BEGLA-136 : ENGLISH AT THE WORKPLACE : Exam points

 Vocabularies

i) knowing in advance what is going to happen

ii) too much of anything; a person or situation that is too dominating

iii) speaking or acting in a forceful way so that people notice you

iv) behaving in an insistent and forceful way without caring about other

people

v) somebody who has very distinct opinions and puts them across

aggressively

vi) very busy

vii) questioned

viii)another chance

ANSWERS

 i) predictability

ii) overwhelming

iii) assertive

iv) aggression

v) opinionated

vi) hectic

vii) interrogated

viii) do-over

 

 

 

 

1) Use the following words in sentences so as to bring out their meaning.

i) convey

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ii) transmit

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iii) assess

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iv) self-assured

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v) prone

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vi) indicate

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vii) inadvertently

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viii) mutual

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ix) updated

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x) issues

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i) Convey

• The professor used simple diagrams to convey complex scientific concepts to the students.
• She  to conveyed her feelings of gratitude to her mentor.

ii) Transmit (transfer)

• The satellite can transmit data across vast distances in a matter of seconds.
• It’s important to wash your hands regularly to prevent the spread of germs that can transmit diseases.

iii) Assess

• Before making any decisions, it is crucial to assess the potential risks and benefits.
• The teacher will assess each student's progress at the end of the semester.

iv) Self-assured

• His self-assured demeanor during the presentation impressed the board of directors.
• Despite the challenges, she remained self-assured and confident in her abilities.

v) Prone

• Athletes are more prone to injuries if they do not properly warm up before exercising.
• This is an accident prone area
  

vi) Indicate

• The data indicate a significant improvement in the company’s sales performance this quarter.
• His smile seemed to indicate that he was pleased with the results.

vii) Inadvertently (accidentally)

• She inadvertently left her phone at the café, causing a minor panic when she realized it was missing.
• He inadvertently sent the email to the wrong person and it created some confusions.

viii) Mutual

• They have a mutual respect for each other’s work, which makes their collaboration successful.
• The agreement was beneficial to both parties and was based on mutual trust and understanding.

ix) Updated

• The software needs to be updated regularly to ensure it remains secure and efficient.
• She updated her resume to include her most recent job experience before applying for the new position.

x) Issues

• The company is working to resolve the issues that have caused delays in product delivery.
• They discussed several critical issues during the meeting, including budget constraints and project timelines.

 

 

 

 

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the words in the box.

Motor, queue, captain, carpet, pocket, pilot,  floor,  butter,  bud,  shoulder

i) I want my room ..................................... .

ii) We ............................ down to Lucknow.

iii) He ..................................... the plane in a skilful manner.

iv) Who will ............................... the team?

v) We ............................ up for the tickets.

vi) After his father’s death, he ......................... all the responsibilities.

vii) Let me ................................. the toast.

viii) Plants .............................. in spring.

ix) He ........................... all the money and left.

x) His last question completely .......................... me.

 

 

 ANSWERS

i) I want my room carpeted. 

ii) We motored down to Lucknow.

 iii) He piloted the plane in a skillful manner. 

iv) Who will captain the team? 

v) We queued up for the tickets. 

vi) After his father’s death, he shouldered all the responsibilities. 

vii) Let me butter the toast. 

viii) Plants bud in spring. 

ix) He pocketed all the money and left. 

x) His last question completely floored me.

 

 

 

Functions of Modal auxiliary verbs

 

1. Expressing Ability

• Can: Used to express ability.
  • Example: She can speak three languages.
• Could: Used to express past ability or polite requests.
  • Example: When I was a child, I could swim very well.

2. Expressing Possibility or Probability

• May: Indicates possibility or permission.
  • Example: It may rain tomorrow.
• Might: Indicates a lesser degree of possibility.
  • Example: He might come to the party.
• Could: Indicates possibility or past ability.
  • Example: This plan could work.

3. Expressing Permission

• May: Used to give or ask for permission.
  • Example:  may I leave the office.
• Can: Used informally to ask for permission.
  • Example: Can I use your phone?
• Might: Sometimes used for polite permission.
  • Example: Might I suggest an alternative?

4. Expressing Obligation or Necessity

• Must: Indicates strong obligation or necessity.
  • Example: You must wear a seatbelt.
• Should: Suggests obligation, advice, or duty.
  • Example: You should see a doctor if you're feeling ill.
• Ought to: Indicates moral obligation or advice.
  • Example: We ought to help those in need.

5. Expressing Prohibition

• Must not (mustn't): Indicates prohibition.
  • Example: You must not smoke here.
• Cannot (can't): Indicates that something is not allowed.
  • Example: You can't park here.

