WORK & STUDY

1. Videos
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikBfH9Wn97k (Vietnamese speaker);
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqBu9PJIh9I (Native speaker);
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M191MMN9xk (3 parts);

2. Vocabularies
(Reference: https://www.ieltstutor.me/blog/ielts-tu-vung-topic-study;
https://www.ieltstutor.me/blog/vocabulary-tu-vung-topic-work-ielts)

STUDY

• Kindergarten: trường mầm non

• Primary school – pre-school education = Trường cấp 1
• Secondary school: Trường cấp 2-3
• College = further education: Cao đẳng
• Higher education = university education
• Post-graduate school: sau đại học
• PhD = Doctorate
• Vocational course: khóa học dạy về kỹ năng cho một nghề nghiệp cụ thể (khóa học hướng
nghiệp)
• Distance leaning course: khóa học đào tạo từ xa
• Comprehensive education: giáo dục toàn diện
• Be graduated from: tốt nghiệp từ
• To enroll on/in a degree course: đăng ký một khóa học
• To major in physics: chọn vật lý là môn học chính ở đại học
• To attend a lecture: tham gia bài giảng
• To attend a tutorial: tham gia lớp học kèm
• To deliver lecture: giảng bài = To lecture in something: giảng về cái gì đó
• To do note-taking: ghi chép, ghi chú lại
• Keeping up with the work load: theo kịp với khối lượng công việc hoặc khối lượng học
được yêu cầu
• To fall behind with study = fail to keep pace with the school/university work: không theo
kịp bài vở trên trường
• Play truant/truancy: trốn học
• The literacy rate: tỉ lệ biết chữ
• Illiterate (a): mù chữ
• A gap year: chỉ một năm nghỉ khi chuyển tiếp giữa cấp 3 và đại học
• be an arduous process = sth. be a tiring process that requires a great deal of effort
• be very rewarding= making someone feel satisfied
• someone’s aspiration / pursuit = someone’s strong wish for achievement
• concentrate on sth = direct someone’s thoughts or attention towards sth
• form the basis of sth = provide the ideas or actions from which sth. can develop
• academic performance = kết quả học tập
• academic qualifications = the degrees, diplomas and certificates that someone has
acquired = bằng cấp
• be gifted / be talented = has an impressive natural ability In the process of being educate
• Rote memorization = a learning technique that focuses on learning by repetition (học vẹt)
• learn sth by heart = learn sth. so that you can remember it perfectly

 • Read extensively = read widely
• induce cramming = cause students to prepare hastily for an examination (trong đó to
induce: gây ra, cramming: nhồi)
• ignorance = lack of knowledge about a particular subject
• students’ autonomy = students’ right to organise their own activities
• Self-discipline = the ability to make oneself do things when he/she should, even if he/she
does not want to do them
• role model = a person whom someone admires and whose behaviour and attitudes he/she
tries to copy
• Set a good example= encourage or inspire people to do the same thing as one does
• Meet someone’s expectations = be as good as expected
• fall short of someone’s expectations = be disappointing to someone
• cannot be guaranteed success = There is no assurance that something will be a success
• be well-rounded = have a wide variety of experiences in life
(=comprehensive=versatile=toàn diện)
• Self-paced learning / education = learning whose rate of speed can be set or regulated by
the students themselves
• core curriculum = the set of common courses that are required of all students
• the aims of education = the purpose of education
• academic attainment = sth. that students succeeded in doing in class specialise in sth. =
be an expert of a particular part of a subject = to major in sth
• extra-curricular activities = activities that are not part of the course that a student is doing
• promote equality = ensure the same conditions, possibilities and rights
• co-education = a system in which students of both sexes are educated together
• mixed-ability class = class involving students of different abilities
• distinguish sb./sth. from = recognise differences between people or things Importantly
• anti-social behaviour = behaviour that lacks consideration for others and may cause
damage to society
• be well-behaved = behave in a polite or socially acceptable way
• adolescence = the period of your life from in which you develop from being a child into
being an adult
• a healthy/positive outlook on life = a healthy/positive way of understanding and thinking
about life
• drop out of school = quit school before graduation
• Some students skip school because they dislike the material taught in class.
• disruptive students = students who do not obey rules
• indiscipline = a lack of control or obedience
• meet the demand of... = satisfy a certain need or desire
• be geared to sth = be in accordance with another thing
• inform sb. about sth. = give sb. information about sth
• put theory into practice = start to use a theory and see if it is effective
• first-hand experience = experience that has been gained by doing sth. yourself
• the responsibility for sth. falls on sb. = someone’s duty is to do sth
• shirk one’s responsibilities for sth. = deliberately avoid doing sth (trốn tránh trách nhiệm)
• fulfill one’s responsibilities = perform or carry out one’s responsibilities
• deny sb. the freedom to do sth. = do not give sb. the opportunity or the power to do sth
• compulsory subject = a subject that must be studied by all students
• kindle someone’s interest in sth. = make someone interested in sth
• optional subjects / courses = subjects / courses that may be chosen or not chosen
• There is no substitute for sb. / sth. = sb./sth. is irreplaceable

