B1 Vocabulary — Work & jobs
Key verbs, nouns and collocations to talk about jobs, working life and careers in English.
B1 Intermediate
Work & business
Careers
1. Common work verbs
These verbs describe typical things that happen in our working life.
- earn = get money because you do a job. Sam earns about $30,000 a year as a chef.
- do overtime = work extra hours, usually for extra pay. We’re so busy that I’m doing a lot of overtime this month.
- apply for a job = send your CV and details to try to get a job. When I saw the advert, I applied for the job immediately.
- resign from / quit = leave your job because you choose to. Tom resigned from his job and went travelling for a year.
- retire = stop working permanently, usually because of age. I’d like to retire when I’m 65.
- be / get promoted = move to a higher position with more responsibility. Nick was promoted to floor manager after a few months.
- be sacked / be fired = lose your job because you did something wrong or did it badly. James was sacked after they discovered he was stealing.
- be in charge of / be responsible for = have control of people or tasks; it’s your duty. Sara is in charge of fifteen people in the café.
2. Types of jobs & working patterns
- full-time job = you work normal working hours, usually five days a week. Tim found a full-time job in a bank after school.
- part-time job = you work fewer hours or fewer days. When I was a student, I had a part-time job in a café.
- work shifts = work at different times (days, evenings, nights). As a nurse, I worked night shifts every other week.
- temporary job = a job that only lasts for a short period. Eve has a temporary job while a teacher is on maternity leave.
- self-employed = you work for yourself, not for a company. Alice is self-employed and writes from home.
- unemployed = without a job and usually looking for one. Bob has been unemployed since last year.
3. Workplace & qualifications
- workplace = the place where you do your job (office, hospital, building site, etc.). Our office is a friendly workplace; everyone gets on well.
- qualifications = exams, certificates or degrees that show you have the right knowledge or skills. Ian didn’t get the job because he didn’t have the right qualifications.
We usually list our qualifications and work experience on a CV or résumé when we apply for a job.
4. work vs. job
| Word | Form | Use & examples |
|---|---|---|
| job | countable (a job / jobs) | A specific position or occupation you do to earn money. He has a difficult job as a firefighter. She’s looking for a new job. |
| work | uncountable (no a work, no plural) | The activity or effort you do in your job; also the place where you do it. I have a lot of work to do. What time do you finish work? |
| verb | Where do you work? She works in a hospital. |
❗ We say have a job, but have a lot of work.
5. Useful work collocations
Typical patterns with the verb work:
- work in + place / area I work in a restaurant. She works in banking.
- work for + company / person He works for a big international company.
- work as + job My sister works as a nurse.
- work from … to … (time) We work from nine to five.
- work X hours a day / X days a week I work eight hours a day and four days a week.
Learning these whole phrases (for example, work for a company, work night shifts) will help you sound more natural when talking about your job.
Exercises:
Work & jobs
Choose the correct option to complete each sentence below.
1
I
a good salary in my new job.
Correct:
You earn money or a salary when you work.
2
When we are very busy, we sometimes
and stay at the office until 9 p.m.
Correct:
If you work extra hours after normal time, you do overtime.
3
If you want to work in that company, you need to
online and send your CV.
Correct:
You apply for a job when you send your CV and ask to work there.
4
He wrote a formal letter to HR to
at the bank.
Correct:
In a formal situation you resign from a job, usually with a letter.
5
He hated his boss and decided to
without any notice.
Correct:
Informally we say quit a job when we leave suddenly because we don’t want it.
6
After forty years in the company, she will
next year and stop working.
Correct:
When you are older and stop working completely, you retire.
7
If she works hard, she might
to manager next year.
Correct:
When you move to a higher position, you be promoted / get promoted.
8
If he is late again, he might
from his job.
Correct:
When your company tells you to leave, you are sacked / are fired.
9
Maria will
the sales team of ten people; she is their boss now.
Correct:
If you manage a team or a project, you are in charge of it.
10
At work I
answering emails and writing monthly reports.
Correct:
If something is your duty, you are responsible for it.
11
She works about forty hours a week; she has a
in an office.
Correct:
A normal 35–40 hour week is usually called a full-time job.
12
He is a student and has a
in the evenings, about 15 hours a week.
Correct:
A job with only a few hours a week is a part-time job.
13
Nurses in the hospital often
, sometimes starting at 3 a.m.
Correct:
When your hours change and can be during the night, you work shifts / night shifts.
14
I’m doing a
for three months during the summer holidays.
Correct:
A job that is only for a short time is a temporary job.
15
She doesn’t work for any company; she is
and has her own small business.
Correct:
If you have your own business and no boss, you are self-employed.
16
He lost his job last year and has been
since then.
Correct:
If you do not have a job and are looking for work, you are unemployed.
17
The company wants to make the
safer and more comfortable for employees.
Correct:
Your office, factory or shop where you work is your workplace.
18
To be a doctor, you need special
and many years of study.
Correct:
Exams, certificates and degrees are your qualifications.
19
I have a new
in a bank; I started last week.
Correct:
A position like “teacher” or “engineer” is a job.
20
I have a lot of
to do this week, so I can’t go on holiday.
Correct:
Things you must do for your job are your work.
21
Many doctors
hospitals or clinics.
Correct:
We usually say doctors work in a hospital or clinic.
22
She
a big French company that sells cosmetics.
Correct:
We say you work for a company or for a person.
23
He
a nurse in the children’s ward.
Correct:
We say you work as a teacher, a nurse, an engineer, etc.
24
Most office workers
and go home in the evening.
Correct:
A typical office day is to work from 9 to 5.
25
I
and have the weekend free.
Correct:
If you only work on weekdays, you work from Monday to Friday.
26
They
in the factory, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Correct:
From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. is eight hours, so they work eight hours a day.
27
He
so he has three days off every week.
Correct:
If you only work on four days, you work four days a week.
Work & jobs
Match the sentences with the work & jobs phrases
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