Describing Jobs

Learn to talk and write about jobs, skills, current and future careers in English. Practice useful vocabulary, speaking tasks, and IELTS-style writing activities. Build confidence for real-life situations, exams, and everyday communication today. Start practising now!

Learning Flow in This Unit:

1. Understand – listen to a dialogue and learn key vocabulary
2. Practice – complete vocabulary exercises
3. Use – apply the vocabulary in speaking and writing tasks
4. Check – see the answers below the exercises

📖 Stage 1 – Understand the Vocabulary

1️⃣ Listening for the main idea

Listen to the dialogue and choose the best answer.

Focus on the general topic and main message of the conversation. Do not worry about understanding every word.

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1. What field of work is Mark passionate about?
2. Where did Mark find an internship? Why does he like it?
3. What kind of opportunity did Sara recently start? Why does she like it?

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Sara: Hey, Mark! How’s it going?

Mark: Hi, Sara! I’m doing great, thanks. I wanted to tell you about this amazing job I found.

Sara: Oh, really? What’s the job?

Mark: It’s in a field of work that I’m really passionate about – technology. I’m so motivated about working with cutting-edge innovations.

Sara: That sounds exciting! What kind of role is it?

Mark: It’s actually an internship at one of those innovative small companies. They’re known for their hands-on approach and ground-breaking projects.

Sara: Wow, that’s fantastic! It sounds like a perfect fit for you. What about you? Have you found a job you love?

Mark: Yes, I recently started an apprenticeship with a local tech firm. It’s hands-on, just like yours, and I get to learn directly from experienced professionals.

Sara: That’s awesome, Mark! I’m glad we both found opportunities that align with our interests and goals.

Mark: Definitely! It’s so important to pursue work that we’re passionate about.

Sara: Couldn’t agree more. Here’s to exciting careers ahead!

Mark: Cheers to that!

2️⃣ Listening for details

Listen to the dialogue again and decide if the statements below are True or False.

This time, listen carefully for specific information, such as reasons, opinions, or examples mentioned by the speakers.

1. Mark is passionate about working in the healthcare industry. 
2. Mark feels motivated because he enjoys modern technology and innovations.
3. Mark’s internship is at a large international company.
4. Mark likes his internship because it offers hands-on experience.
5. Sara recently started an apprenticeship with a local tech company.
6. Sara enjoys her opportunity because she learns from experienced professionals.
7. Mark and Sara believe it is important to work in a field they enjoy.
8. Sara thinks salary is more important than passion.

3️⃣ Vocabulary matching

Match the words or expressions with their correct definitions.

Read each word carefully and choose the definition that best explains its meaning in the context of the topic.

1. A field of work	A. A training program where you learn a skill while working
2. Cutting-edge	B. Very modern and advanced technology or ideas
3. An internship	C. Practical experience where you learn by doing
4. Innovative	D. A job or role that is exactly right for someone
5. Hands-on	E. A specific area or industry of work
6. A perfect fit	F. To try to achieve or follow a goal or career
7. An apprenticeship	G. A short-term work experience for students or beginners
8. To align with	H. To support or match something (goals, values, plans)
9. To pursue	I. New, creative, and original
10. Here’s to	J. A phrase used to start a toast or express good wishes
11. Cheers to	K. A phrase used when celebrating something or wishing success

✏️ Stage 2 – Practice the Vocabulary

4️⃣ Gap fill 

Complete the sentences using the words from the list.

Use each word once. Choose the word that best fits the meaning and grammar of the sentence.

a field of work / cutting-edge / an internship / innovative / hands-on / a perfect fit / an apprenticeship / to align with / to pursue / here’s to / cheers to

1. Mark is interested in technology, which is his main __________.
2. The company uses __________ methods to solve complex problems in new ways.
3. She is doing a short-term __________ to gain experience before university.
4. The new smartphone uses __________ technology that is very advanced.
5. He prefers a __________ approach, where he can learn by doing tasks directly.
6. This job feels like __________ for her skills and personality.
7. After school, he decided to __________ a career in engineering.
8. Students often start an __________ to learn a trade while working.
9. Good training programs should __________ the company’s goals and values.
10. __________ your success in the future!
11. __________ a great new beginning!

