Telephone and Reception Skills Course: Spelling names, numbers and email addresses

1. Question 1 of 17

   Why is a phonetic alphabet useful on the phone?

   • AIt makes every phone call shorter and cheaper
   • BLetters like B, D, P and T sound alike
   • CIt turns letters into numbers that are easier to type
   • DIt is only needed for names from other countries
   Show answer

   Answer: B. Letters like B, D, P and T sound alike

   Letters like B, D, P and T, or M and N, are easy to mix up on the phone. Code words make each letter clear.

2. Question 2 of 17

   In the NATO phonetic alphabet, which word stands for J?

   • AJasper
   • BJaguar
   • CJupiter
   • DJuliett
   Show answer

   Answer: D. Juliett

   J is Juliett. NATO spells it with two Ts.

3. Question 3 of 17

   How does NATO spell the phonetic alphabet word for the letter A?

   • AAble
   • BAlfa
   • CApple
   • DAlpha
   Show answer

   Answer: B. Alfa

   NATO spells the word Alfa, with an F, so people who speak other languages pronounce it correctly.

4. Question 4 of 17

   A caller spells her last name: Romeo, Echo, India, Delta. What is her last name?

   • ARIED
   • BREED
   • CREID
   • DREAD
   Show answer

   Answer: C. REID

   Romeo = R, Echo = E, India = I, Delta = D, so the name is REID.

5. Question 5 of 17

   How do you spell the name BAO with the NATO phonetic alphabet?

   • ABoy, Apple, Orange
   • BBravo, Alfa, Omega
   • CBeta, Alfa, Oscar
   • DBravo, Alfa, Oscar
   Show answer

   Answer: D. Bravo, Alfa, Oscar

   B is Bravo, A is Alfa and O is Oscar in the NATO phonetic alphabet.

6. Question 6 of 17

   According to the federal Translation Bureau, which is the recommended way to write a Canadian phone number?

   • A403.555.0147
   • B403-555-0147
   • C4035550147
   • D(403) 555-0147
   Show answer

   Answer: B. 403-555-0147

   The Translation Bureau recommends hyphens after the area code and between groups of digits, without parentheses.

7. Question 7 of 17

   Why does the Translation Bureau no longer recommend parentheses around the area code?

   • AParentheses show that the number is a fax line
   • BArea codes now use letters instead of numbers
   • CParentheses are hard to type on a phone or on a computer keyboard
   • DArea codes are now needed in most places, even for local calls
   Show answer

   Answer: D. Area codes are now needed in most places, even for local calls

   Parentheses once showed the area code was optional. It is now required in most of Canada, even for local calls.

8. Question 8 of 17

   How should a toll-free number be written?

   • A1.800.555.0110
   • B1800-5550110
   • C1 (800) 555-0110
   • D1-800-555-0110
   Show answer

   Answer: D. 1-800-555-0110

   The Translation Bureau uses the same hyphen style for toll-free numbers: 1-800-555-0110.

9. Question 9 of 17

   What is the clearest way to say the phone number 587-555-0193?

   • ADigit by digit in three groups, with a short pause between groups
   • BAs three big numbers: five hundred eighty-seven, and so on
   • CIn pairs of two digits: fifty-eight, seventy-five, and so on
   • DAll ten digits as fast as possible without any pauses
   Show answer

   Answer: A. Digit by digit in three groups, with a short pause between groups

   Say each digit separately and pause between the 3-3-4 groups. This matches how the number is written.

10. Question 10 of 17

    A caller says the meeting room is number fifteen. What is the best way to confirm it?

    • AWrite both 15 and 50 on the message
    • BAsk, "Is that one-five, fifteen?"
    • CAsk the caller to repeat it more loudly
    • DWrite down 50, since it sounds about the same
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Ask, "Is that one-five, fifteen?"

    Numbers like 15 and 50 sound alike. Saying the digits one by one removes the doubt.

