diff --git a/bot.cpp b/bot.cpp
index f4bd08c..499eed9 100644
--- a/bot.cpp
+++ b/bot.cpp
@@ -27,11 +27,10 @@ bool MarkovChain::process_string(std::string& message) {
         }
     }
 
-    message += " MESSAGE_END";
-
     return false;
 }
 
+
 std::vector<std::string> MarkovChain::split_string(std::string message) {
     std::istringstream ss(message);
 
@@ -43,11 +42,12 @@ std::vector<std::string> MarkovChain::split_string(std::string message) {
     return words;
 }
 
-bool MarkovChain::add_ngrams(std::string message) {
+std::vector<std::vector<std::string>> MarkovChain::get_words(std::string message) {
     this->process_string(message);
 
     std::vector<std::string> words (split_string(message));
 
+    std::vector<std::vector<std::string>> import;
 
     for (int i = 0; i < words.size(); i++) {
         if (i >= order) {
@@ -58,11 +58,11 @@ bool MarkovChain::add_ngrams(std::string message) {
                 add_words.push_back(words[j]);
             }
 
-            markov.add_ngrams(add_words);
+            import.push_back(add_words);
         }
     }
 
-    return false;
+    return import;
 }
 
 
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ std::string MarkovChain::continue_message(std::string message, int &score) {
     std::cout << "Using seed: ";
     for (auto x: newwords) 
         std::cout << " " << x;
+
     std::cout << "\n";
 
     std::string ret = markov.get_continuation(newwords, score);
@@ -95,6 +96,7 @@ std::string MarkovChain::continue_message(std::string message, int &score) {
     return ret;
 }
 
+
 std::string TelegramBotM::get_token() {
     using namespace std;
     fstream ftoken;
@@ -117,8 +119,9 @@ void TelegramBotM::add_echo() {
 
         try {
             markov.add_ngrams(message_text);
-        } catch (std::exception &e) {
-            std::cout << "Error adding ngram: " << e.what() << std::endl;
+        } catch (char const * e) {
+            std::cout << "Error adding ngram: " << e << std::endl;
+            return;
         }
 
         //if (replies && rand() % replies != 1) {
@@ -129,7 +132,6 @@ void TelegramBotM::add_echo() {
         std::string reply;
 
         reply = markov.continue_message(message_text, score);
-        std::cout << "Reply generated: " << reply << std::endl;
 
         if (reply == "") {
             return;
@@ -148,24 +150,56 @@ void TelegramBotM::add_echo() {
   });
 }
 
-int import_from_file(std::string filename, MarkovChain &m) {
+
+bool MarkovChain::add_ngrams(std::string message) {
+
+    process_string(message);
+    std::vector<std::vector<std::string>> add_words(get_words(message));
+
+    if (markov.batch_add_ngrams(add_words))
+        throw "Failed to add ngrams";
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+
+int MarkovChain::import_from_file(std::string filename) {
 
     std::ifstream infile(filename);
 
     int i = 0;
     std::string line;
+    std::vector<std::vector<std::string>> imports(0);
+
     while(std::getline(infile, line)) {
-        m.add_ngrams(line);
-        std::cout << "\radded " << ++i << " lines.";
+
+        this->process_string(line);
+        std::vector<std::vector<std::string>> add_words(get_words(line));
+
+        imports.insert(imports.end(), 
+                    std::make_move_iterator(add_words.begin()), 
+                    std::make_move_iterator(add_words.end()));
+
+        i++;
+        if (i % 21 == 0) {
+            std::cout << "\rread " << i << " lines." << std::flush;
+        }
     }
 
+    std::cout << "\nImporting...\n" << std::flush;
+
+    if (markov.batch_add_ngrams(imports))
+        return 1;
+    
+    std::cout << "imported " << imports.size() << " ngrams.\n" << std::flush;
+
     return 0;
 }
 
 struct options {
     std::string filename = "markov.sqlite";
     std::string tablename = "markov";
-    int order = 2;
+    int order = 1;
     std::string importname = "";
     bool run_bot = true;
 };
@@ -203,7 +237,6 @@ struct options parse_args(int argc, char ** argv) {
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv) {
-
     struct options opts = parse_args(argc, argv);
 
     SQLiteMarkov db = SQLiteMarkov(opts.order, opts.filename, opts.tablename); 
@@ -223,8 +256,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
         while(std::getline(std::cin, line)) {
             if (line.size() > 0) {
                 if (std::tolower(line[0]) == 'y') {
-                    std::cout << "Importing...\n";
-                    if (import_from_file(opts.importname, m)) {
+                    if (m.import_from_file(opts.importname)) {
                         std::cerr << "Failed import." << std::endl;
                     }
                     break;
diff --git a/bot.h b/bot.h
index 8986151..a1dcc4c 100644
--- a/bot.h
+++ b/bot.h
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ class MarkovDB {
         virtual bool add_ngrams(std::vector<std::string> words) = 0; 
         virtual std::string get_continuation(std::vector<std::string> prompt, int &score) = 0; 
         virtual ~MarkovDB() {}
+        virtual bool batch_add_ngrams(std::vector<std::vector<std::string>> batch) = 0;
 };
 
 class MarkovChain {
@@ -36,10 +37,15 @@ class MarkovChain {
         MarkovChain (int ord, bool lower, MarkovDB &db) 
             : markov(db), MAKE_LOWER(lower), order(ord) {;
         };
+        
+        int import_from_file(std::string filename); 
+
+        std::vector<std::vector<std::string>> get_words(std::string message); 
 
         virtual ~MarkovChain() {};
 };
 
