USEFUL

Words to
Describe Job
Performance
Quiz Lesson
 POSITIVE
ADJECTIVES
She's intelligent,
hard-working,
and _______.
MEANING
(having an agreeable or
pleasing personality)
She's intelligent,
hard-working,
and personable.
MEANING
(having an agreeable or
pleasing personality)
He always does
a _______
review of his
work.
MEANING
(detailed and careful)
He always does
a thorough
review of his
work.
MEANING
(detailed and careful)
 Her numbers
are always
right because
she's very
____-____.
MEANING
(paying close attention to
all of the small particulars
when working on a task)
 Her numbers
are always
right because
she's very
detail-oriented.
MEANING
(paying close attention to
all of the small particulars
when working on a task)
 Many of his
colleagues admire
his _______
approach.

MEANING
(controlling a situation
rather than just responding
to it after it has happened)
 Many of his
colleagues admire
his proactive
approach.

MEANING
(controlling a situation
rather than just responding
to it after it has happened)
She often
has many
_______
ideas.

MEANING
(using new and
different methods)
 She often
has many
innovative
ideas.

MEANING
(using new and
different methods)
 NEGATIVE
ADJECTIVES
 During
meetings, he
is sometimes
________.
MEANING
(not giving attention
to someone or
something)
 During
meetings, he
is sometimes
inattentive.
MEANING
(not giving attention
to someone or
something)
She's _______
and does not
think things
over before
acting.
MEANING
(likely to do something
suddenly, without
considering the results
of your actions)
She's impetuous
and does not
think things
over before
acting.
MEANING
(likely to do something
suddenly, without
considering the results
of your actions)
 He was
criticized for
his _____
handling of
the situation.
MEANING
(not skilled or effective)
 He was
criticized for
his inept
handling of
the situation.
MEANING
(not skilled or effective)
 Sometimes
she's difficult
to work with
because she's
a little
________.
MEANING
(behaving in a slightly
unfriendly and too
formal way)
 Sometimes
she's difficult
to work with
because she's
a little
standoffish.
MEANING
(behaving in a slightly
unfriendly and too
formal way)
 During the
interview, we
discovered that he
was ________
when talking about
his prior work
experience.
MEANING
(a person who is slightly
dishonest, or not speaking
the complete truth)
 During the
interview, we
discovered that he
was disingenuous
when talking about
his prior work
experience.
MEANING
(a person who is slightly
dishonest, or not speaking
the complete truth)
POSITIVE
PHRASES
 She regularly
_____ the
_______ and
does things before
anyone has to ask.

MEANING
(to be the first one to
do something, esp. to
solve a problem)
 She regularly
takes the
initiative and
does things before
anyone has to ask.

MEANING
(to be the first one to
do something, esp. to
solve a problem)
He's the type of
person who will
go the ____
____.

MEANING
(to make more effort
than is expected of
you)
He's the type of
person who will
go the extra
mile.

MEANING
(to make more effort
than is expected of
you)
She's really
careful and
___ close
______ to
_____.
MEANING
(to think about
something carefully
and avoid sloppy
mistakes)
She's really
careful and
pays close
attention to
detail.
MEANING
(to think about
something carefully
and avoid sloppy
mistakes)
He ____ _____
in completing
work projects on
time.

MEANING
(feeling of satisfaction which
you have because you have
done something well)
 He takes pride
in completing
work projects on
time.

MEANING
(feeling of satisfaction which
you have because you have
done something well)
 She's willing
to do any task
and is always
ready to ____
___ for the
____.
MEANING
(to make a personal sacrifice
for the collective benefit of
your colleagues)
 She's willing
to do any task
and is always
ready to take
one for the
team.
MEANING
(to make a personal sacrifice
for the collective benefit of
your colleagues)
NEGATIVE
PHRASES
 The company
had to let him
go because
he wasn't
_____ his
______.
MEANING
(to do the things that you should
be doing as part of a group of
people who are working together)
 The company
had to let him
go because
he wasn't
pulling his
weight.
MEANING
(to do the things that you should
be doing as part of a group of
people who are working together)
She certainly
has a ____ of
commitment
to her work.

MEANING
(to not have a strong
interest in your work
or desire to succeed)
She certainly
has a lack of
commitment
to her work.

MEANING
(to not have a strong
interest in your work
or desire to succeed)
 At our weekly
meetings, he's
usually a
__-____.

MEANING
(a person who is expected to
be somewhere but who does
not arrive)
 At our weekly
meetings, he's
usually a
no-show.

MEANING
(a person who is expected to
be somewhere but who does
not arrive)
It seems that
she is often
______
______
________.
MEANING
(to do something or
happen later than
planned or expected)
It seems that
she is often
running
behind
schedule.
MEANING
(to do something or
happen later than
planned or expected)
He just can't
_____
______
_______.

MEANING
(to manage, deal
with, or control the
demands and stress
of a circumstance)
He just can't
handle
pressure
situations.

MEANING
(to manage, deal
with, or control the
demands and stress
of a circumstance)
 REVIEW
Positive Adjectives Negative Adjectives
personable inattentive
thorough impetuous
detail-oriented inept
proactive standoffish
innovative disingenuous

Positive Phrases Negative Phrases

take the initiative not pull (one's) weight

go the extra mile lack of commitment
pay close attention to no-show
detail run behind schedule
take pride in (something) can't handle pressure
take one for the team situations