In this lesson, we will focus on different ways to talk about your job. 

Let's look at some adjectives that are used to talk about a job. They have a positive meaning and are used when people are satisfied and happy with their job. 

ADJECTIVES WITH A POSITIVE MEANING

decent, good | worthwhile, interesting | plum 

Decent means that something is good and of good enough standard or quality. 
Worthwhile means that something is enjoyable, interesting and worth spending time, money or effort on. 
When a job is plum, it is considered very good and worth having. 

Examples: 

• It's a decent job. = It's a good job. 
• It's a worthwhile job. = It's an interesting job. 
• She got a plum job at the BBC. OR She landed a plum job at the BBC. 

cushy 

Cushy means that the job is very easy and pleasant. It needs little or no effort. 

Example:  

• He found a cushy job in the office, with almost nothing to do and a great salary. 

dream | ideal 

Examples: 

• Do you have a dream job? 
• What would be your ideal job? 
• This job is ideal for business graduates. (= People with a degree in Business.) 

ADJECTIVES WITH A NEGATIVE MEANING

​boring, dead-end, undemanding 

When a job is boring, it is not interesting. 
A dead-end job is one that doesn't provide you with a chance of getting a better job or promotion. 
When a job is undemanding, it means that it doesn't need a lot of effort and you don't have to work hard. 

Examples:  

• a boring job 
• He's in a dead-end job in a local company. (= with low salary and no chance of promotion) 
• Despite having a degree in advertising, she got stuck in a dead-end job at an insurance company. 
• a very undemanding job 

​MORE ADJECTIVES 

challenging, demanding, difficult 

When a job is challenging, it is difficult but in a way that tests your ability and determination.
At the same time, it is interesting and enjoyable to do. 
A demanding job means that it needs a lot of time, attention or energy. The work is difficult and it makes you tired. 

Examples: 

• I have been working for the same company for six year. I think it's time for me to find a more challenging job and look for other opportunities. I want to work for an international company. 
• She's hoping to find a job which is more demanding intellectually. 
• Office work can be demanding and stressful sometimes. 

regular | steady 

A regular job means that you are working during the normal working hours. You work a certain number of hours every week and this job continues for a long time. 
A steady job is likely to continue for a long time. It means that you won't have to look for another job because it is a secure job and you are likely to keep it for years. You will be paid regularly. 

Examples: 

• It's a regular 9-to-5 job. 
• He gave up freelancing and got a regular job. 
• It wasn't easy to find a steady job in the city. 
• Having a steady job will help you when applying for a loan. 

TASK:
What do you do? What adjectives from this lesson best describe your job? Write them down in a notebook and practise making complete sentences. 


Other lessons: 
Collocations with Job (Part 2) 
Business English: Working in an office 
Business English: How to Talk about Your Job Responsibilities 
English Lesson: Jobs and Skills 
English Lesson: Collocations for Success 
English Lesson: Collocations for Feelings 
Commonly Used Phrases in Spoken English 

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Let's talk about advantages and disadvantages of rural life.

Some people grow up in a rural area (= an area in the country), whereas other people grow up in an urban area (= in a city). 

country = countryside 

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF RURAL LIFE?

• There is a lot of free space available in the countryside. 
• The country / countryside offers us a lot more land to live on. 
• You can live in your own house with your own private garden. 
• You can easily go for a walk outside your house. 
• You're surrounded by beautiful scenery and you can walk in the countryside. 
• The pace of life is slower and more relaxed. 
• You get peace and quiet. 
• You get fresh air. 
• People live in close communities and they know each other. 

WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES OF RURAL LIFE?

• Road networks are usually in poor condition. 
• Public transport is hopeless. 
• There aren't many shops. / You don't get many shops. 
• There isn't much privacy because everyone knows what you are doing. 
• There isn't much nightlife. 
• There aren't many educational facilities. 
• People in the countryside lack access to modern health care. 

What else can you think of? 

You can add more answers to the list. 

Leave a comment below! 

​
TASKS: 

1. Read our lesson about advantages and disadvantages of urban life and write down a comparison between living in the city and in the countryside. You can give examples and explain why you prefer living where you are. 
2. Think about whether you would move in the future. 

​VOCABULARY 

• scenery - the appearance of the natural environment, such as mountains, valleys, rivers and forests, when you are thinking about them as being attractive and beautiful 
• beautiful / lovely / breathtaking / spectacular scenery BrE /ˈsiːnəri/ 
• pace of life - the speed at which something changes  
• peace and quiet - a place that is quiet and calm 
• hopeless - terrible 
• privacy - private life 
• educational facilities - kindergarten, school, college, university, library 
• to lack - to have none or not enough of something 

TIPS:

1. Learn new vocabulary in context. 
2. Learn complete sentences. 

Click below to read some of our IELTS related lessons: 
Discourse Markers for IELTS Speaking and Everyday English 
Causes and Effects of Migration from Rural Areas to Cities
IELTS Speaking Test: Means of Transport 
IELTS Speaking Test: Arriving Early and Being Patient 
IELTS Speaking Test: Places That Tourists Visit and Being a Tourist 
IELTS: Advantages and Disadvantages of Using the Internet 
​

​Other lessons: 
City Life - Going out
Cities - Talk about your area 
Cities - Advantages and Disadvantages of Urban Life 
Collocations for Urban Life 
Collocations for Rural Life 


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Let's talk about city life and going out. We all go to places for social reasons. In this lesson, we will focus on this kind of experience and how to describe it step by step. 