+
 class Bot {
     protected:
         MarkovChain markov;
@@ -52,6 +58,7 @@ class Bot {
         ~Bot() {};
 };
 
+
 class TelegramBotM: public Bot {
     protected:
         std::string api_key = "";
diff --git a/sqlite_markov.h b/sqlite_markov.h
index 4e94312..3759af1 100644
--- a/sqlite_markov.h
+++ b/sqlite_markov.h
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "SQLiteCpp/Database.h"
 #include <SQLiteCpp/SQLiteCpp.h>
 #include <memory>
+#include "SQLiteCpp/Transaction.h"
 #include "bot.h"
 
 class SQLiteMarkov: public MarkovDB {
@@ -13,8 +14,7 @@ class SQLiteMarkov: public MarkovDB {
         const std::string TABLE_NAME = "markov";
 
         const std::string INSERT_STATEMENT = get_insert_statement_string();
-        const std::string UPDATE_STATEMENT = get_update_statement_string();
-        const std::string QUERY_STATEMENT = get_select_statement_string();
+        const std::string UPDATE_STATEMENT = get_update_statement_string(); const std::string QUERY_STATEMENT = get_select_statement_string();
 
         std::shared_ptr<SQLite::Database> data;
 
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ class SQLiteMarkov: public MarkovDB {
                 + fp;
         }
 
+
         std::unique_ptr<SQLite::Database> open_db() {
             try {
                 return std::unique_ptr<SQLite::Database>(new 
@@ -72,8 +73,7 @@ class SQLiteMarkov: public MarkovDB {
             }
             ins += " )\n);";
 
-            // run create table instruction
-            SQLite::Transaction transaction(*data);
+            SQLite::Transaction transaction (*data);
             data->exec(ins);
             transaction.commit();
 
@@ -228,7 +228,6 @@ class SQLiteMarkov: public MarkovDB {
         }
 
         std::cout << "No matches found" << std::endl;
-        throw "No next word found";
         return "";
     }
 
@@ -238,7 +237,6 @@ class SQLiteMarkov: public MarkovDB {
     }
 
     public:
-
         SQLiteMarkov(int ord, std::string dbname, std::string table): 
             order(ord),
             db_filename(dbname),
@@ -263,7 +261,10 @@ class SQLiteMarkov: public MarkovDB {
             Initialise_Data();
         }
 
+        virtual ~SQLiteMarkov() {};
+
         bool add_ngrams(std::vector<std::string> words) override {
+
             // assertions?
             if (words.size() > order + 1) {
                 return true;
@@ -278,15 +279,36 @@ class SQLiteMarkov: public MarkovDB {
             return add_to_db(words);
         }
 
+        bool batch_add_ngrams(std::vector<std::vector<std::string>> batch) 
+            override {
+
+            SQLite::Transaction transaction(*data);
+
+            for (auto ngram: batch) {
+                add_ngrams(ngram);
+            }
+
+            transaction.commit();
+
+            return 0;
+        }
+
     std::string get_continuation(std::vector<std::string> prompt, int &score) 
         override {
-        std::string new_words = "";
+        std::stringstream ss;
+        for (int i=0; i < prompt.size(); i++) {
+            ss << " " << prompt[i];
+        }
+
+        std::string new_words = ss.str();
         std::vector<std::string> words(prompt);
+
         int count = 0;
         score = 0;
 
         do {
-            std::string next_word = "invalid";
+            std::string next_word = "throwaway";
+
             try {
                 int total;
                 next_word = get_next_word(words, total);
@@ -297,14 +319,12 @@ class SQLiteMarkov: public MarkovDB {
                 break;
             }
 
-            if (next_word == "MESSAGE_END") {
-                break;
-            }
-
             new_words += " " + next_word;
             std::regex end_punc("[\\.\\?\\!]");
 
-            if (std::regex_search(std::to_string(next_word.back()), end_punc)) {
+            if (next_word.size() == 0 
+                    || std::regex_search(std::to_string(next_word.back()), 
+                        end_punc)) {
                 break;
             }
 
@@ -314,6 +334,9 @@ class SQLiteMarkov: public MarkovDB {
 
         } while (count < MAX_REPLY_LENGTH);
 
-        return new_words;
+        if (count > 0)
+            return new_words;
+        else 
+            return "";
     }
 };