Talking About Your Job / Studies
Learn how to describe what you do, explain a responsibility or subject, discuss your schedule, and keep a work-or-study conversation going.
Learning Flow
Learn -> Practice -> Challenge
After This Lesson
Use the lesson in real situations
Practice with helpful SONA feedback
Complete the challenge with clear answers
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Learning outcome
Learning Goal
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Learning outcome
Learning Goal
State your current job, course, or learning status clearly.
Describe one responsibility, subject, or project in simple language.
Explain your schedule or reason for choosing the field.
Ask a natural follow-up about another person's work or studies.
Where you will use it
Real-Life Context
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Where you will use it
Real-Life Context
Use a brief work-or-study description when meeting colleagues, classmates, neighbours, or new contacts.
Choose details the listener can understand without specialist knowledge.
Talk honestly about career breaks, job searches, or independent learning without apologising.
Move from job title or course name to what you actually do or learn.
Teacher explanation
Core Learning
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Teacher explanation
Core Learning
Say what you do now
Use work as, work in, study, train, or prepare for according to your real situation.
I work in hotel operations.
I'm training to become an electrician.
I'm preparing for the civil services examination.
Explain the work behind the title
One everyday responsibility or subject gives the listener a clearer picture than a title alone.
I help patients arrange follow-up visits.
My course covers accounting and business law.
I'm building a small app for my final project.
Add motivation or direction
Share why the work matters to you or what you hope to learn next, then invite the other person to respond.
I chose this field because I enjoy solving practical problems.
I'd like to move into product design later.
What kind of projects are you working on?
Useful phrases
Key Expressions
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Useful phrases
Key Expressions
neutral
Current work
Use these to describe a role and workplace clearly.
I work for a logistics company.
I'm part of the technical support team.
I handle billing questions from customers.
neutral
Current studies
Use these for degree courses, training, exams, or independent learning.
I'm doing a diploma in graphic design.
I'm taking an online course in business writing.
I'm revising for my entrance exams at the moment.
formal
Transitions and goals
Use calm factual language when your current situation is changing.
I'm currently looking for a role in administration.
I took a career break and am updating my skills.
My next goal is to gain experience in public health.
informal
Conversation follow-ups
Use these when the other person seems comfortable discussing work or study.
What do you enjoy most about your course?
How did you get into that line of work?
What are you learning this term?
Tone choice
Formal vs Informal
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Tone choice
Formal vs Informal
formal
Formal
Describe your role, scope, and current goal precisely in interviews or professional meetings.
I supervise inventory for two retail locations.
My research examines access to rural healthcare.
I'm seeking opportunities in financial operations.
neutral
Neutral
Use clear everyday language with new contacts, classmates, and colleagues.
I teach science at a secondary school.
I'm in the first year of my nursing programme.
Most days, I coordinate deliveries with local stores.
informal
Informal
Use a relaxed description with friends or peers who know the general context.
I'm learning animation in my spare time.
Work is busy, but the team is supportive.
I'm trying to finish my assignment before Friday.
Short natural exchanges
Mini Conversations
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Short natural exchanges
Mini Conversations
Meeting another course participant
What are you studying at the moment?
I'm completing a certificate in supply chain management.
Which part of the course has been most useful?
The follow-up asks about experience rather than testing knowledge.
Talking to a new neighbour
Do you work nearby?
Yes, I repair medical equipment at the district hospital.
That sounds like careful work.
A simple reaction keeps the exchange friendly and respectful.
Explaining a career transition
Are you still working in sales?
I'm between roles right now and studying user experience design.
That's an interesting change. What made you choose it?
The answer is honest and forward-looking without unnecessary detail.
Sound natural
Natural English Tip
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Sound natural
Natural English Tip
Use work as with a role and work in with a field or industry.
Student is a status; mention your subject when it helps the conversation.
Explain specialist work with one familiar task instead of technical vocabulary.
Between jobs and looking for a new role are neutral ways to describe a transition.
Ask about interests or responsibilities, not salary, unless money is the agreed topic.
Gentle correction
Common Mistakes
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Gentle correction
Common Mistakes
Avoid: I am doing job in a bank.
Use: I work at a bank.
Use work at for a regular workplace.
Avoid: I am studying in engineering.
Use: I'm studying engineering.
A subject normally follows study without in.
Avoid: My work is to handling complaints.
Use: My job involves handling complaints.
Involves is followed by the ing form.
Avoid: I passed out of college last year.
Use: I graduated from college last year.
Graduated is the widely understood international expression.
Context matters
Cultural/Context Note
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Context matters
Cultural/Context Note
Job titles differ between organisations, so a brief responsibility often communicates more clearly.
Not everyone follows a direct path from education to employment; describe your current stage without judgement.
Questions about salary, marks, or rank may feel private in a new conversation.
Vocational training, caregiving, freelance work, and self-study are all valid experiences to describe.
Write and get feedback
Practice
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Write and get feedback
Practice
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Apply it once
Real-Life Scenario
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Apply it once
Real-Life Scenario
Conversation at a skills workshop
During a break, another participant asks what you do. You want to explain your current work or studies and continue the conversation naturally.
State your current job, course, training, or transition.
Describe one responsibility, subject, or project.
Share a schedule detail or reason for choosing the field.
Ask one relevant follow-up about the other person.
Submit your answer
Challenge
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Submit your answer
Challenge
Write 4 natural lines about your current job or studies.
State your present role, course, training, or job-search status.
Explain one responsibility, subject, or project.
Add one schedule detail, motivation, or future direction.
Finish with a respectful work-or-study question.
Personal coaching
SONA Tutor Feedback
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Personal coaching
SONA Tutor Feedback
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Mission Complete
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Mission Complete
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