 • distance learning = a flexible form of learning where students can study from home, work
or on the move
• be sb. ’s mentor = an experienced person who gives advice to sb.
• Be sb.’s peer = someone who is of the same age as sb
• burn the midnight oil = work very late into the night (idiom nên không dùng trong
writing): cày
• study intensively = study in a highly concentrated manner (học sâu)
• To give out or assign homework: giao bài tập về nhà
• To do or complete homework: hoàn thành bài tập về nhà
• To complete/graduate high school: tốt nghiệp trung học phổ thông
• To do/participate/take part in school activities/sport: tham gia các hoạt động tại
trường/thể thao

WORK
• To be called for an interview: to be invited to attend an interview
• Run your own business/be self-employed: to have your own business
• A nine-to-five job: a normal job that consists of an 8 hour a day
• To be stuck behind a desk: to be unhappy in office job
• One of the perks of the job: an extra benefit you get from a job
• Job satisfaction: the feeling of enjoying a job
• Manual work: work that requires physical activities
• Temporary work: work done for a limited time only
• Voluntary work: to work without pay
• To be well paid: to earn a good salary
• Working conditions: the hours, salary and other entitlements that comes with the job
• To meet a deadline: to finish a job on time
• To take early retirement: to retire early
• A heavy workload: to have a lot of work to do
• Shift work: a system in which different groups of workers work somewhere at different
times of the day and night ==> Morning/Night shift
• Tempting offer (cám dỗ)
• Land a new job: get a new (and usually a good) job
• Job swap:
• Lay off staff: dismiss staff because there is no work for them to do
• Volume of work: workload
• Earn a good living
• Move up the ladder: being promoted
• Get the sack: be dismissed (từ này nên dùng trong speaking hơn vì informal)
• A retirement package: chế độ hưu trí, tiền và các quyền lợi khác được nhận từ công ty
sau khi nghỉ hưu
• Holiday entitlement: the number of days off work that you are allowed as holidays
(số ngày nghỉ phép)
• Sick leave: permission to stay away from work because of illness or injury
• Annual leave: a period of time when you are allowed to be away from work for a
holiday/vacation
• Promotion opportunities: cơ hội thăng tiến
• To move up the career ladder: a series of stages by which you can make progress in your
career

