Lesson 14 · Lesson guide
Work, Jobs and Employment
Hello, my dear student!
Hello! Work is one of the most common IELTS topics. In Speaking Part 1 the examiner often begins with “Do you work or are you a student?”. In Reading you meet passages about jobs and the economy, and Task 2 essays ask about unemployment, salaries and work-life balance.
Today you will learn the key words, the words that go with them (apply for a job, earn a salary, get a promotion) and their forms (employer, employee, employment, unemployment). We will also look at the classic mistake: “a work” instead of “a job”.
At the end you will use the words in every part of the test.
See you in the exercises,Your teacher
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Key words for work
People
employer, employee, colleague
The employer pays; the employee works; a colleague works with you. Self-employed people work for themselves.
- The company is a good employer.
- She gets on well with her colleagues.
Money
salary, wage, pension
A salary is paid every month or year; a wage is paid by the hour or week; a pension is paid after you retire.
- Doctors earn a high salary.
- The minimum wage has risen.
Feelings
job satisfaction, work-life balance
Job satisfaction: how happy you are with your work. Work-life balance: enough time for both work and the rest of your life.
- Flexible hours improve work-life balance.
- Job satisfaction is high among nurses.
Remember!
job = countable (a job, two jobs). work = uncountable (some work, a lot of work).
Words that go together
apply for a job
send an application
earn a salary
get money for work
get a promotion
move to a higher position
be made redundant
lose your job because it is no longer needed
gain experience
learn by doing a job
Common mistakes
Not: I’m looking for a work.Say: I’m looking for a job. / I’m looking for work.
Work is uncountable: no “a”.
Not: She is an employer at a bank.Say: She is an employee at a bank.
The employee works; the employer pays.
Not: He has a lot of experiences in sales.Say: He has a lot of experience in sales.
Work experience is uncountable.
Check yourself
A person who has no job but wants one is…
Retire or resign: you are 65 and you stop working.
Now it’s your turn!
8 short parts, each a little harder than the one before. Take your time: mistakes are how we learn.
— Your teacher