✔ Audio Accuracy

Check:

• Does the speaker read the sentence exactly as written?

• Are all words present and in the correct order?

• Is anything added or removed?

Accept if:

• The sentence matches the audio precisely.

Reject if:

• Words are missing, changed, or added.

• The speaker clearly misreads the sentence.

✔ Audio Clarity

Check:

• Is the recording understandable?

• Is the audio complete from start to finish?

Accept if:

• Minor pauses or breathing sounds are present.

• Accent differences are noticeable but understandable.

Reject if:

• Loud background noise makes understanding difficult.

• Audio cuts off at the beginning or end.

• Audio is distorted or unintelligible.

✔ Sentence Quality (Text Validation)

If validating written sentences:

Accept if:

• The sentence is complete and readable.

• It sounds natural when spoken aloud.

• It contains no sensitive or personal information.

Reject if:

• It includes private names, addresses, emails, or URLs.

• It contains offensive or inappropriate content.

• It feels unnatural or incomplete.

✔ Accent and Language Considerations

Important reminders:

• Accents are not errors.

• Dialects are valid.

• Natural pronunciation differences are expected.

Do not reject submissions solely due to accent or regional variation.

Common Validator Mistakes

• Rejecting due to accent or tone differences.

• Rejecting for minor pauses or natural breathing.

• Expecting studio-quality audio.

• Accepting recordings that clearly misread the text.

Focus on understandability and correctness rather than perfection.

5-Second Decision Rule

Ask yourself:

1. Does the recording match the text exactly?

2. Can the speech be understood clearly?

If YES to both:

✅ Approve.

If NO to either:

❌ Reject.

Pro Validator Tips

• Listen once for clarity, again for accuracy.

• Trust guidelines over personal preference.

• Avoid over-rejecting borderline cases.
  
  

Common Voice succeeds because it reflects real people speaking naturally!

Use this decision flow when validating audio recordings.

Step 1: Does the speaker read the sentence exactly as written?

Check:

• Are all words present?

• Are the words in the correct order?

• Were any words added, skipped, or changed?

👉 YES → Continue
👉 NO → ❌ Reject

Step 2: Is the recording complete?

Check:

• Does the audio include the full sentence?

• Is the beginning or end cut off?

👉 YES → Continue
👉 NO → ❌ Reject

Step 3: Is the audio clear and understandable?

Ask:

• Can you understand the speaker without difficulty?

• Is background noise minimal?

• Is the audio free from heavy distortion?

👉 YES → Continue
👉 NO → ❌ Reject

Step 4: Are accent or pronunciation differences influencing your decision?

Important reminder:

• Accents are not errors.

• Dialects are valid.

• Natural speech variation is expected.

Ask:

• Can the recording still be understood clearly?

👉 YES → Continue
👉 NO (unintelligible) → ❌ Reject

Step 5: Is the speech natural?

Accept:

• Natural pacing

• Minor pauses

• Breathing sounds

Reject only if:

• Speech is unintelligible or clearly incorrect.

Final Decision

If all checks pass:

✅ Approve recording.

If any critical rule fails:

❌ Reject recording.

Use this decision flow when validating written sentences.

Step 1: Is the sentence complete and readable?

Check:

• Does it form a full sentence?

• Does it make grammatical sense?

👉 YES → Continue
👉 NO → ❌ Reject

Step 2: Does the sentence sound natural when spoken aloud?

Ask:

• Would a real person realistically say this?

• Is it easy to read aloud?

👉 YES → Continue
👉 NO → ❌ Reject

Step 3: Does the sentence contain restricted content?

Reject if it includes:

• Full names of private individuals

• Phone numbers, emails, addresses

• URLs or hashtags

• Offensive or inappropriate content

• References to violence, hate, or illegal activity

👉 If clean → Continue
👉 If restricted → ❌ Reject

Step 4: Is the language appropriate for a global audience?

Check:

• Neutral tone

• No sensitive or personal information

👉 YES → Continue
👉 NO → ❌ Reject

Final Decision

If all checks pass:

✅ Approve sentence.

If one or more critical rules fail:

❌ Reject sentence.