Lesson L1.2: Talking About Work and Studies
After small talk warms things up, conversations naturally move to “so, what do you do?” — whether that means a job, a course, or a mix of both. This is one of the most frequent topics in adult conversation, and having a clear, confident way to describe your work or studies makes a strong impression.
What you’ll learn
- How to describe your job or field of study clearly, in a few sentences
- Useful phrases for describing responsibilities and daily tasks
- How to talk about challenges or things you enjoy about your work/studies
- How to ask someone else about their job or studies with genuine interest
- How to listen for job details and respond with a relevant follow-up
- Common mistakes learners make when describing their profession
Two real-life scenarios
Scenario 1 — A networking event: Someone asks, “So, what do you do?” A vague answer like “office work” doesn’t give them much to respond to — a slightly more specific answer opens up real conversation.
Scenario 2 — Catching up with an old classmate: They ask, “Are you still studying, or working now?” You want to update them clearly, without a long, rambling explanation.
“What do you do?” is one of the most common questions in English-speaking professional and social settings — having a smooth, ready answer saves you from stumbling every time it comes up.
The building blocks
A good work or study description usually has three parts: what you do/study, where, and one detail that makes it specific (a project, a subject, a responsibility). This turns a generic answer into a real conversation starter.
Key vocabulary
| Word / Phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I’m in [field] | A simple way to state your professional area | I’m in marketing. |
| I handle / I’m responsible for… | Describing your main duties | I handle client communications for our team. |
| I’m pursuing… | Describing a course or degree | I’m pursuing a degree in computer science. |
| Fresher | Someone new to the workforce | I’m a fresher, just joined last month. |
| On the side | Something done in addition to main work/study | I freelance on the side. |
| Workload | The amount of work someone has | The workload gets heavy toward month-end. |
| What does that involve? | A polite follow-up asking for detail | That sounds interesting — what does that involve? |
| Field / industry | A general area of work | What field are you in? |
Sentence patterns you can reuse
Dialogue 1: At a networking event
Dialogue 2: Catching up with an old classmate
Listening practice
Audio script (read this aloud to yourself, or have a friend read it to you):
“I’m currently pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, final year. On the side, I also do some freelance content writing. It keeps me busy, but I enjoy both — the engineering side challenges me, and the writing lets me be more creative.”
Comprehension questions:
- What is the speaker currently studying?
- What does the speaker do “on the side”?
- What does the speaker enjoy about each activity?
Practice it yourself
Speaking practice: Say a three-sentence description of your work or studies out loud: what you do, where, and one specific detail.
Writing practice: Write a short LinkedIn-style bio line describing your current job or course of study in 1–2 sentences.
Practical activity: The next time someone asks “What do you do?”, answer with one extra detail beyond the basic job title, and notice if it leads to a longer conversation.
Common mistakes to avoid
| Instead of this | Say this |
|---|---|
| “I am doing job.” / “I am doing service.” | “I have a job.” / “I work at…” |
| “I am working in a company from 2 years.” | “I’ve been working at a company for 2 years.” |
| “I am studying in final year.” | “I’m in my final year.” / “I’m studying [subject] in my final year.” |
| “What is your good profession?” | “What do you do?” / “What field are you in?” |
| Only saying the job title with no other detail | Add one small detail: “I work as a designer, mostly on mobile apps.” |
Today’s challenge
Practice your “what do you do” answer until it feels smooth, then use it in a real conversation today — even a quick one — and ask the same question back.
Self-assessment
Check off what you can now do confidently:
- I can describe my job or studies clearly in a few sentences.
- I can describe my responsibilities using “I handle” or “I’m responsible for.”
- I can ask someone else about their work or studies naturally.
- I can use present simple and present continuous correctly in this context.
- I understood the listening script without reading it twice.
Quick quiz
1. Which sentence correctly describes ongoing duration?
2. What does “fresher” mean?
3. Which is a natural way to describe your field?
4. Which phrase asks politely for more detail?
5. What does “on the side” mean?
Lesson summary
You can now describe your work or studies clearly, ask others about theirs with genuine interest, and follow up naturally when they answer. This turns “What do you do?” from an awkward pause into a real conversation starter.