Vocabulary and grammar exercises

1 Choose the correct form and fill in the gaps:

1. I am ________ seeking employment and wonder if you have any vacancies in your Marketing Department at the moment.

a) correctly b) heavily

c) personally d) actively

2. I am looking forward to _________ work on October 15.

a) commencing b) saving

c) replying d) being

3. I appreciate the opportunity to work on my own initiative and to take on a certain amount of ________.

a) personality b) responsibility

c) familiarity d) similarity

4. Describe your educational ________ and professional experience.

a) standpoints b) looks

c) background d) enclosures

5. Incorrectly listing education ________ creates confusion and raises questions about the validity of your degree.

a) credentials b) transmission

c) impressions d) resume

2 Ask questions on the underlined words:

1. Too much money fosters greed.

2. Résumé should be limited to two pages.

3. Because of mergers and acquisitions, many job hunters have trouble developing work history.

4. He graduated from Florida State University with honors 2 years ago.

5. The Bank had previously looked for growth of around 1 percent this year.

Ex. 3. Fill in the blanks with prepositions and articles:

1. Michael would be better ________ restating ________ accomplishment as it benefited his employer.

2. They don't draw pictures on ________ score card; all you see is ________ final number.

3. Stressing academics can take ________ valuable space that should be dedicated to your work history and experience.

4. He came ________a two-day official visit at the invitation of the Government.

5. I congratulate you _______ being admitted to the University!

6. How much does it cost to stay at ________ Marriott Hotel?

7. ________ Carpathian Mountains are neither old nor high.

8. Better ________ last smile than ________ first laughter.

4 Reword the following sentence without changing their meaning. Pay attention to the italicized words:

1. This statement will raise the reader's interest.

2. In a written answer to an employment ad, we received a résumé from a senior executive in a food-processing company.

3. If it takes more than two pages to list your achievements, you are setting yourself up for failure.

4. Siemens & Halske spearheaded the evolution of telegraphy with the first pointer telegraph and the construction of an extensive telegraph work.

5. In 1866 Werner Siemens invented the dynamo machine, laying the cornerstone of power engineering.

5 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the below verbs:

work in an office, get to/ leave the office (at 9 am),

the office is well/ badly run, share an office with someone,

ring/ call the office, use (a room) as an office.

1. I……….in the company’s busy Madrid office. It’s air-conditioned and very comfortable.

2. I used to……..an office with Irene. She’s now in another department.

3. I……..my wife’s office three times this morning, but got no answer.

4. My husband works from home. He……. one of our bedrooms as an office.

5. The office I’m working in at the moment isn’t very well……. - the manager is useless. That’s why I’m looking for another job.

6. I usually try to………the office before 7pm, so that I can get home in time to put the kids to bed.

NOTES

1. Note these expressions:

I got home exhausted after spending a hard day at the office.

The atmosphere in our office is very tense/ relaxed/ friendly/ formal

2. Note the following expressions using office + noun:

If you need a doctor, you have to call a different number outside normal office hours.

6 Choose the most suitable word or phrase:

a) The building workers were paid their income/salary/wages every Friday.

b) She’s only been here for three weeks. It’s a/an overtime/temporary job.

c) When he retired he received a monthly bonus/pension/reward.

d) Apparently she earns/gains/wins over £60,000 a year.

e) While the boss is away, Sue will be in charge/in control/in place of the office.

f) Could I have two days away/off/out next week to visit my mother?

g) Paul was always arriving late, and in the end he was pushed/sacked/thrown.

7 Write the verb in brackets in the necessary form:

Dear Ms O’Dell,

I… (email) to apply for the position of Team Leader on your summer camps for children in the USA.

I… currently… (study) for my degree in sports science and am going…(complete) my studies next year. However, I would like (spend) my summer holidays… (do) fun but worthwhile.

I am an outgoing, confident person while… (get) on well with everyone. While I… never (work) with children before, I … (have) two nephews I have looked after before.

Please find… (attach) my completed application form for the positions advertised on your website. I am available at any time convenient to you. I look forward… (meet) you to discuss my application.

8 Pair work. Discuss the statements below and find out your partner’s views on the issues:

1. A resume should be a complete summary of all your qualifications and employers during the past thirty years.

2. If you had great grades in college, this fact will impress potential employers even if you graduated twenty years ago.

3. Providing detailed personal information on the résumé can be a good hook to explore common grounds with a potential employer.