Lesson Focus

This unit is extremely practical and focuses on the world of work. You will learn how to think about your future career, understand job advertisements, write formal applications, and prepare for interviews.

Key Vocabulary to Master

• Job Application Terms: career, ambition, vacancy, applicant, qualifications, experience, CV (Curriculum Vitae), referee, co-curricular activities.

• Job Ad Language: reputed company, dynamic, result-oriented, fluency in English, computer literate, prior experience, an added advantage.

• Work-related Qualities: hardworking, punctual, self-motivated, good communicator, team player, artistic sense, problem-solving skills.

Grammar Focus: Past Perfect Tense (Active and Passive)

This tense is used to talk about an action that was completed before another action in the past. It helps to show the order of events.

• Active Voice: Used when the subject performs the action.

  • Structure: Subject + had + past participle

  • Example: "My father had seen the advertisement before he showed it to me." (Seeing the ad happened first).

• Passive Voice: Used when the subject receives the action. This is very common in formal situations.

  • Structure: Subject + had been + past participle

  • Example: "He had been told about the vacancy by his uncle." (Someone else told him).

  • Example: "Experience had not been asked for." (The company didn't ask for it).

Important Points for the O/L Exam

• Paper I (Writing - Part A): You are often asked to write a formal letter, and a letter of application is a very common type. You may also be asked to fill in a form, which is a direct skill from this unit.

• Paper I (Writing - Part B): An essay on "My Future Ambition" or "The Job I Would Like to Do" is a very popular topic. Use the vocabulary and ideas from this unit to write a strong essay.

• Paper II (Reading): You could be given a job advertisement to read and answer questions on. You will need to extract specific information like age limits, required qualifications, and contact details.

• Grammar Section: The Past Perfect Tense is often tested in the verb completion (fill-in-the-blanks) questions.

Tips & Tricks for Studying

1. Create Your Own CV: Practice the vocabulary by writing a simple, one-page CV for yourself. List your "qualifications" (subjects you study), "skills" (e.g., good at drawing, can use a computer), and "co-curricular activities."

2. Analyze a Real Job Ad: Find a simple job advertisement in a newspaper (like the Daily News) or online. Underline the key requirements: What qualifications are needed? What is the age limit? Who should you apply to? This is excellent real-world practice.

3. Use "Before" and "After" to Practice Past Perfect: Create sentences that show the order of two past events. For example: "After I had finished my homework, I watched TV." or "Before I went out, I had packed my bag."

Role-Play an Interview: With a friend, practice asking and answering simple interview questions from the textbook dialogue. This builds confidence for the oral test.