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Jobs

A2/B1

Discuss with your partner:

Can you name a job starting with each letter of the alphabet? e.g. a=actor, b=builder ...

Jobs

WHAT DO YOU DO?

VOCABULARY Talking about jobs
Which of the jobs in the box can you see in the photos? Check you understand the other jobs.
actor
engineer
journalist
lawyer
nurse
photographer
pilot
police officer
politician
sales manager
scientist
soldier
PRONUNCIATION
🔊 Listen to the words in Exercise 1. Notice how the stress is stronger on one syllable than on the others. Underline the stressed syllable in each word. Then listen again and repeat.

actor
Work in groups. Discuss these questions.

Do you know anyone who does any of the jobs in Exercise 1?
Which of the jobs would you like to do? Why?
Are there any of these jobs you could never do? Why not?

4. Look at the sentence beginnings in bold in 1–6. Match each sentence with a pair of alternative endings (a-f).

I work in a local hospital.

I work late most nights.

I work for Henning and Schmidt. It's a big law firm.

I'm working on a project for my class.

I'm doing work experience in a school at the moment.

I run my own company.

a. a new product. / a new film.
b. a local paper. / myself.
c. a primary school. / the marketing department.
d. nights. / very long hours.
e. some research. / a training course.
f. a hotel. / my own studio.

5. Work in pairs.

Student A: Imagine you have a job in Exercise 1. Say something about the job using language from Exercise 4.

Student B: Guess the job.

Student A: If B is wrong, say another sentence about the job.

DEVELOPING CONVERSATIONS

QUESTIONS about jobs
Match the common questions about work (1–6) with the answers (a-f).

What do you do?
Where do you work?
How long have you worked there?
Do you enjoy it?
What are the hours like?
Do you get on with the people you work with?
a. Yeah, it's good. Sometimes it's a bit boring – like any job – but basically it's fine.
b. A couple of years. I joined soon after university.
c. I'm a police officer.
d. In the local police department in Luton.
e. Yeah, they're nice. We often go out together after work.
f. Not great. I often work nights, so it's hard. It makes family life difficult.

LISTENING
🔊 Listen to two conversations about work. Which questions from Exercise 6 do they ask in each conversation?
🔊 Listen again. Note down the answers to each question.
Work in groups. Discuss these questions.
Who do you think has the better job? Why?
Could you work with people in your family? Why? / Why not?
Do you know anyone who travels a lot because of their job? What do they do? Are they happy?

GRAMMAR

Present simple and present continuous
We generally use two structures to talk about the present – the present simple and the present continuous.

Present simple

I travel around quite a lot.
My father runs the company.

I don’t really mind the travelling.

Present continuous

What are you studying?
I’m doing a Masters in Marketing.

They’re building a new sports stadium.

13. Work in groups. Discuss the questions. Use the present continuous and present simple.

What two or three things are you doing at the moment that are different to your normal habits?
I’m not eating chocolate. I’m trying to lose weight.
What are you working on at the moment – at school or in your job? Is it interesting?
We’re studying Business Law. It’s a bit boring.
I’m helping to organise a conference. It’s good.
Is any construction work happening where you live?
They’re building new houses at the end of my street.

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