11. Question 11 of 17

    How should you say the email address d_kaur@example.ca aloud?

    • A"d kaur, at example, c-a"
    • B"d, line, kaur, example dot c-a"
    • C"d, dash, kaur, at example dot c-a"
    • D"d, underscore, kaur, at example dot c-a"
    Show answer

    Answer: D. "d, underscore, kaur, at example dot c-a"

    Say every symbol: underscore (_), at (@) and dot (.). An underscore and a dash are different characters.

12. Question 12 of 17

    How does the Translation Bureau recommend writing half past two in the afternoon?

    • A2.30pm
    • B14:30 p.m.
    • C2:30 p.m.
    • D2:30 PM in the afternoon
    Show answer

    Answer: C. 2:30 p.m.

    Write a.m. and p.m. in lower case with periods and a space after the numbers. Do not mix p.m. with the 24-hour clock or with "afternoon".

13. Question 13 of 17

    To avoid mixing up 12 a.m. and 12 p.m., what does the Translation Bureau recommend?

    • AUse the 24-hour clock or write noon or midnight
    • BAlways write 12 a.m. when you mean noon
    • CWrite only 12:00 and let the reader decide
    • DLeave the time off messages near noon
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Use the 24-hour clock or write noon or midnight

    Using the 24-hour clock (12:00, 00:00) or the words noon and midnight removes the confusion.

14. Question 14 of 17

    You have written down a caller's name and number. What should you do next?

    • ARead them back to the caller to check them
    • BLook the caller up online to check the spelling
    • CAsk the caller to call again later to confirm
    • DGuess the spelling and fix it later if needed
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Read them back to the caller to check them

    Reading details back lets the caller catch mistakes right away.

15. Question 15 of 17

    Listen. What is the caller's last name?

    Play audioListen, then answer. The transcript is shown after you answer.

    No sound? Read the text instead

    Receptionist: Could you spell your last name for me, please?
    Caller: Sure. Papa, Hotel, Alfa, Mike.

    • AFAM
    • BPHAN
    • CBHAM
    • DPHAM
    Show answer

    Answer: D. PHAM

    Papa = P, Hotel = H, Alfa = A, Mike = M, so the name is PHAM.

    Transcript

    Receptionist: Could you spell your last name for me, please?
    Caller: Sure. Papa, Hotel, Alfa, Mike.

16. Question 16 of 17

    Listen. What is the caller's phone number?

    Play audioListen, then answer. The transcript is shown after you answer.

    No sound? Read the text instead

    Caller: You can reach me at four zero three, five five five, zero one six two.
    Receptionist: Let me read that back. Four zero three, five five five, zero one six two.
    Caller: That's right.

    • A430-555-0162
    • B403-555-0162
    • C403-555-0126
    • D403-555-0612
    Show answer

    Answer: B. 403-555-0162

    The caller and the receptionist both say four zero three, five five five, zero one six two.

    Transcript

    Caller: You can reach me at four zero three, five five five, zero one six two.
    Receptionist: Let me read that back. Four zero three, five five five, zero one six two.
    Caller: That's right.

17. Question 17 of 17

    Listen. What is the caller's email address?

    Play audioListen, then answer. The transcript is shown after you answer.

    No sound? Read the text instead

    Caller: My email is s dot okafor at northgate dot c-a. Okafor is spelled O, K, A, F, O, R.
    Receptionist: Thank you. So that's s dot okafor at northgate dot c-a.

    • Asokafor@northgate.ca
    • Bs.okafor@northgate.ca
    • Cs.okafor@northgate.com
    • Ds_okafor@northgate.ca
    Show answer

    Answer: B. s.okafor@northgate.ca

    The caller says "s dot okafor at northgate dot c-a", so there is a dot after the s and the ending is .ca.

    Transcript

    Caller: My email is s dot okafor at northgate dot c-a. Okafor is spelled O, K, A, F, O, R.
    Receptionist: Thank you. So that's s dot okafor at northgate dot c-a.

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