6. Expressing Requests or Offers

• Can: Used for informal requests.
  • Example: Can you help me with this?
• Could: Used for polite requests.
  • Example: Could you please pass the salt?
• Would: Used for polite offers or requests.
  • Example: Would you like some coffee?

7. Expressing Future Intentions or Predictions

• Will: Indicates future actions or predictions.
  • Example: I will call you tomorrow.
• Shall: Often used in formal contexts to indicate future actions.
  • Example: We shall overcome these challenges.

 Fill in the gaps in the following sentences using the words given below:

Should,  shouldn’t,  have to/has to,  don’t have to, must,  mustn’t,  need(s)

i) Although you ____________ make a portfolio to apply for a job, it

helps to represent your skills and capabilities better.

ii) You ____________ send/mail your portfolio to the organization, but

take it with you to the interview.

iii) One ____________ preserve and file all records and proofs of

achievement in all fields in order to create an impressive portfolio.

iv) The first document in the portfolio ____________ be the resume.

v) The candidate ____________ to make adjustments in the portfolio

for each position sought.

vi) One ____________ try to dress up the portfolio with unnecessary frills

to make it look impressive. It ____________ look professional.

vii) It ____________ be put in a three-ring binder as this allows you to

add or subtract documents when needed.

 

Answers

i) Although you don’t have to make a portfolio to apply for a job, it

helps to represent your skills and capabilities better.

ii) You shouldn’t send/mail your portfolio to the organization, but take

it with you to the interview.

iii) One should/must preserve and file all records and proofs of

achievement in all fields in order to create an impressive portfolio.

iv) The first document in the portfolio must be the resume.

v) The candidate needs to make adjustments in the portfolio for each

position sought.

vi) One shouldn’t/mustn’t try to dress up the portfolio with unnecessary

frills to make it look impressive. It should look professional.

vii) It should be put in a three-ring binder as this allows you to add or

subtract documents when needed.

 

 

 

 

Choose the correct phrase/word(s) in italics to complete each sentence:

i) Applicant must/need include the names of two referees.

ii) You needn’t/mustn’t stay back late -we have cancelled the meeting.

iii) You needn’t/mustn’t send that reminder to Khalid and Sons -they paid

their dues this morning.

iv) Airline pilots should/ have to have excellent eyesight.

v) You should/must save the file before you turn the computer off, or you

will lose it.

vi) Employees are reminded that they mustn’t/needn’t use the office phone

to make personal calls.

vii) You mustn’t/don’t have to come to the meeting if you have more

important things to do.

viii) University teachers must/should be graduates in their respective areas.

ix) They should/must have a PhD if possible.

x) They need/should have several publications in referred journals.

 

 

Answers

 

 i) must

ii) needn’t

iii) needn’t

iv) have to

v) must

vi) mustn’t

vii) don’t have to

viii) must

ix) should

x) should

 

 

 

 

Here

are some verbs to help you talk about your responsibilities and experiences.

implement, analyze, document, arrange, upgrade, assist, conduct, consult,

develop, facilitate, support, construct, justify, delegate, act, recommend, edit,

collaborate, work.

Use the appropriate form of these verbs to complete the sentences below:

i) I _____ as an assistant to the director of our theatre troupe.

ii) We got together and_______ a new model for the science festival.

iii) Many juniors have_______ me about their physics projects.

iv) We were taught to ________our questions carefully.

v) I was in charge of ________the freshers party.

vi) I_________ the sports coach.

vii) I believe teamwork means________ productively.

viii) We___________ a survey on students using mobiles.

ix) Successful projects work through proper ____________.

x) All my projects have been___________ in the portfolio.

xi) I ____________ a new application for this software.

xii) I ________the college magazine this year.

xiii) Training_________ progress, it allows us to improve our work.

xiv) Plans need to be________, not just designed.

xv) My claims are_____________ by my work during the apprenticeship.

xvi) I like to learn new skills, to keep on ___________ the old ones.

xvii) We must __________ our beliefs with actions, in other words do what we

say.

xviii) I’ve never had African cuisine before. What would you_________ ordering?

 

 Answers

 

1) i) worked

ii) constructed

iii) consulted

iv) analyse

v) arranging

vi) assisted

vii) collaborating

viii) conducted

ix) delegation

x) documented

xi) developed

xii) edited

xiii) facilitates

xiv) implemented

xv) supported

xvi) upgrading

xvii) justify

xviii) recommend

 

 

 

 

 Tenses and its functions

Tenses in English are used to indicate the time at which an action occurs. Here are the functions of commonly used tenses with examples:

1. Present Simple Tense

Function: Used to express habitual actions, general truths, and fixed arrangements.