5️⃣ Collocations exercise

Some words often appear together in natural English. Choose the word that forms the correct expression.

cutting-edge / pursue / hands-on / field / align / internship / innovative / perfect / apprenticeship / cheers / here’s

1. __________ technology
2. __________ experience
3. A __________ of work
4. __________ a career
5. __________ with your goals
6. A summer __________
7. __________ ideas
8. A __________ fit
9. Start an __________
10. __________ to success
11. __________ to a bright future

6️⃣ Word forms exercise

Complete the table with the correct word forms.

Fill in the missing verb, noun, adjective, or adverb forms of the words.

verb	adverb	adjective	noun
innovate
align
pursue
motivate

Use the correct form of the word in brackets.

1. The company is known for its __________ ideas and modern solutions.
2. Her strong __________ helped her continue studying and working hard.
3. The project goals are closely __________ with the company’s values.
4. He wants to __________ a career in information technology.
5. The company encourages employees to work __________ when developing new products.
6. Their latest __________ changed the way customers use the product.
7. The manager created a very __________ environment that encouraged the team to do their best.
8. Career __________ can sometimes take years and require a lot of effort.

7️⃣ Paraphrasing / sentence transformation

Rewrite the sentences using the word in brackets.

Keep the same meaning, but change the structure of the sentence.

This exercise helps you learn different ways to express the same idea.

1. Mark is interested in working in technology.
   (passionate) → Mark ___________________________________________
2. The company uses very modern technology.
   (cutting-edge) → The company _____________________________________
3. Sara started learning a skill while working at a local company.
   (apprenticeship) → Sara _____________________________________________
4. This job is ideal for his skills and personality.
   (perfect fit) → This job _________________________________________
5. Mark wants to follow a career in technology.
   (pursue) → Mark _____________________________________________
6. The company’s goals match his personal values.
   (align with) → His personal values _______________________________
7. The company allows employees to learn by doing practical tasks.
   (hands-on) → The company offers ________________________________
8. Mark and Sara are excited about their future careers.
   (cheers to) → _________________________________________________

8️⃣ Error correction

Each sentence contains one mistake. Find the mistake and correct it.

This exercise helps you improve accuracy and natural vocabulary use.

1. Mark is so motivated about working with cutting-edge innovations.
   → _______________________________________________
2. It’s a field of work that I’m really passionate on – technology.
   → _______________________________________________
3. The company is known for its groundbreaked projects and hands-on approach.
   → _______________________________________________
4. It sounds like a perfect fitting for someone with Mark’s profile.
   → _______________________________________________
5. Sara recently started an apprenticeship programme in a local tech firm.
   → _______________________________________________
6. I’m glad we both found opportunities that align to our values and long-term goals.
   → _______________________________________________
7. The internship allows me to gain practice experience in a fast-paced environment.
   → _______________________________________________
8. It’s important to pursue work that we are truly passionate for.
   → _______________________________________________

🗣️ Stage 3 – Use the Vocabulary

9️⃣ IELTS Speaking tasks.

Practice using new vocabulary in IELTS Speaking Parts 1-2-3:

Answer the questions using vocabulary from this unit.

Part 1 (4-5 minutes):

1. What is your name? /give your full name: first name and last name/
2. What shall I call you?
3. Can I see your ID, please?

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1. Do you work or are you a student?
2. Where do you work/ study?
3. Do you like your job/ studies?
4. If you had to change one thing about your job/ studies, what would you change? Why? 

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First of all, let’s consider shopping. 

1. Do you like shopping? Why or why not?
2. What’s your favourite shop? Why?
3. Do you prefer shopping alone or with others?
4. What kinds of shops are there where you live?

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Let’s now talk about transport.

1. How did you get here today?
2. What is your favourite mode of transport? Why?
3. Do you ever use public transport? Why or why not?
4. Do you like the transport system in your country? Why or why not?

Part 2 (2-3 minutes):

Describe a job or career opportunity that you find interesting.

You should say:

• what the job or opportunity is
• how you found out about it
• what skills or qualities are needed for it

and explain why you think it is interesting or suitable for you or someone you know

You have 1 minute to take notes. You should speak for 2 minutes.

