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English Teaching

Jobs & Workplaces: Essential Vocabulary (A1)

August 2, 2026 · Sourov · 3 min read

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A1 ⏱ 5 minutes

Jobs & Workplaces: Essential Vocabulary

“I have been a waiter, a barista, a sommelier, a team leader, and now a teacher. Every job taught me something new — and a whole new set of English words to go with it. From the casino floor in Sydney to a classroom in La Réunion, the vocabulary of work is one of the most useful sets of words you will ever learn.”
🎯 Aim: Learn 10 common English words for jobs and workplaces, and use them in simple sentences.

Jobs Vocabulary

Job What they do
waiter / waitress serves food and drinks in a restaurant
chef cooks food professionally in a kitchen
receptionist welcomes people and answers phones at the front desk
manager leads and organises a team or department
teacher helps students learn in a classroom

Workplaces Vocabulary

Place Description
office a room or building where people do desk work
restaurant a place where people pay to eat meals
classroom a room where a teacher teaches students
casino a place where people play games for money
venue a place where events, parties, or shows happen

Grammar Note: be + job

Tip: In English we say “I am a teacher” — we use the article a/an before a job title. We do NOT say “I am teacher.”

✅ She is a receptionist.   ❌ She is receptionist.

Examples in Context

  • “The waiter brought the menu to our table in the restaurant.”
  • “My sister works as a receptionist in a large office.”
  • “The chef at Uccello cooked beautiful food every night.”
  • “I was a manager at a casino in Sydney for several years.”
  • “Now I am a teacher and my workplace is a classroom.”

Practice Task 1: Match the job to the workplace

Draw a line (or write the letter) to match each job with its most likely workplace.

Job Letter Workplace
1. teacher A. casino
2. chef B. office
3. receptionist C. classroom
4. waiter D. restaurant
5. manager E. venue
Show answers

1-C   2-D   3-B   4-D   5-E (also B or A — managers work everywhere!)

Practice Task 2: Simple sentences

Complete each sentence with the correct job or workplace word.

  1. She teaches English. She is a ________.
  2. He cooks in a kitchen. He is a ________.
  3. Students learn in a ________.
  4. People eat dinner in a ________.
  5. A ________ welcomes guests and answers the phone.
Show answers
  1. teacher
  2. chef
  3. classroom
  4. restaurant
  5. receptionist
🏠 Takeaway: Write 3 sentences about people you know using today’s vocabulary. For example: “My friend is a waiter. He works in a restaurant.”

Independent project. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or accredited by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Confers no qualification.

Put it to work

Find out what your English actually produces.

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