 • To pursue a successful career: to have a series of jobs in a particular area of work, with
more
responsibility as time passes
• To take a career break: a period of time when you do not do your usual job, for example
because you have children to care for
• To have no career ambition: to have no desire to be successful or to move up the career
ladder.
• job security = being free from the threat of losing one’s job It ’s a choice between higher
pay and job security.
• job satisfaction= the pleasant feeling you get from a job
• be entitled to sth. = be given the right to do sth
• a sense of fulfillment= having the opportunity to develop one’s abilities and interests
• frustration= the feeling of being upset because you cannot achieve sth.
• brain drain = a situation in which professionals go to another country in order to improve
their living or working conditions
• work experience= the experience and skills that a person gains in doing a particular job
(likely to be written incorrectly as “working experience” by non-native English speakers)
• excessive workload= work overload
• an oppressive deadline= a deadline that is too short and difficult to meet
• work under enormous stress = work under great pressure
• an employee-friendly environment= an environment that emphasises the happiness and
self-fulfillment of employees
• workplace= the place where you work ( likely to be incorrectly written as “ work unit”
by non-native English speakers
• work long hours for low pay= work many hours a day for very little money
• leisure activities= recreational activities carried out when someone is free from work or
other duties
• a demanding job = a job that requires a lot of time, energy or attention
• work ethic= the belief that hard work is good for developing one’s moral character
• flexible arrangement= a plan that can be changed easily according to the situation
• work schedule= a list of planned activities to be done at work showing the dates when
they are intended to be done
• routine work= the things a person does in a fixed order
• be well-staffed= have capable staff
• be short-staffed= do not have sufficient members of staff
• have access to= have the right or opportunity to use sth.
• cause friction between... and... = cause disagreement between... and..
• conflicts arise= has caused angry disagreemen
• stress-induced diseases= diseases caused by great worry
• the pace of work= the speed at which someone works
• occupational hazard= a risk for people doing a particular job
• occupational disease= a disease commonly acquired by people in a particular occupation
• backbreaking tasks / laborious tasks = tasks that are hard and need a great deal of effort
• manual work / manual labour= physical work
• mental work= work that involves a great deal of thinking
• be in charge of sth. = have control over and be responsible for sth.
• has an attitude problem= does not take someone’s own job seriously
• be an indicator of ability= be something that can be regarded as a sign of ability
• work around the clock= work continuously / work non-stop =work all day and all night

 • distract sb. from sth. = make sb. stop giving his/her attention to sth=divert sb. ’s attention
from... = take sb’s attention away from sth.
• be tied up at work= be prevented from doing sth. because of being busy at work
• a stressful and time-consuming job= a job that takes a lot of time to do and cause a lot of
pressure
• incentive= sth. that encourages a person to fulfill a task = motivation = willingness to do
sth.
• build a close rapport between... = develop close agreement or sympathy with each
other
• glass ceiling = an invisible barrier that prevents women from entering the ranks of senior
level management
• discriminate against sb. = treat sb. unfairly because of their beliefs, race or other features
• lead a busy life= lead a life full of activities

3. Exercises

A. IELTS Speaking Part 1: Topic Job/Work

1. Do you work or study?

Well, I am currently working as a sale executive for one of the most well –
known five-star hotel in Saigon, which offers me great opportunities to enhance my
communication skills and negotiation skills.

2. What are your responsibilities?

Actually, I am in charge of cooperating with travel agents to promote my hotel
properties and amenities. Beside that, conducting sales calls to acquire new business
and coordinating with other department to maintain guest’s satisfaction are also parts
of my duty.

3. Do you enjoy your work?

Absolutely Yes. Although I have to work under high pressure, I feel that there is no
other job I would rather do. Moreover, The dynamic working environment in
hospitality industry has brought me huge motivation to move up my career ladder.

4. Why did you choose to do that type of work (or, that job)?
Honestly, I didn’t really intend to become a saleperson because I initially thought It
was so stressful. After graduation, I took me ages to be called for an interviewed
because most of headhunters was in search of experienced candidates. Fortunately, I
was employed to work in the Sales department of an international hotel brand and
gained a lot of experiences within the field. Unlike any other business, working within
such a fast-paced environment literally triggers my mind to access its full potential,
so it makes me a real trouper.

5. Do you work or study?

Well, for the past couple of years, I’ve been working for Wipro as a WebDeveloper,
which is among the top 10 listed firms in my country. In fact, this is my first job ever &
I love it so much, and I think it’s a very interesting, yet challenging line of work.
Currently, I’m working really hard to contribute to the success of this prestigious
company.

 6. Why did you choose your job?
I am really into coding, and I always believe that I was born for coding. My dream is to
be a successful coder one day.

7. What do you like about your job?/ Why did you choose to do that type of work?
I guess it’s mainly because of job flexibility & my passion for journalism. To be more
specific, this job offers me alternatives to the typical nine-to-five work schedule,
enabling me to find a better balance between work and life. Besides, this job gives me
opportunities to pursue my dream to become a journalist down the road.
Or:
Well, I guess the thing I like most about this job is the salary. I make what I’d consider
is a lucrative income, which means not only is it enough to cover my bills, but there’s
also some extra to spend on whatever I want. So on payday, I often treat myself to a
meal at a high-end restaurant or splurge on a nice shirt.

