Posts tagged everyday English
English Lesson: Talking about your job & work
Mar 26th
What do you do? I'm a sales manager for an insurance company.
Let’s talk about work today. Here is a conversation I have had quite often:
Michael: Hi. I’m Michael. Nice to meet you.
Thom: Hi Michael. I’m Thom. It’s nice to meet you too.
Michael: So Thom, what do you do?
Thom: I’m an office worker.
Michael: I see, but what do you do?
Thom: I’m a businessman.
Michael: Right, but what do you do?
Thom: I’m a company employee.
Michael: ???????
When you are having an English conversation, and someone asks you about your job, you should tell them exactly what your job is. Usually, this is your job title:
- What do you do? → I’m an English teacher
- What do you do? → I’m a salesman
- What do you do? → I’m a secretary
- What do you do? → I’m an accountant.
We do not give general answers, like Thom did in the opening conversation. So answers like these are strange in English because they don’t tell us about you. These answers are not unique:
- I’m a businessman → Lots of people are businessmen and businesswomen.
- I’m an office worker → Look around your city. Many people are office workers.
- I’m a company worker → Unless you own your own business, you work for a company
By the way, the words “salaryman” and “office lady” are not used in English.
You can also answer by describing your job, if you job doesn’t have a clear title:
- What do you do? → I work for a real estate company in the accounting office
- What do you do? → I work for a graphic design company, in the marketing office.
Let’s have a look at an improved version of the opening conversation:
Michael: Hi. I’m Michael. Nice to meet you.
Thom: Hi Michael. I’m Thom. It’s nice to meet you too.
Michael: So Thom, what do you do?
Thom: I’m a sales manager for an advertising firm in Chicago.
Here, Thom’s reply is perfect. We know exactly what he does. What do you do? Leave a comment below and let us know!
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English Lesson: If Conditionals & Superstitions
Jan 13th
Today is Friday the 13th. There is a superstition that says Friday the 13th is an unlucky day. This is because the number 13 is considered to be an unlucky number in Western culture, and Friday is said to be an unlucky day. So if Friday and 13 happen together, it will be bad luck. Do you think so? There are a lot of other superstitions. For example, if you break a mirror, you will have seven years of bad luck. Do you think so? Let’s look at some of these superstitions today!
We use if in a conditional sentence to talk about things that always happen. Do you know how to use this grammar? Take a look at the paragraph above and then check today’s lesson.
In this sentence there are two clauses. The clause with if contains a present verb, and the second clause contains will plus a present verb.
- If the temperature falls below 0°C, water will freeze.
So the structure is: If + present verb, will + present verb.
Some grammar books call this the first conditional. We use this grammar to talk about general truths about the future. A superstition is a general truth or belief that is based on fear or misunderstanding, rather than facts or knowledge. Thus, many superstations can be written and said using this grammar:
- If you break a mirror, you will have seven years of bad luck.
- If you make a wish when you see a shooting star, it will come true.
- If you put salt on the doorstep of a house, it will keep evil away.
- If you catch a falling leaf on the first day of fall, you will not catch a cold all winter.
- If you blow out the all of the candles on your birthday cake in one breath, your wish will come true.
- If you carry a rabbit’s foot in your pocket, it will bring luck and protect you from bad spirits.
- If you open an umbrella in the house, you’ll have bad luck
You can also put the if clause at the end of the sentence:
- You will have bad luck if you walk under a ladder.
- You will stay healthy if you eat an apple every day. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
- When we wish for something good, you will get it if you knock on wood.
- You will have bad luck if you kill a ladybug.
- You will have good luck if you find a four-leafed clover.
- You will have bad luck if a black cat crosses your path.
Do you have similar superstitions in your country? If so what are they? If not, what do you think of these?
English Lesson: Causitives – Get Something Done
Jan 10th
I have an old Guild guitar from the 1960’s. It’s a classic! It has been in need of some repair, and last weekend I finally got it repaired. I’ve had this guitar for about 25 years. When I first got it, I was very into jazz. In fact, I used to listen to nothing but jazz. I would listen to such artists as Wes Montgomery and Joe Pass all the time and try to play along with the records. Yeah, there were records back then! I’m glad I got it fixed. I just wish I had more time to play…
Yesterday we looked at causatives using have. For example, I had my hair cut. Today, let’s look at a variation of this using get. Do you know how to use this grammar? Take a look at the paragraph above and then check today’s lesson. First, let’s review causatives:
Compare these two sentences:
- I repaired my guitar. ← This means, I repaired my own guitar. I did the action of repairing.
- I had my guitar repaired. ← This means, someone else did the action of repairing.
As we learned yesterday, when we ask someone or pay them to do a job for us, we use the causative form.
The structure is: [someone] + has + [something] + pp Verb (past participle verb).
I had my guitar repaired.
We can also use get, instead of have, in the same kind of sentence. So, “I got my guitar repaired” has the same meaning and use as “I had my guitar repaired”. Here are a few more examples:
- I lost my house key, so I need to get another key made.
- Mom decided to get the house painted to make it look fresh.
- Lori said she got her computer fixed yesterday and it is working great.
- Where do you usually get your hair cut?
Well, I think I need to finish this lesson and get back to making some music. Thanks for studying today!
