Coming in June 2023

We have created extensive exercises with each tag below so that you learn how to use them quickly, efficiently, and in different situations. You receive audio and video techniques that have rarely been used before.

With each tag, you will listen to an actual SSML sample and receive step-by-step instructions on how the SSML tag is used. Then, you have video tutorials that show you how to tag  sentences with SSML and what the words and sentences will sound like when you're done.

<break>

Used to add a pause to your text.

<lang>

Used to specify another language for a word, phrase, or sentence.

<mark>

Used to put a custom tag within the text.

<p>

Used to add a pause between paragraphs in text. Provides a longer pause than usually placed commas or the end of a sentence.

<phoneme>

Used to make Amazon Polly use phonetic pronunciation for specific text.

<parsody>

Used to control the volume, rate, or pitch of selected voice. Volume, speech rate, and pitch are dependent on the specific voice selected.

<s>

Used to add a pause between lines or sentences in your text. Same effect as ending a sentence with a period (.) or specifying a pause with <break strength="strong"/>

<say-as>

Used with the <interpret-as> attribute to tell Amazon Polly how to say certain characters, words, and numbers.

<speak>

The root element of all Amazon Polly SSML text. All SSML-enhanced text must be enclosed within a pair of <speak> tags. * Automatic tag when using our processor.

<sub>

Used with the alias attribute to substitute a different word (or pronunciation) for selected text, such as an acronym or abbreviation.

<w>

Used to customize the pronunciation of words by specifying the word’s part of speech or alternate meaning. Interprets simple verb or past tense or past participle.

<amazon:domain name="conversational">

Style available only for the Matthew or Joanna voices, which are available only in American English (en-US) in Neural format.

<amazon:domain name="news">

Newscaster style is available only for the Matthew or Joanna voices, which are available only in American English (en-US) in Neural format.

<amazon:effect name="drc">

The drc tag sets a midrange "loudness" threshold for your audio, and increases the volume (the gain) of the sounds around that threshold. It applies the greatest gain increase closest to the threshold, and the gain increase is lessened farther away from the threshold.