💡 You can use these ideas to help you (optional prompts):

• technology / internship / apprenticeship / trainee role
• working in a modern or innovative company
• hands-on experience and learning on the job
• developing future career skills
• working with cutting-edge tools or projects
• aligning with personal interests and values

Part 3 (5-6 minutes):

Answer the following questions. Give reasons and examples.

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Let’s discuss jobs and career choices

1. What factors are most important when people choose a career today?
2. Do you think young people should follow their passions or choose a stable job? Why?
3. How have career opportunities changed compared to the past?
4. Why do some people change careers several times in their lives?
5. What role do internships and apprenticeships play in finding a good job?

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Let’s consider work, skills and the future

1. How is technology changing the way people work?
2. What skills will be most important for future jobs?
3. Do you think hands-on experience is more valuable than academic knowledge? Why?
4. How can companies help employees develop their skills?
5. Will traditional jobs disappear in the future? Why or why not?

🔟IELTS Writing tasks

Task 1 (IELTS Academic Training): Write at least 150 words. You have 20 minutes to plan – write – proofread your task. 

The pie chart below shows how a company’s employees spend their working time on different activities in a typical week. The bar chart shows employee satisfaction levels with each activity. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

📈 Pie Chart: Weekly Time Allocation

• Core job tasks (project work): 40%
• Meetings and collaboration: 20%
• Training and professional development: 15%
• Administrative tasks (emails, paperwork): 15%
• Breaks and informal communication: 10%

📊 Bar Chart: Employee Satisfaction (out of 10)

• Core job tasks: 8/10
• Meetings and collaboration: 6/10
• Training and professional development: 9/10
• Administrative tasks: 4/10
• Breaks and informal communication: 7/10

💡 Useful tips:

• Describe both charts and connect them
• Identify high vs low time allocation and satisfaction
• Compare whether more time = higher satisfaction (or not)
• Group ideas logically (productive vs non-productive tasks)
• Avoid opinions or explanations (pure description only)

🧠 Useful comparison language:

Overall, it can be seen that…

While employees spend a large proportion of time on…, satisfaction levels are relatively…

Despite accounting for only…, this activity receives the highest satisfaction rating…

In contrast to…, the figure for… is significantly lower/higher

There appears to be a mismatch between time spent on… and employee satisfaction with…

Task 2: Write at least 250 words. You have 40 minutes to plan – write – proofread your task. 

Some people believe that practical experience is more important than academic qualifications when applying for a job.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

🧭 Writing Plan

🟦 Introduction

• Paraphrase the topic (restate in your own words)
• Briefly mention both sides (experience vs qualifications)
• Clearly state your opinion (thesis statement)

Useful structure:

• It is often argued that…
• While some people believe that…, others think that…
• In my opinion, I strongly agree/disagree that… because…

🟩 Body Paragraph 1 – Main argument (your strongest point)

• Topic sentence (first main reason for your opinion)
• Explain your idea
• Give an example (real-life, workplace, or study situation)
• Link back to the question

Example focus ideas:

• practical experience leads to real job skills
• internships/apprenticeships prepare people faster for work
• employers value “job-ready” candidates

🟩 Body Paragraph 2 – Second argument (support or balance)

• Second reason supporting your opinion
• Explain and develop the idea
• Add an example or comparison
• (Optional) briefly acknowledge the opposite view and refute it

Example focus ideas:

• academic qualifications provide theory and knowledge base
• some professions require formal education (medicine, engineering)
• BUT theory alone is not enough without practice

🟥 Conclusion

• Restate your opinion clearly (do not add new ideas)
• Summarise your main points briefly
• Final thought (optional, slightly broader statement)

Useful phrases:

• In conclusion,…
• Overall, I believe that…
• Therefore, practical experience/academic qualifications play a more important role because…

ANSWERS 

EXERCISE 1:

1. What field of work is Mark passionate about?
   Mark is passionate about the field of technology. He feels very motivated because he enjoys working with modern innovations and new ideas.
2. Where did Mark find an internship? Why does he like it?
   Mark found an internship at an innovative small company. He likes it because the company has a hands-on approach and works on exciting and ground-breaking projects.
3. What kind of opportunity did Sara recently start? Why does she like it?
   Sara recently started an apprenticeship with a local tech firm. She likes it because she can gain practical experience and learn directly from experienced professionals.

