FOCUS ON LANGUAGE

English

15

“WORKING” VERBS

May 2013

to arrest – to take someone away legally to ask them about a crime which

PROFESSIONS AND

they might have committed

OCCUPATIONS VOCABULARY

Example: The police arrested the man on suspicion of murder.

to bake – to make bread, cakes, cookies or pies

Below we have a list of different professions and

Example: She baked the bread fresh every morning.

an explanation of what each person does in that

to build – to make something by putting bricks or other materials to-

profession.

Accountant – a person that works with the money

gether

Example: They build the new houses near the town.

and accounts of a company.

Actor/Actress – a person that acts in a play or a

to carry – to transport or take something from one place to another

Example: The porter carried her bags to her room.

movie

Architect – a person that designs buildings and

to clean – to make someplace tidy and clean

houses.

Example: The cleaner cleaned the office yesterday.

Author – a person that writes books or novels.

to cook – to prepare food to be eaten by heating it in a particular way

Baker – a person that makes bread and cakes and

Example: The chef cooked a beautiful meal.

normally works in a bakery.

to cure – to make someone with an illness healthy again

Bricklayer – a person that helps to build houses

Example: The doctor cured his headache.

using bricks.

to deliver – to take goods, letters, parcels etc. to people

Bus driver – a person that drives buses.

Example: The postman delivered my birthday cards.

Butcher – a person that works with meat; cuts the

to engineer – to design and build something using building materials

meat and selles it in the shop.

Example: They engineered the new building to the highest specifica-

Carpenter – a person that makes things from wood

tions.

including houses and furniture.

to extract – to remove or take out something

Chef/Cook – a person that prepares food for oth-

Example: The dentist extracted the rotten tooth.

ers, often in a restaurant or café.

to fix – to repair something

Cleaner – a person that cleans/tidies an area or

Example: The carpenter fixed my broken chair.

place (such as an office)

to invent – to design and/or create something which has never been

Dentist – a person that can fix problems you have

made before

with your teeth.

Example: The scientist invented a new drug.

Designer – a person who has the job of designing

to judge – to form, give or have as an opinion, or to decide about some-

things.

thing or someone, especially after thinking carefully

Doctor – a person you go to see when you are ill or

Example: The jury judged him guilty.

have some type of health problem.

to manage – to be responsible for controlling or organizing someone or

Dustman/Refuse collector – a person that col-

something especially a business

lects trash/rubbish from bins in the street.

Example: He managed the whole department very well.

Electrician – a person that works with electric cir-

to mend – to fix something

cuits.

Factory worker – a person that works in a fac-

Example: The electrician mended my old computer.

to nurse – to care for a person or an animal while they are ill

tory.

Farmer – a person that works on a farm, usually

Example: She nursed the patient back to health.

with animals.

to operate – to cut a body open for medical reasons in order to repair,

Fireman/Fire fighter – a person

that puts out

remove or replace a diseased or damaged part

fires.

Example: The surgeon operated the leg to save it from amputation.

Fisherman – a person that catches fish

to phone – to communicate with someone by telephone

Florist – a person that works and sells flowers.

Example: The representative phoned his customer.

Gardener – a person that keeps gardens clean

to photograph – to take a photograph of something or someone

and tidy; takes care of the plants in the gar-

Example: He photographed the murder scene.

den.

to repair – to mend something

Hairdresser – a person that cuts your hair or gives

Example: The plumber repaired my sink.

it a new style.

to serve – to deal with a customer by taking their order, showing or selling

Journalist – a person that makes news reports in

them goods etc.

writing or on television or radio.

Example: She served the customer his beer.

Judge – a person qualified to decide cases in a

to shave – to remove hair from the body, especially a man’s face, by cut-

law court.

ting it close to the skin with a razor, so that the skin feels smooth

Lawyer – a person that defends people in court

Example: The barber shaved him very quickly.

and gives legal advice.

to type – to write using a machine, a computer keyboard or a typewriter

Lecturer – a person that gives lectures, usually in

Example: The secretary typed the report.

a university.

to weld – to join pieces of metal together permanently by melting the

Librarian – a person that works in a library.

parts that touch

Lifeguard – a person that saves lives where peo-

Example: The welder welded the pipes together.

ple swim (at a beach or swimming pool). ª