Describing your job, how to give referral letters

1. Visa English Academy
Created by Briana Songer
2014

2.  Speaking: Describing your Job
 Listening: Attitudes Toward Work
 Grammar: Present Simple and Continuous
 Writing: Letter of Referral for a Colleague

3. Read the statements below. Which ones do you
think are true and why?
People are naturally lazy and avoid work if they can
People find satisfaction in work
Everybody in an organization is capable of creativity
Work is a necessary evil
People prefer to follow orders and instructions
Work is as natural as play or rest

4. application
references
interview
salary
qualified
experience
skills
part-time
full-time
overtime
commute
freelance
Fill in the sentences with the most appropriate word.
1. He is clearly __________________ for the job, but he wants a very
high ___________________.
2. Scott put in an ____________________ for the sales assistant, and he
has an _____________________ next Friday.
3. Although she had excellent _________________ from former
employers and was offered the job, the company was over an hour
from her house. She would have to ________________by the train or
bus, so she didn’t take the job.
qualified
salary
application
interview
commute
references

5. 4. The normal working hours for _________________are around 35 hours
per week, while the average for _________________ is more like 20 hours
per week.
5. If you work over 35 hours a week, it is considered
_________________and you must be paid extra money per hour.
6. Nowadays, many designers or writers are ____________________which
means they sell their work or services to other organizations.
7. Sheila has 9 years of ________________as an office assistant, but she
wants to go back to school and change careers.
7. In order to get hired almost anywhere these days, one must have
________________in using technology, such as creating digital
presentations.
full-time
part-time
over-time
freelance
skills
application
references
interview
salary
qualified
experience
skills
part-time
full-time
overtime
commute
freelance
experience

6. 1. How much experience do you have in your career? Do you
enjoy your job?
2. How far do you or would you commute in order to get to work?
3. What skills are needed for you to be successful in your job?
What do you still need to learn?
4. Do you work part-time or full-time? How often do you work
overtime?
5. If you were looking for a new job, who would you list as a
reference and why?

8.  Interviewer: A new survey out today shows how young people’s attitudes
towards work have changed. 10,000 people under the age of twenty-five
were questioned. Here with me is Mandy Taylor, our Industry
Correspondent, who’s going to tell us what it all means.
 Mandy-Well, John, essentially the report shows that the young are
turning their backs on traditional employment, you know, working for a
wage, and becoming self-employed or going freelance.
 Interviewer: And what’s made them do that?
 Mandy-Basically seeing their parents’ generation struggle with
unemployment and job insecurity. They’ve seen established firms lay off
employees who’ve worked for them for years. Also, they’ve understood
that benefits like cards, pensions, and so on, not to mention a fairly
secure job in the longer term, are all disappearing fast. In their place
you’ve got insecurity, part-time work, and short-term contracts. An
ordinary job simply isn’t attractive any more.

9.  Interviewer: So what are they doing instead, the young that is?
 Mandy: Well, they’re using their qualifications, skills, and knowledge of
things like computer games, to set up their own businesses. They are
ready to work now if there is a good chance of being rewarded later. They
aren’t interested in making other people rich but want to be rich
themselves.
 Interviewer: I see. And are there many examples of this happening?
 Mandy: Oh yeah, lots. Two young men, who set up their own computer
company, are now worth 13 million each, just wo years after leaving
university!
 Interviewer: Goodness, where did we go wrong? And so what does this
mean for older, existing businesses then?
 Mandy: Quite simply, they’re finding that the people they need to take on
are using their skills to work for themselves.

10. Tense Used for Structure
Present Simple Expresses:
-routines/habits
-schedules/times
-facts
-general occurrences
-present actions happening
one after another
Infinitive
(affirmative 3rd person
singular: infinitive + 's‘;
negative 3rd person singular: no
‘s’)
I write
you write
we write
they write
he / she / it writes
Present
Continuous
Expresses:
-something happening right
now or in progress
-several actions happening at
the same time
-near future
form of 'be' and verb + ing
I am (I’m ) speaking
you are (You’re) speaking
we are (we’re ) speaking
they are (they’re) speaking
he / she / it is (he’s/she’s/it’s)
speaking

11. How do you know which tense to use? These signal words
describe the difference in time. Use a dictionary to look up
words you don’t know.
Present Simple Signal Words Present Continuous Signal Words
Every Monday/month/year
(or monthly/daily)
Everyday/Daily (Monday-Sunday)
Every weekend (Saturday-Sunday)
Always (100%)
Often (85%)
normally (85%)
Usually (85%)
Sometimes (50%)
Seldom /Almost never (25%)
Never (0%)
First, then, also, finally
Currently
Right now
At the moment/In the moment
Tomorrow morning/afternoon/night
Tonight
Later
Soon
Commands:
Listen!
Look!
Help!

12. Fill in the sentences with present simple or present
continuous. Pay attention to the signal words and context.
1. It ____________ (take) forever to finish this report!
2. Even though I _______________(earn) a great salary every
month, I ___________________ (look for) another job that is
more satisfying.
3. We _____________(drive) in a carpool to work everyday to
save money on gas and help the environment.
4. Minimum wage ____________(go up) next month.
5. He _______________(have)problems with copy machine
again. Please help him!
is (It’s)taking
am (I’m) looking
is going up
is (He’s) having
earn
drive

13. 6. I _________ (do) the sales report every month.
7. He ___________(feel) tired because he __________(work)
everyday.
8. Currently, management ____________(think about)
downsizing staff due to budget cuts.
9. She really isn’t qualified and she never does her job
properly; she doesn’t ___________(belong) in this
company.
10. I am tired of my job, so tomorrow, I ______________(quit)!
is thinking
am (I’m) quitting
do
feels earns
belong

14. Answer the following questions orally, focusing on using present
simple or present progressive correctly.
1. What do you do?
2. What time do you start/finish work?
3. Do you usually work on the weekends?
4. Are you currently working on any major projects?
5. What do you do in your free time?
6. What are you doing after class?
7. What are you doing tomorrow?
8. Do you get a paid vacation at your job?

15.  You will write a reference letter for an employee that you work
with.
 Read the example referral letter first.
 Choose a colleague and include the following in your letter:
Open with a Greeting
1. Describe your relationship with the person
2. Describe the person’s role in the company and years of
experience
3. Explain the person’s skills and qualifications
4. Tell why you recommend the person
5. Give your contact information
Closing
Timing: 15 minutes to write a draft. 15 minutes to edit and finalize
the letter. Email the final copy to your teacher within 24 hours.