Jobs and workplaces
Talk about jobs and workplaces: ask What do you do?, use a/an with jobs and describe what people do at work.
In this lesson you will
- Learn common jobs and workplaces
- Ask and answer “What do you do?”
- Use a / an with jobs
Learn
Ask about someone’s job: What do you do? or What’s your job? Answer: I’m a nurse. I work in a hospital. (Not What are you doing? — that means now.)
Use a / an before a job: She’s an engineer. He’s a waiter. (Not She’s engineer.)
Say where and how you work: I work in* a hospital / an office / a shop, at home / a school, for a big company.* I’m a student. I’m unemployed. I’m retired.
Many jobs end in -er / -or / -ist: teacher, driver, actor, doctor, dentist, scientist.
| Job | Workplace | What they do |
|---|---|---|
| nurse | hospital | looks after sick people |
| chef | restaurant | cooks food |
| teacher | school | teaches students |
| mechanic | garage | repairs cars |
| shop assistant | shop | helps customers |
| farmer | farm | grows food, keeps animals |
Examples
- What do you do? — I’m an accountant.
- My sister is a vet. She works with animals.
- He works for an international company.
- I work from home three days a week.
- My grandfather is retired.
Vocabulary
engineer
a person who designs machines, roads or buildings
accountant
a person who works with money and taxes
office
a room or building where people work at desks
customer
a person who buys things
retired
no longer working because of age
unemployed
without a job
vet
an animal doctor
In real life
At a party.
Audio isn’t available in this browser — read the transcript instead.
Paulo: So, what do you do, Aisha?
Aisha: I’m a pharmacist. I work in a pharmacy near the hospital.
Paulo: Interesting! Do you like it?
Aisha: Yes, I do. I help people every day. What about you?
Paulo: I’m a software developer. I work for a small company, but mostly from home.
Practice
What do you do? — ___
Listening: Three jobs
Audio isn’t available in this browser — read the transcript instead.
Carla: I start work at five in the morning. I make bread and cakes for the café.
Dev: I spend all day at a computer. I build apps for mobile phones.
Rosa: I work outside in all weather. I deliver letters and parcels to houses.
1.What is Carla’s job?
2.What is Dev’s job?
3.What is Rosa’s job?
Speaking
Say what you do (or want to do), where you work or study, and describe the jobs of three people you know.
Writing
Write about your job or your dream job (50–70 words): what you do, where, the hours, and what you like about it.
Lesson quiz
A ___ works with animals.
Review
Key points
- What do you do? — I’m a/an + job.
- work in/at/for/from home.
- Jobs and workplaces: nurse–hospital, chef–restaurant, mechanic–garage.
What you learned
- ✓ I can talk about jobs.
- ✓ I can ask what people do.
- ✓ I can use a/an with jobs.
Grammar reference: Articles: a, an, the and no article