Exercise 1
Choose the correct word to complete each sentence about jobs and working life.
Example: A _____ works in a hospital and helps sick people. (doctor / teacher / driver)
Answer: A doctor works in a hospital and helps sick people.
Jobs and Working Life
Work is a big part of everyday life. We talk about jobs all the time — when we meet new people, when we make plans, and when we describe our daily routines. In English, there are many useful words and phrases connected to jobs and working life that will help you communicate in real situations.
Read this short situation and notice the vocabulary in bold:
Maria is at a party. She meets a man called Dan. "What do you do for a living?" she asks. "I'm a nurse," says Dan. "I work full-time at the hospital. My shift starts at seven in the morning." Maria smiles. "I work part-time in a café. I'm also looking for a better job. I sent my CV to three companies last week!"
In this lesson, you will learn the most important vocabulary for talking about jobs and working life at A2 level.
Key Vocabulary & Meaning Breakdown
1. Types of Jobs and People at Work
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech & Meaning | Example Sentence | Collocations / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| job | noun — the work you do regularly to earn money | She has a new job at the supermarket. | get a job, lose a job, do a job, find a job |
| work | noun / verb — the activity of doing tasks, or the place where you do them | He goes to work by bus every morning. | go to work, start work, finish work, hard work |
| nurse | noun — a person who looks after sick people in a hospital | The nurse checked my temperature. | work as a nurse, train as a nurse |
| doctor | noun — a person who treats people who are ill | The doctor gave her some medicine. | see a doctor, visit a doctor |
| teacher | noun — a person who teaches students in a school | My teacher is very patient and helpful. | primary school teacher, secondary school teacher |
| manager | noun — a person who is in charge of other people at work | The manager organises the team meetings. | shop manager, office manager, report to a manager |
| colleague | noun — a person you work with | I had lunch with my colleagues today. | work colleague, office colleague |
| boss | noun — the person in charge of you at work (informal) | My boss is very strict about being on time. | work for a boss, talk to your boss |
| employee | noun — a person who is paid to work for a company or person | The company has fifty employees. | full-time employee, new employee |
| employer | noun — a person or company that pays people to work | Her employer pays her salary every month. | Note: an employer employs; an employee is employed |
2. Working Conditions and Arrangements
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech & Meaning | Example Sentence | Collocations / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| full-time | adjective / adverb — working all the normal working hours (usually 35–40 hours per week) | She works full-time at a bank. | full-time job, work full-time |
| part-time | adjective / adverb — working fewer hours than a full-time worker | He has a part-time job at weekends. | part-time job, work part-time |
| shift | noun — a set period of time when you work, often at night or early morning | She works the night shift at the factory. | morning shift, night shift, work a shift |
| salary | noun — the fixed amount of money you earn each month or year | He gets a good salary as an engineer. | earn a salary, pay a salary, monthly salary |
| wage | noun — money paid to a worker, usually weekly and for manual/physical work | The workers asked for a higher wage. | minimum wage, hourly wage, weekly wage |
| holiday | noun — time off work that you are allowed to take | I have fifteen days of paid holiday this year. | take a holiday, paid holiday, annual holiday |
| break | noun — a short rest during the working day | We have a twenty-minute break at eleven o'clock. | take a break, coffee break, lunch break |
| overtime | noun — extra time you work beyond your normal hours | She worked overtime to finish the project. | do overtime, work overtime, paid overtime |
| commute | verb / noun — to travel regularly between home and work | He commutes to the city centre by train. | daily commute, long commute, commute to work |
| uniform | noun — special clothes that all workers in the same job wear | Nurses and police officers wear a uniform. | wear a uniform, school uniform, work uniform |
3. Applying for a Job and Career Vocabulary
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech & Meaning | Example Sentence | Collocations / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CV | noun — a document that lists your education, experience, and skills (short for curriculum vitae) | She sent her CV to five different companies. | send a CV, write a CV, update your CV |
| interview | noun / verb — a formal meeting where someone asks you questions about a job | He has a job interview on Friday morning. | go to an interview, have an interview, job interview |
| apply (for) | verb — to formally ask for a job, usually in writing | She applied for a job at the hospital. | apply for a job, apply online, application form |
| experience | noun — the knowledge or skill you get from doing a job | He has two years of experience in customer service. | work experience, have experience, gain experience |
| qualification | noun — a certificate or exam you pass that shows you are able to do a job | She has a teaching qualification from the university. | have a qualification, gain a qualification |
| unemployed | adjective — not currently having a job | He is unemployed at the moment and looking for work. | be unemployed, become unemployed |
| retired | adjective — having stopped work permanently, usually because of age | My grandfather is retired. He worked as a teacher for thirty years. | be retired, take early retirement, retire from work |
| career | noun — the type of work you do for many years of your life | She wants to have a career in medicine. | build a career, start a career, change career |
Collocations & Useful Expressions
Collocations are words that naturally go together. Learning them helps you sound more natural in English. Here are the most useful collocations for jobs and working life:
do + a job
She does a difficult job every day as a firefighter.