8. What do you dislike about your job?

Sometimes I feel dead tired when sitting in front of a computer screen all day long to
deal with an overwhelming workload. I mean, I’ve led a sedentary lifestyle which
really exerts a negative effect on my physical & mental health & I have had a very
hectic schedule, which always keeps me up to my ears in deadlines. Down the road, I
am yearning for a job that involves dealing with people & makes me feel less stressed.

9. Is there some other kind of work you would rather do?

Actually, I don’t think I would be able to dedicate myself to any other job besides this
one. In fact, for me, it’s the experiences and opportunities I can gain that matter.

10. Where do you want to see yourself in 10 years?

Well, this question pops into my mind from time to time, but to be honest, I have never
managed to have an answer for it. I reckon that 10 years is such a long time and
anything could happen, so it is hard to tell from now.

B. IELTS Speaking Part 2:

Basic: Describe a well-paid job that you will be good at

You should say:

– what the job was
– how you knew this job
– how you feel about this job
– and explain why you think you will be good at it

What I’ve been through has proved that I was born to be a sale person, especially
within Hospitality. Honestly, I literally picked Accounting when I enrolled in
university to follow my father’s footsteps. I don’t really want to brag but my father
firmly assured me of my career path as an accountant because he was the head of
Accounting Department in Kreston, which is one of the most prestigious Accouting and
Auditing Enteprise in my country. However, I had no interests in working with figures
and computer-based auditing programs. Instead, I found it really appealing when
I partake in social activities which offered great opportunities to gain my confidence
in communication during my university years. Besides, I have some part-time job

 experiences in this field and have been working as a sale executive for the last two
years. My skills in analysing the market and understanding the target audience along
with my persuasive skills make me a deserving candidate for this job. With regard to
the future, I will definitely go extra miles to get promoted as a sale manager.

Advanced: Describe your idea of making a good impression in a job interview.

You should say

• Why is it important?
• Is it important to make a good lasting impression as well?
• What ways would you do it in your job interview?
• Explain how to make a good first impression in a job interview.

It’s of common sense that most people at my age are now seeking for good job
opportunities. Thus, I have to get to know how to leave a good first impression in a job
interview. Today, I would like to share with you some of my knowledge about this topic.

In a professional situation, the first impressions are significantly important. Most job
interviews don’t last more than 45 minutes. In such a short period of time, from those
who don’t know anything about ourselves, we have to persuade them that we
are qualified enough for the position we applied for. Thus, a good first impression can
help to increase the success rate in our application process.

There are many things a candidate can do to create a positive first impression. You
may follow these tips such as arriving on time for the interview, dressing formally, use
appropriate ways of behaviour and communications. Besides, there are some noted points
that you should pay much attention to like job description, company information
which you acquired through researches. By going through the required tasks and skills
for the vacancy, company’s culture or giving some suggestions to improve the
productivity of the tasks you might be in charge of when you take that position can help
you stand out from other candidates. For me, I would choose to follow all tips above.

Apart from the first impression, I strongly believe that last impressions are important as
well. Often we are not accepted immediately in the interview. The recruiting team will
have to take into account all candidates’ performances during the interview to choose
the most suitable ones for the position. Therefore first impressions alone are not enough,
we have to build a strong relationship with recruiters by making a good last impression
too. By doing so, we show our respect to the recruiters and the job we apply for.
Being in a job interview is not an enjoyable experience. However, we have to get
through it to pursue our dream jobs. Thus, we should prepare well enough for occasions
like that.

B. IELTS Speaking Part 3:

1. Which jobs are the most respected in your country?

There are a wide range of professions which people can gain respect from others in my
nation such as: teacher, lawyer and so on. To me, every job done sincerely with best
intentions is respectable.
2. Some people say it’s better to work for yourself than be employed by a
company. What’s your view?

 From my perspective, it is wiser to first seek a position at a company to gain
more hands – on experience before launching a start – up. In addition
to entrepreneurship, your working day may be much longer and more irregular than
someone who isn’t self-employed. Business commitments may mean that you spend
less time with your friends and family, or struggle to switch off from work life.