

Even inside a big paragraph, the rule is the same.

Example:

“I was trying to— I mean, I was planning to talk to her about it.”

Correct:

“I was trying to-- I mean, I was planning to talk to her about it.”

✔ 8. Do Not Overuse False Starts

Sometimes people pause, but it is NOT a false start.

Wrong (overuse):

“I-- think we should go.”
(This is just a pause, not a restart.)

Right:

“I think we should go.”

Use double dashes ONLY when the speaker clearly starts a word or phrase and stops abruptly.

✔ 9. Quick Practice

Fix the following:

  1. I— I think so.

  2. I went to the— the store.

  3. He was going to say… but didn’t.

  4. I… I don’t know.

  5. I was trying t— trying to call you.

Answers:

  1. I-- I think so.

  2. I went to the-- the store.

  3. I was going to say-- but didn’t.

  4. I-- I don’t know. (false start, not ellipsis)

  5. I was trying t-- trying to call you.

Conclusion

False starts and corrections are everywhere in natural speech.
Once you memorize that every restart = double dash, your transcripts will instantly look cleaner and far more professional.

This is an exam-heavy topic — mastering this rule is a big step toward passing confidently.

Comments

Post a Comment