Good communication is an important skill at work and correct spelling is part of it. Even if your other skills are very good, spelling mistakes can create the wrong impression. What’s acceptable in a mobile phone text message is not when writing in the workplace. And lots of words sound the same but have different meanings, so it’s not always easy to know the right one to use. Can you spot all the errors in this Doctor Who story? It was a bizzy morning at the BBC Learning Centre. Suddenly a Dalek appeared at the door. There was a screem from a young woman as it past her and rolled 2wards the desk. "You…will…tell…us…wot…we…need…to…no," said the Dalek. The staff were as scarred as the rest of the peeple in the room, but one of them was brave enuff to reply. "We will if we can," said Steve. "We are hear to help everyone who visits us, after all." The Dalek replied:
"You…must…show…us…how…to …use…the…intonet.
We…need…2…contact…our…home…planit…" Steve smiled. "Yes, that's sumthing we CAN do," he said. "Our BBC Webwise coarse is what you nead." As he led the Dalek to a computer the door opened again and too people rushed in - the Doctor and his frend Rose. "Kwick, we haven't got much time," shouted the Doctor. Outside in Eastgate Street the Tardis could be seen standing on a dubble yellow line. A trafick warden was standing next to it, scratching his hed. The Doctor went on: "The Daleks have landed in the Docks and one was seen coming this way. Has any1 seen it?” Rose nudged him and pointed to the Dalek standing bye Steve at a comupter. Steve lookd up. "Panic over," he said. "The Dalek has explaned. "A seagull broke the sattelite link on there spaceship by doing what seagulls do … all over the solar battery. I showed the Dalek how to send a msg home by emale and the ship will take off as soon as a knew battery gets here." The Doctor grinned. "That's wy I am here," he said. "I picked up the email and I have the rite battery in the Tardis. It's my job to make shore Daleks spend as little time on Earth as possible. So come along now." The Dalek followed the Doctor and Rose out of the Learning Centre.
Then the door opened agen. This time TV star Alan Titchmarsh came in. "I'm looking for the Gloucester Walk Threw Time," he said. "I woz told it starts here." "That's what's gr8 about the BBC Learning Centre," said Steve. "You never know WHO you will sea here next!" Answers The story has 40 errors. The correct spellings are in capitals below. It was a BUSY morning at the BBC Learning Centre. Then a Dalek appeared at the door. There was a SCREAM from a young woman as it PASSED her and rolled TOWARDS the desk.
"You…will…tell…us…WHAT…we…need…to…know," said the Dalek.
The staff were as SCARED as the rest of the people in the room, but one of them was brave ENOUGH to reply.
"We will if we can," said Steve. "We are HERE to help everyone who visits us, after all."
The Dalek replied:
"You…must…show…us…how…to …use…the…INTERNET.
We…need…TO…contact our…home…PLANET…"
Steve smiled. "Yes, that's SOMETHING we can do," he said. "Our BBC Webwise COURSE is what you NEED."
As he led the Dalek to a computer the door opened again and TWO people rushed in - the Doctor and his FRIEND Rose.
"QUICK, we haven't got much time," shouted the Doctor. Outside in Eastgate Street the Tardis could be seen standing on a DOUBLE yellow line. A TRAFFIC warden was standing next to it, scratching his HEAD.
The Doctor went on: "The Daleks have landed in the Docks and one was seen coming this way. Has ANYONE seen it?”
Rose nudged him and pointed to the Dalek standing BY Steve at a COMPUTER.
Steve LOOKED up. "Panic over," he said. "The Dalek has EXPLAINED.
"A seagull broke the SATELLITE link on THEIR spaceship by doing what seagulls do … all over the solar battery. I showed the Dalek how to send a MESSAGE home by EMAIL and the ship will take off as soon as a NEW battery gets here."
The Doctor grinned. "That's WHY I am here," he said. "I picked up the email and I have the RIGHT battery in the Tardis. It's my job to make SURE Daleks spend as little time on Earth as possible. So come along now."
The Dalek followed the Doctor and Rose out of the Learning Centre.
Then the door opened AGAIN.
This time TV star Alan Titchmarsh came in. "I'm looking for the Gloucester Walk THROUGH Time," he said. "I WAS told it starts here."
"That's what's GREAT about the BBC Learning Centre," said Steve. "You never know Who you will SEE here next!" How well did you do? If you spotted all 40 errors, well done! If you noticed 30 or less you could benefit from a Skillswise course at the BBC Learning Centre. We can design an individual learning plan with fun exercises like this Doctor Who story tailored precisely to the skills YOU want to focus on – spelling, punctuation, grammar, vocabulary and more. If numbers tie you up in knots BBC Skillswise can also help you with maths. Courses are free, flexible, and you can even work towards a literacy or numeracy qualification that employers recognise as equivalent to an English or Maths GCSE. Or improve your confidence in speaking and listening skills at a BBC RaW Stories workshop. Find out more about Skillswise and RaW Stories at the BBC Learning Centre – call in or telephone 01452 418180. | 
