is there a way to improve the dictate function on my iPhone 12?

You may try some of these steps, please check after each step...

1. Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve temporary software glitches. Turn off your iPhone, wait for a few seconds, and then turn it back on.
   1. Restart the device. That's it.
   2. Still not solved --> Force restart iPhone - Apple Support
2. Dictation requires an internet connection to work properly. Make sure your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data.
3. Ensure that dictation is enabled on your iPhone. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard, then make sure the "Enable Dictation" option is turned on.
4. Make sure the language you're trying to dictate in is supported by the dictation feature. You can check and change the language settings in Settings > General > Language & Region.
5. Ensure that the app you're using for dictation has permission to access the microphone. Go to Settings > Privacy > Microphone, then make sure the toggle switch next to the app is enabled.
6. Reset Keyboard Dictionary: Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset, then select "Reset Keyboard Dictionary." This will reset any custom words you've added but may resolve issues with dictation.
7. Reset Network Settings: Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings: Only network settings are removed.
   1. When you reset network settings, previously used networks and VPN settings that weren’t installed by a configuration profile or mobile device management (MDM) are removed. Wi-Fi is turned off and then back on, disconnecting you from any network you’re on. The Wi-Fi and Ask to Join Networks settings remain turned on.
   2. To remove VPN settings installed by a configuration profile, go to Settings > General > Profiles & Device Management, select the configuration profile, then tap Remove Profile. This also removes other settings and accounts provided by the profile. See Install or remove configuration profiles on iPhone in this guide.
   3. To remove network settings installed by MDM, go to Settings > General > Profiles & Device Management, select the management, then tap Remove Management. This also removes other settings and certificates provided by MDM. See “Mobile device management (MDM)” in the iOS Deployment Reference.
   4. Reset your Network Settings. Tap Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. This also resets Wi-Fi networks and passwords, cellular settings, and VPN and APN settings that you've used before.
   5. 
8. If the issue persists, you can try resetting all settings on your iPhone. This will not erase your data but will reset all personalized settings to their default values. Go to Settings > General > Transfer & Reset > Reset > Reset All Settings and confirm the action. Note that you will need to reconfigure your settings afterward. All settings—including network settings, the keyboard dictionary, the Home screen layout, location settings, privacy settings, and Apple Pay cards—are removed or reset to their defaults. No data or media are deleted.
   1. Reset All Settings: Return iPhone settings to their defaults - Apple Support:- Return iPhone settings to their defaults
   2. You can return settings to their defaults without erasing your content.
   3. If you want to save your settings, back up your iPhone before returning them to their defaults. For example, if you’re trying to solve a problem but returning settings to their defaults doesn’t help, you might want to restore your previous settings from a backup.
   4. 
9. Make sure you have the latest updates installed.
   1. Update Over-the-Air (OTA) —> Update your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support (IN)
   2. Update using iTunes/Finder —> Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (IN)

If none of the above steps resolve the issue, it is recommended to reach out to Apple Support or visit an authorized service center for further assistance. They can provide specific guidance based on your device model and iOS version.

I have used an example of "Kruse" instead of "cruise"

If your iPhone dictation consistently types "Kruse" instead of "cruise", here's how you can correct it:

1. Train the Dictation System
   1. Use dictation in a text field (like Messages or Notes) and say "cruise."
   2. When it types "Kruse," manually edit it to "cruise."
   3. Repeat this a few times. Over time, the dictation system may learn your preference.
2. Add a Text Replacement
   1. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement.
   2. Tap the + button to add a new replacement.
   3. In the Phrase field, type "cruise."
   4. In the Shortcut field, type "Kruse."
   5. Now, whenever "Kruse" is mistakenly typed, it will autocorrect to "cruise."
3. Check Contact Names: (Since K is typed in Capital)
   1. If "Kruse" is a contact in your address book, the system might prioritize it.
   2. Go to Contacts and check for any entries named "Kruse." If it's not needed, consider editing or removing it.
4. Reset Keyboard Dictionary
   1. If the problem persists, resetting the keyboard dictionary can help:
   2. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Keyboard Dictionary.
   3. Confirm the reset. Note that this will erase all custom words learned by the keyboard.
5. Test Siri and Enable Siri Pronunciation Feedback
6. If "Kruse" is related to Siri misunderstanding you, you can provide feedback:
   1. 1. Ask Siri, "Who is Kruse?"
      2. If Siri shows the incorrect suggestion, say, "That's not how you pronounce 'cruise.'"
7. Follow the prompts to correct the pronunciation.

The takeaway, Siri learns fast!

Since you have not provided any concrete example of what is used in place of what I am guessing many things and attempting to explain with my examples.

Where Siri types "some thing" instead of "something," could be attributed to how the speech recognition system parses and interprets the audio input. It's possible that Siri's algorithms may occasionally encounter difficulty in accurately distinguishing between the separate words and instead interpret them as two distinct words.

The accuracy and performance of voice dictation can be influenced by contextual factors. Context plays a significant role in speech recognition systems as they rely on patterns, language models, and statistical algorithms to interpret spoken words.

Contextual factors that can impact the accuracy of voice dictation include:

1. Words that sound similar but have different spellings and meanings can lead to errors in transcription. For example, "some" and "sum" or "thing" and "think" might be misinterpreted due to their similar pronunciation.
2. The structure and grammar of a sentence can affect how speech recognition systems interpret and transcribe spoken words. Unusual or complex sentence structures, grammatical errors, or incorrect word order can potentially lead to transcription errors.
3. Voice recognition systems may have a predefined vocabulary and be trained on specific language models. If you use domain-specific or technical terms that are not part of the system's training data, it might struggle to accurately transcribe those words.
4. Different users may have distinct speech patterns, accents, or pronunciation, which can affect the accuracy of voice dictation. Speech recognition systems typically adapt and improve over time by learning from individual user data.

It's worth noting that advancements in machine learning and artificial intelligence have enabled voice recognition systems to become more contextually aware. These systems utilize deep learning techniques and large datasets to improve accuracy by considering broader linguistic and contextual information.

However, despite advancements, speech recognition systems can still occasionally make errors, and the accuracy can vary depending on the specific implementation, device, and software version. Regular iOS updates may improve performance and address common issues.

This has been happening to me too. I tried the recommendations, but the problem is the update. This was not a problem three months ago. It is so frustrating now. It literally ends a sentence halfway through a sentence with a period, then it starts a new sentence with the word and. It’s literally the middle of a sentence. This was not an issue before. This is not a then it starts a new sentence with the word and. It’s literally the middle of a sentence. This was not an issue before. This is not an issue with it learning this is an issue with the update. When I say question mark, it literally writes the word question mark. This is only happening with my iPhone 13 mini. Part of me feels like Apple did this on purpose because they want me to get rid of this phone and buy a new one. Unfortunately, it is the only small phone they have and they’re not planning on making another small phone so either I’m stuck with this conspiracy or maybe Apple will to fix the glitch.

This discussion thread by another user has a solution, please see if that helps --> Dictation Not Working - Apple Community