PURPOSE: To attain simply recognition by using a word having a standard pattern where the distance of similarity between an input pattern and the standard pattern is within a prescribed range as a recognition word candidate, displaying all or a part and selecting them.

CONSTITUTION: When a switch of a voice input section A is turned on and a talker utters a required word, it is converted into an input pattern by a recognition processing means 6 and the pattern is compared with the standard pattern registered in a storage section D. A collation circuit 5 outputs a signal representing the presence of recognition when the distance of the similarity between the both is within a prescribed range, all words having the standard pattern within a prescribed range are stored in a temporary storage section E and the order of candidate is decided. Then a word closest to the input word is displayed on a display section F as the 1st candidate succeedingly and touch switches 8, 9 are displayed at the corresponding position. When the 1st candidate word is coincident with the input word and the touch switch 8 is operated, a control section 8 outputs the code of the word to a CPU of a main processor G. When the word is not coincident with the inputted word and the touch switch 9 is operated, the 2nd candidate appears.