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Speech recognition is very useful - when I'm driving I always use it for dictating text to my iPhone 5.

However, before sending the message I like to check that the text was recognized correctly. Reading the text while I'm driving is not safe.

Is there a way to ask Siri to read the dictated text?

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I don't know of a way to partially activate VoiceOver - but if you don't mind learning the UI - it is amazing for use while you can't or don't want to look at the iPhone. Stevie says VoiceOver is great. – bmike♦ Dec 2 '12 at 14:22

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Are you just using the dictation feature (the microphone button on the keyboard), or sending email or texts/iMessages through Siri (holding down the home button, telling Siri to send a message…)?

If you're using the Siri function, when it prompts you if you want to send it, you can ask Siri to "read it to me" or "review it" and it will be read back to you.

If you're just using the dictation (which technically isn't Siri), your best option is to use VoiceOver, as Andrew Ferrier suggests.

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What's the best syntax for asking Siri to write the text? What about whatsap? – lucaghera Dec 2 '12 at 17:26
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I find "send an email to John Smith" or "send a message to John Smith" (for text/iMessage) works fine for me. You may be asked to specify which address if you have several in your contact list. – robmathers Dec 2 '12 at 17:54
Siri doesn't integrate with WhatsApp; it only works with core iOS functionality, and at the moment there is no API so the WhatsApp developers couldn't add that integration anyway. – Andrew Ferrier Dec 2 '12 at 18:49
You can find out what you can say to Siri by asking it 'What can I say?'. – Andrew Ferrier Dec 2 '12 at 18:50
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If you set up your iPhone this way (original instructions here), you can triple-click your Home button to activate VoiceOver, which is an accessibility feature primarily intended for reading the screen and other interactions for disabled users:

  • Go to Settings -> General -> Accessibility
  • Change Triple-click Home to VoiceOver:

enter image description here

If you turn that on while in the car, and turn it off when you leave, it should hopefully be suitable for you. It's not perfect, in that it will read out more than you probably want (not just the content of the text), but should get you close.

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I use VO every day,once VO is enabled to have it read the entire screen do a two finger swipe up, if you want just the body of your text read move your finger till you hear the start of your text. A box will encircle what you have selected, then a two finger swipe down will start reading from that point, to stop reading two finger tap to resume two finger swipe down. – rclyde Dec 2 '12 at 19:24

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