A method for processing a received set of speech data, wherein the received set of speech data comprises an utterance, the method comprising: executing a process to generate a plurality of confidence scores, wherein each of the plurality of confidence scores is associated with one of a plurality of candidate utterances; determining a plurality of difference values, each of the plurality of difference values comprising a difference between two of the plurality of confidence scores, by: calculating difference values between sequential pairs of the plurality of confidence scores that are positioned in sequential order from the highest confidence score to the lowest confidence score, wherein the plurality of difference values comprise the difference values; comparing the plurality of difference values to determine a disparity, wherein-the disparity comprises a gap between two of the plurality of difference values that does not exist between a remainder of the plurality of difference values, wherein the plurality of difference values consists of the two and the remainder; and when the disparity is greater than a disparity threshold comprising a minimum value for the disparity at which certainty is associated with one of the plurality of candidate utterances, associating certainty with the one of the plurality of candidate utterances, based on the disparity being associated with the one of the plurality of candidate utterances and the disparity being greater than the disparity threshold; identifying a correct candidate utterance associated with one of the plurality of confidence scores, based on the associated certainty; and completing a task associated with the correct candidate utterance. executing a process to generate a plurality of confidence scores, wherein each of the plurality of confidence scores is associated with one of a plurality of candidate utterances; determining a plurality of difference values, each of the plurality of difference values comprising a difference between two of the plurality of confidence scores, by: calculating difference values between sequential pairs of the plurality of confidence scores that are positioned in sequential order from the highest confidence score to the lowest confidence score, wherein the plurality of difference values comprise the difference values; comparing the plurality of difference values to determine a disparity, wherein-the disparity comprises a gap between two of the plurality of difference values that does not exist between a remainder of the plurality of difference values, wherein the plurality of difference values consists of the two and the remainder; and when the disparity is greater than a disparity threshold comprising a minimum value for the disparity at which certainty is associated with one of the plurality of candidate utterances, associating certainty with the one of the plurality of candidate utterances, based on the disparity being associated with the one of the plurality of candidate utterances and the disparity being greater than the disparity threshold; identifying a correct candidate utterance associated with one of the plurality of confidence scores, based on the associated certainty; and completing a task associated with the correct candidate utterance. associating certainty with the one of the plurality of candidate utterances, based on the disparity being associated with the one of the plurality of candidate utterances and the disparity being greater than the disparity threshold; identifying a correct candidate utterance associated with one of the plurality of confidence scores, based on the associated certainty; and completing a task associated with the correct candidate utterance.