People on the move 

• I live in a suburb not far from the city centre.
• I work in the city so I need to commute by car from Monday to Friday. 
• One of the main problems is that the roads get congested in the rush hour. 
• It usually takes me around 40 minutes to get to work. 
• It can be quite stressful in the morning because people are in a hurry to go to work. 
• Parking in the city is usually difficult. There's nowhere to park near my office. 
• I usually leave my car in a private car park, and pay a certain fee for that. 
• In the future, I may consider going to work by bus, which I think is more convenient and reasonably priced. 
• I will be able to cut my commuting hours and pay less for transport.
  (Also: to cut commuting costs) 

GOING OUT (= going to places for social reasons) 

• I live and work in the suburbs, but I usually go into town two or three times a week. 
• It is pretty lively in the evening, and there's plenty to do. 
• One problem is that there's nowhere to park in the city, so I usually get / take a bus into town and take / get a taxi home if it's too late. 

TASKS: 

1. Write down similar sentences about your experience on your way to school/ university / work and back home. 
2. Write down similar sentences to tell a friend (who lives in a different city) or a foreigner about things to do and places to go in your city. 

​
VOCABULARY 

• suburb - an area outside the centre of a town, where a lot of people live 
• to commute - to travel regularly by bus, car, etc. between your place of work and your home 
• get congested - busy and full of traffic 
• rush hour - the time when people travel to and from work 
• commuting hours - time needed to travel between your place of work and your home 
• go into town - the town centre 
• pretty lively - lots of people and lots of things happening 
• there's plenty to do - lots of possibilities, e.g. coffee shops, bars, clubs, etc. 

COMMON PHRASES 

• there's plenty to do 
• there's plenty to see 
• there's nothing to do 
• there's nowhere to go 

Click below to read some of our other lessons: 
Cities - Talk about your area
Cities - Advantages and Disadvantages of Urban Life 
Countryside - Advantages and Disadvantages of Rural Life 
Causes and Effects of Migration from Rural Areas to Cities 
​Collocations for Urban Life 
Collocations for Rural Life 

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Let's talk about the area where you live. Do you know how to describe it? We will help you. 

IS YOUR AREA BUILT-UP, OR IS THERE A FEELING OF SPACE? 

• There used to be a lot of space, but now it's a really built-up area. 
• I live in an area about five kilometres from the city centre. It is an ideal place to live and there's still a feeling of space. 
• I live in a commercial district. The whole area is surrounded by commercial buildings, so there isn't a feeling of space. 

WHAT IS YOUR HOME SURROUNDED BY? 

• My block of flats is surrounded by trees. 
• My home is surrounded by other houses. 
• There's a park just round the corner. 

IS IT A HANDY PLACE TO LIVE? 

• It's a nice area with shops within walking distance. 
• It's really convenient because it's close to my children's school and my place of work. 
• It's not handy at all! The nearest bus stop is a 15-minute walk away. Wherever you go, it takes quite a while. 

WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES? 

• One of the disadvantages of where I live is that there is no park nearby where children can play or where you can go for a walk. 
• The bus service is one of the main disadvantages. Buses run every 30 minutes. 
• It takes at least 30 minutes to get downtown. 

What else can you think of? 

You can add more answers to the list. 

Leave a comment below! 


​VOCABULARY 

• area - part of a town, country, or the world 
• district - part of a town or country 
• commercial district - with a lot of commercial buildings, such as downtown, central business district, Main Street or shopping centre  
• handy - located near to something you need (Synonym: convenient) 
• within walking distance 
• a 15-minute walk away / a 15-minute bike ride away / a 15-minute car ride away 
• place of work 

Click below to read some of our other lessons: 
City Life - Going out 
Cities - Advantages and Disadvantages of Urban Life  
Countryside - Advantages and Disadvantages of Rural Life 
Causes and Effects of Migration from Rural Areas to Cities 
Collocations for Urban Life 
Collocations for Rural Life 


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Let's talk about living conditions in cities as well as advantages and disadvantages of urban life.

WHAT DO YOU THINK SHOULD BE DONE TO IMPROVE LIVING CONDITIONS IN CITIES?