EXERCISE 2:

1. False – Mark is not passionate about healthcare. He clearly says he is passionate about technology.
2. True – Mark says he is motivated because he enjoys cutting-edge innovations, which means modern technology.
3. False – His internship is at an innovative small company, not a large international one.
4. True – Mark says the company has a hands-on approach, which means he can actively participate and learn by doing.
5. True – Sara says she started an apprenticeship with a local tech firm, which matches Mark’s description of her situation.
6. True – Sara mentions she learns directly from experienced professionals, which explains why she likes it.
7. True – Both speakers agree that it is important to do work they are passionate about and that matches their goals.
8. False – Sara does not mention salary at all. Instead, she values learning and career development, not money.

EXERCISE 3:

1 – E

2 – B

3 – G

4 – I

5 – C

6 – D

7 – A

8 – H

9 – F

10 – J

11 – K

EXERCISE 4:

1. a field of work
2. innovative
3. internship
4. cutting-edge
5. hands-on
6. a perfect fit
7. pursue
8. apprenticeship
9. align with
10. Here’s to
11. Cheers to

EXERCISE 5:

1. cutting-edge technology
2. hands-on experience
3. a field of work
4. pursue a career
5. align with your goals
6. a summer internship
7. innovative ideas
8. a perfect fit
9. start an apprenticeship
10. cheers to success
11. here’s to a bright future

EXERCISE 6:

verb	adverb	Adjective	noun
innovate	innovatively	innovative	innovation
align	—	aligned	alignment
pursue	—	pursued/ pursuing	pursuit
motivate	motivationally	motivational	motivation

1. innovative
2. motivation
3. aligned
4. pursue
5. innovatively
6. innovation
7. motivational
8. pursuits

EXERCISE 7:

1. Mark is interested in working in technology.
(passionate)
→ Mark is passionate about working in technology.

2. The company uses very modern technology.
(cutting-edge)
→ The company uses cutting-edge technology.

3. Sara started learning a skill while working at a local company.
(apprenticeship)
→ Sara started an apprenticeship at a local company.

4. This job is ideal for his skills and personality.
(perfect fit)
→ This job is a perfect fit for his skills and personality.

5. Mark wants to follow a career in technology.
(pursue)
→ Mark wants to pursue a career in technology.

6. The company’s goals match his personal values.
(align with)
→ His personal values align with the company’s goals.

7. The company allows employees to learn by doing practical tasks.
(hands-on)
→ The company offers hands-on experience/training.

8. Mark and Sara are excited about their future careers.
(cheers to)
→ Cheers to Mark and Sara’s future careers!

EXERCISE 8:

1. ❌ motivated about → ✔️ motivated by

→ Mark is so motivated by working with cutting-edge innovations.
Explanation: We say motivated by something, not motivated about. “By” shows the cause or source of motivation.

2. ❌ passionate on → ✔️ passionate about

→ It’s a field of work that I’m really passionate about – technology.
Explanation: The correct collocation is passionate about + noun/gerund.

3. ❌ groundbreaked → ✔️ groundbreaking

→ The company is known for its groundbreaking projects and hands-on approach.
Explanation: “Groundbreaked” is not a valid form. The correct adjective is groundbreaking (unchanging form).

4. ❌ perfect fitting → ✔️ perfect fit

→ It sounds like a perfect fit for someone with Mark’s profile.
Explanation: Fit is a noun here. “Fitting” is not used in this structure.

5. ❌ an apprenticeship programme → ✔️ an apprenticeship

→ Sara recently started an apprenticeship in a local tech firm.
Explanation: “Apprenticeship” already includes the idea of a programme, so “programme” is redundant and unnatural in this context.

6. ❌ align to → ✔️ align with

→ I’m glad we both found opportunities that align with our values and long-term goals.
Explanation: The correct preposition is align with, not align to.

7. ❌ practice experience → ✔️ practical experience

→ The internship allows me to gain practical experience in a fast-paced environment.
Explanation: We use practical experience to describe real-world, hands-on learning.

8. ❌ passionate for → ✔️ passionate about

→ It’s important to pursue work that we are truly passionate about.
Explanation: The correct preposition is about, not for.