Cortana cannot speak English!

1. At the moment, with language and keyboard both set to English UK my keyboard is screwed up, for example
@@@@@@ prints as """""""""
########## as ££££££££££
pipe as ~~~~~~~~~~ (I have not found what key is pipe yet)
"""""""""""" as @@@@@@
___________ as ---------------
I have not found a key to print backslash. I may discover other anomalies.


I dont want this. The only way I have found to stop it is to set keyboard to English USA.


2. At the moment Cortana is behaving, but she changes her mind every so often and suddenly decides to tell me that she cannot function until I change settings to a language she can speak, and that does not include English UK or English US! It was this aberation a few days ago that prompted me to post about my dilemma


3. I have been told to set the Speech language to English UK but to ensure it is also set as the default --- so far I have not found where to do that although I have tried to follow the directions.. The Download option which I am told can be found by clicking Speech has not appeared for me. I know that somewhere there is a list of options to which English UK can be set, because a little while ago I saw it briefly. But I have not been able to get back to that page despite repeatedly trying.


I will continue to try, though it has involved a lot of repetition of actions which I have foundd to be fruitless. Meanwhile I will set my keyboard back to English US again so I can use my keyboard correctly.

clayto,
.................3. I have been told to set the Speech language to English UK but to ensure it is also set as the default........................

I did not tell you to set Speech, English (United Kingdom) to default.
I said set Language, English (united Kingdom) to default :
Country & Region.......................................United Kingdom
Language ....................................................... English (United Kingdom) Make sure it is set as default.
Speech ............................................................ English (United Kingdom)

See screenshots on how I did on my computer..............

In Control Panel, Language, English UK, Options I do not find "other keyboard layouts". There is just one for English UK or so it says, but it is not much like my physical KB layout --- see below --- for example # is in the wrong place, there is no \ o r@ and no computer keys; and there is one KB for English US which is also not much like my KB but I do find the Board works almost correctly as US (and up to now I have not found any other that works correctly). One small irritation apart from Cortana periodically becoming awkward ist that the KB gets switched back to UK automatically often, sometimes only minutes since I have selected US. It is only a minor problem because I have learned how to switch back very quickly.