Explain what you do, where you work and what a colleague does.

The idea

Ask What do you do? to ask about someone’s occupation in a suitable context. Answer with I work as a cook for a role or I work in a hospital for a place. Describe a regular task with the present simple: I help customers. You can also say I am looking for work.

Examples

  • What do you do?
  • I work as a cook.
  • I work in a hospital.
  • I help customers in a shop.
  • My colleague works from home on Fridays.
  • I am looking for work.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic English voice on your device. Quality and availability vary; it does not assess pronunciation.

Watch out

A role and a place take different phrases: as a cook, but in a hospital. The question What are you doing? can instead ask about an activity happening now.

Try it yourself

  1. I work ___ a cook. (as / at)

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    as

    Use as to introduce a role.

  2. I work ___ a hospital. (in / as)

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    in

    Use in to name a workplace such as a hospital.

  3. My colleague ___ customers. (helps / help)

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    helps

    With my colleague, the present simple takes helps.

Use it today

Describe a real or imagined role, workplace and regular task in three sentences.