• Cities should be more comfortable and safe to live in.
• The quality of rented houses should be improved.
• There should be more newly planted trees in cities. 
• Road networks should be improved in order to reduce traffic congestion and to ensure traffic safety.
• There should be more car parks available.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF URBAN LIFE? 

• Transport facilities of modern cities are highly developed.
• There is constant electricity supply in cities.
• There are hospitals and clinics for proper medical treatment.
• Cities provide a wide range of entertainment options such as art galleries, museums, cinemas, concerts, and more.
• There are chances of getting suitable and well-paid jobs.

WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES OF URBAN LIFE? 

• Cities are overcrowded.
• Due to high population density, people living in cities experience traffic congestion and long commuting hours.
• Air quality is often poor in heavily built-up areas.
• Life in urban areas is fast-paced and there is lack of personal relationships.
• The cost of living is higher.

What else can you think of? 

You can add more answers to the list. 

Leave a comment below! 


​VOCABULARY 

• population density - the average number of people living per square mile / km. 
• high / low population density 
• traffic congestion - crowded and full of traffic 
• commuting hours - time needed to travel between your place of work and your home 
• built-up - with a lot of buildings 
• fast-paced - happening very quickly 

TIPS: 

1. Learn new vocabulary in context. 
2. Learn complete sentences. 

Click below to read some of our IELTS related lessons: 
Discourse Markers for IELTS Speaking and Everyday English
Causes and Effects of Migration from Rural Areas to Cities 
IELTS Speaking Test: Means of Transport 
IELTS Speaking Test: Arriving Early and Being Patient 
IELTS Speaking Test: Places That Tourists Visit and Being a Tourist 
IELTS: Advantages and Disadvantages of Using the Internet 


Other lessons: 
​City Life - Going out
Cities - Talk about your area
Countryside - Advantages and Disadvantages of Rural Life
Collocations for Urban Life 
Collocations for Rural Life 


​Please LIKE and SHARE with friends! 
​

​SLOW vs. SLOWLY

In this lesson, we are going to focus on slow and slowly and how to use them correctly. 

If you find it difficult to decide which one to use, please go ahead and read our lesson. Don't forget to check your knowledge by doing the exercise at the end of the lesson. 

SLOW 

Slow can be used as an adjective, an adverb and a verb.
We will focus on the word 'slow' as an adjective and an adverb. 


SLOW as an adjective

Slow means not moving, acting or done quickly. It usually takes a long time and it is not fast. 

Examples: 

• You are such a slow driver. Can't you drive any faster? [Can you drive faster, please?] 
• My sister is a very slow eater. She is always the last person to finish her meal. 
• I'm such a slow reader. It usually takes me forever to read a book. 
• a slow runner / driver / reader / eater 
• The country is experiencing slow economic growth. 
• Building trust in your business is a slow process. 
• Business is always slow during this time of the year because everyone's on holiday. 
• You're so slow. Come on, hurry up! 
• I missed the fast train and I had to get the slow one. (= The one that stops at all stations.) 

A person might be described as slow if they are not very clever and do not understand, notice or learn things quickly. 

Example: 

• She's the slowest in the class. 

Slow is also used if your watch or clock shows a time earlier than the real time. 

Examples: 

• My watch is five minutes slow. (= It shows 1:55 p.m. when it is 2:00 p.m.) 
• That clock is ten minutes slow. 

​
SLOW as an adverb 

It is used in comparative and superlative forms or in compounds, and it means that something is moving or is done at a slow speed. 

slow - slower - the slowest 

Examples: 

• I can't walk any slower. 
• The traffic is moving so slow. I won't be there on time. 
• He drives too slow! (North American English) 

SLOWLY 

Slowly is an adverb. 

Slowly means that something is done at a low speed. 

Examples: 

• When you can't understand what people are saying, you can ask them to speak more slowly. 
• Can you speak more slowly, please? 
• You are eating too fast. That's not good for your health. You should eat more slowly so that you can digest food better. 
• You have to drive slowly on these narrow country roads. 

Exercise 

Complete the sentences with slow or slowly. If necessary, use a comparative form. 

1. The country's economic growth is ................ than expected. 
2. I'm glad we are already here. It was a painfully ................ journey. 
3. The city is ................ getting back to normal after a five-day transport strike. 
4. Our progress has been fairly ................ so far. We still have a lot more to do in the next couple of weeks. 
5. My health is ................ getting better.
6. Sorry, can you speak ................? My English isn't very good. 
7. Why is my Internet so ................? 
​8. If the Firefox browser is running ................, click the Refresh button. 
9. When you eat ................, you digest better. 
10. The benefits of ................ eating include better digestion, better hydration, easier weight loss and greater satisfaction with our meals. 


Answers: 
1. slower; 2. slow; 3. slowly; 4. slow; 5. slowly; 6. slowly; 7. slow; 8. slow; 9. slowly; 10. slow;