Clean Verbatim vs. Full Verbatim: The Definitive Guide
By: Transcriptionist.net Editorial Team | Last Updated: January 2026
This is the single most failed section of transcription application tests. Understanding the difference between clean verbatim and full verbatim transcription determines whether you pass Rev, GoTranscript, or any other platform's entrance exam.
What Is Verbatim Transcription?
Verbatim transcription means converting spoken audio into written text exactly as spoken. But "exactly" has two interpretations:
- Clean Verbatim: Capture the meaning while removing filler words, stutters, and false starts
- Full Verbatim: Capture every sound, including "ums," "uhs," stutters, and non-verbal sounds
Clean Verbatim (90% of General Transcription)
What to Remove
- Filler words: "um," "uh," "er," "hmm"
- Stutters: "I-I-I think" becomes "I think"
- False starts: "I went to the-- I mean I drove to the store" becomes "I drove to the store"
- Repetitions: "And, and, and then I left" becomes "And then I left"
- Non-verbal sounds: Coughs, throat clearing (unless relevant to context)
What to Keep
- Affirmations: "yeah," "yes," "right," "okay," "mm-hmm"
- Meaningful filler: "like" when used as a quotative ("And I was like, no way")
- Speaker tags: "you know," "I mean" when they carry meaning
- Emphasis words: "very very important" stays as-is
Clean Verbatim Example
Audio:
"So, um, I think that, uh, we should probably, like, start the meeting, you know, and, and go over the, the budget report."
Clean Verbatim Transcript:
So, I think that we should probably start the meeting, you know, and go over the budget report.
Full Verbatim (Legal, Research, Analysis)
What to Capture
- Every filler word: Every "um," "uh," "er"
- Every stutter: "I-I-I went"
- False starts: "I went to the-- I drove to the store"
- Repetitions: "And, and, and then"
- Non-verbal sounds: [coughs], [clears throat], [laughs]
- Crosstalk: [crosstalk] when speakers overlap
- Pauses: Long pauses marked as [pause] or [silence]
Full Verbatim Example
Audio:
"So, um, I think that, uh, we should probably, like, start the meeting, you know, and, and go over the, the budget report."
Full Verbatim Transcript:
So, um, I think that, uh, we should probably, like, start the meeting, you know, and, and go over the, the budget report.
Common Mistakes That Fail Application Tests
Mistake 1: Removing "like" and "you know"
Wrong: "I was no way."
Right: "I was like, no way."
Explanation: "Like" as a quotative (introducing speech) should be kept. Only remove "like" when it's pure filler: "It was, like, really cold" → "It was really cold."
Mistake 2: Not Marking Affirmative Sounds
Wrong: [Silence where speaker says "mm-hmm"]
Right: "Mm-hmm."
Explanation: "Mm-hmm" (affirmative), "uh-huh" (yes), and "mm-mm" (negative) are meaningful and must be transcribed in clean verbatim.
Mistake 3: Cleaning Full Verbatim Requests
Scenario: Legal deposition requires full verbatim
Wrong: "I think he left around 5 PM."
Right: "I, uh, I think he, um, he left around, like, 5 PM."
Explanation: Always read instructions. Legal and research transcripts often require full verbatim to analyze speech patterns or credibility.
Platform-Specific Style Guides
Rev.com
- Default: Clean verbatim
- Remove: um, uh, stutters, false starts
- Keep: "like" (when quotative), "you know," "I mean"
- Special: Mark inaudible as [inaudible HH:MM:SS]
GoTranscript
- Default: Full verbatim
- Keep: All filler words, stutters, false starts
- Mark: [crosstalk], [inaudible], [silence]
- Special: Speaker labels must match exactly: [Speaker 1]
TranscribeMe
- Default: Clean verbatim
- Remove: Filler words, repetitions
- Keep: Affirmations (yeah, mm-hmm)
- Special: Use strict timestamp format [MM:SS]
Practice Exercise
Transcribe the following audio in both clean and full verbatim:
Audio:
"And, um, so I, I told him that, you know, we couldn't, like, we couldn't really, uh, approve the, the budget without, um, without getting, you know, approval from, from finance first."
Clean Verbatim Answer:
And so I told him that, you know, we couldn't really approve the budget without getting approval from finance first.
Full Verbatim Answer:
And, um, so I, I told him that, you know, we couldn't, like, we couldn't really, uh, approve the, the budget without, um, without getting, you know, approval from, from finance first.
Quick Reference Chart
| Element | Clean Verbatim | Full Verbatim |
|---|---|---|
| "um," "uh," "er" | ❌ Remove | ✅ Keep |
| Stutters ("I-I-I") | ❌ Remove | ✅ Keep |
| False starts | ❌ Remove | ✅ Keep |
| "yeah," "mm-hmm" | ✅ Keep | ✅ Keep |
| "like" (quotative) | ✅ Keep | ✅ Keep |
| "like" (filler) | ❌ Remove | ✅ Keep |
| "you know," "I mean" | ✅ Keep (usually) | ✅ Keep |
| Coughs, throat clearing | ❌ Remove (unless relevant) | ✅ Mark as [coughs] |
Key Takeaways
- Always read the style guide before starting any transcription job
- When in doubt, lean toward clean verbatim unless instructions say otherwise
- Practice both styles to build flexibility
- Legal and academic transcripts almost always require full verbatim
- Corporate, podcast, and media transcripts usually want clean verbatim
Practice Your Skills
Test your clean vs. full verbatim skills with our practice audio files.
Go to Practice Lab →Apply to Platforms
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