get + a job
He finally got a job after three months of searching.
lose + a job
Many people lost their jobs during the economic crisis.
find + a job
It can be hard to find a job without any experience.
apply for + a job
I applied for a job at the supermarket last Monday.
go to + work
She goes to work by bicycle every morning.
start / finish + work
I start work at nine and finish work at five.
work + full-time / part-time
He works part-time because he also studies at college.
earn + a salary / a wage
She earns a good salary as an accountant.
take + a break
Let's take a short break and have some coffee.
be + in charge of
The manager is in charge of the whole department.
work + for a company
I work for a small IT company in the city centre.
What do you do for a living?
This is the most common way to ask someone about their job.
"What do you do for a living?" "I'm a chef. I work in a restaurant."
Important Differences & Confusing Words
Job vs Work
These two words are very similar, but they are used differently.
- Job is a countable noun. It refers to a specific position or role.
She has a job at the bank. (NOT: She has a work at the bank.) - Work is usually an uncountable noun. It refers to the general idea of working or the place where you work.
He is at work right now. / I have a lot of work to do today. - Work is also a verb: She works in a hospital.
Salary vs Wage
- Salary — a fixed amount of money paid monthly or yearly, usually for professional or office jobs.
Teachers and managers earn a salary. - Wage — money paid by the hour or week, usually for physical or manual work.
The factory workers receive an hourly wage.
Employee vs Employer
- An employee is the person who works for someone.
She is an employee of the company. - An employer is the person or company that pays the worker.
The hospital is her employer.
Unemployed vs Retired
- Unemployed — you do not have a job, but you want one.
He is unemployed and sending CVs every week. - Retired — you have stopped working permanently, usually at an older age, by choice.
She is retired now. She worked as a nurse for forty years.
Common Mistakes
❌ She has a work in a hospital.
✅ She has a job in a hospital. — Use job (countable) not work when talking about a specific position.
❌ What is your job? I am teacher.
✅ What do you do? / What is your job? — I am a teacher. — Always use the article a before the name of a job.
❌ He works at a teacher.
✅ He works as a teacher. — Use work as, not work at, when saying your profession.
❌ I go to the work by bus.
✅ I go to work by bus. — Do not use the before work in this expression.
❌ She applied a job at the hotel.
✅ She applied for a job at the hotel. — Always use the preposition for after apply.
❌ My boss is very kind. I work under him since three years.
✅ My boss is very kind. I have worked for him for three years. — Use work for, not work under, and use the present perfect with for + time period.
Jobs and Working Life: Quick Summary & Review
In this lesson, you have learnt important vocabulary for talking about jobs and working life in English. Here is a quick summary of what to remember:
- Use job (countable) for a specific position: a job at a school.
- Use work (uncountable) for the general idea: go to work, start work, hard work.
- Always say I am a + job title: I am a nurse. / I am an engineer.
- Use work as a nurse / a chef / a driver — not work at.
- Use apply for a job — not apply a job.
- Salary = fixed monthly/yearly pay. Wage = hourly or weekly pay.
- An employee works for an employer.
- Unemployed = wants a job but does not have one. Retired = finished working permanently.
- Common collocations: get a job, lose a job, apply for a job, go to work, earn a salary, take a break.
Now practise jobs and working life vocabulary in the exercises below.
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