• Examples:
  • Habitual Actions: She walks to work every day.
  • General Truths: The sun rises in the east.
  • Fixed Arrangements: The train leaves at 6 PM.
    

2. Present Continuous Tense

Function: Used to describe ongoing actions happening at the moment of speaking or around the present time, and future plans.

• Examples:
  • Ongoing Actions: She is reading a book right now.
  • Actions Around Present Time: I am taking a course on data science these days.

3. Present Perfect Tense

Function: Used to express actions that happened at an unspecified time in the past and are relevant to the present, or actions that started in the past and continue up to now.

• Examples:
  • Unspecified Time: She has visited Paris several times.
  • Continuing Actions: I have lived here for five years.

4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Function: Used to express actions that started in the past and are still continuing, or actions that have recently stopped but have a result in the present.

• Examples:
  • Continuing Actions: He has been studying for three hours.
  • Recent Actions: I have been waiting for you all morning.

5. Past Simple Tense

Function: Used to describe completed actions that happened at a specific time in the past.

• Examples:
  • She visited her grandparents last weekend.
  • I saw a movie yesterday.

6. Past Continuous Tense

Function: Used to describe ongoing actions that were happening at a specific time in the past or background actions in a narrative.

• Examples:
  • Ongoing Actions: I was reading when the phone rang.
  • Background Actions: She was walking through the park when she saw a beautiful bird.

9. Future Simple Tense

Function: Used to describe actions that will happen in the future.

• Examples:
  • I will call you tomorrow.
  • They will arrive next week.

 Put the verb in brackets in the correct form.

i) I’m sure she will lend you the money. I’d be very surprised if she

__________________ . (refuse)

ii) If somebody __________ in here with a gun, I’d be very frightened.

(walk)

iii) I’m sure Ibrahim ___________ if you explained the situation to him.

(understand)

iv) Nimi gave me this ring. She _______________ very upset if I lost it.

(be)

v) ______________ you mind if I used the phone? (will)

vi) If he finishes his work on time, I __________ (take) him out for lunch.

vii) The litmus paper turns red if we __________ (dip) it in acid.

viii) I’ll punish him if he always ________________ (come) home late.

ix) If you drink dirty water, you ________________ (fall) sick.

x) The prices ________________ (go up) if it does not rain well

Accept all ideas as long as the correct form of the verb is used.

 

 

Answers

 

i) refused

ii) walked

iii) would understand

iv) would be

v) would

vi) will take

vii) dip

viii) comes

ix) will fall

x) will go up

 

 

Making interrogative sentences

1) Plants grow quickly. 1) Do plants grow quickly?

2) The sun rises in the east. 2) Does the sun rise in the east?

3) Sandeep got up late yesterday. 3) Did Sandeep get up late yesterday?

 

 

Change the following sentences into questions:

1) Students work very hard near the exam.

2) All of them played their parts very well in the dance.

3) The Amazon is the largest river in the world.

4) A horse can run very fast.

5) The lion is the king of the forest.

6) Hitler hated Jews the most.

7) I sent my younger brother an email yesterday.

8) They work from morning till evening.

9) My father always helps my mother on Sundays.

10) The baby cried the whole night.

 

1. Do students work very hard near the exam?
2. Did all of them play their parts very well in the dance?
3. Is the Amazon the largest river in the world?
4. Can a horse run very fast?
5. Is the lion the king of the forest?
6. Did Hitler hate Jews the most?
7. Did I send my younger brother an email yesterday?
8. Do they work from morning till evening?
9. Does my father always help my mother on Sundays?
10. Did the baby cry the whole night?

 

1. Who works very hard near the exam?
2. How did all of them play their parts in the dance?
3. Which river is the largest in the world?
4. How fast can a horse run?
5. Who is the king of the forest?
6. Whom did Hitler hate the most?
7. When did I send my younger brother an email?
8. When do they work from morning till evening?
9. When does my father always help my mother?
10. Why did the baby cry the whole night?
    

 

 

Vocabularies

 

i) A person who wants to get to the top. ambitious

ii) A person who can relate to other people’s feelings.

iii) A person who enjoys meeting people and new situations.

iv) A person who is always on time.

v) A person who can be counted upon.

vi) A person who can change people’s opinions.

vii) A person who is good at finding solutions to problems.

viii) A person who is original in his thinking.

ix) A person with the capacity for vigorous activity.

x) A person who is easily affected by emotions.

xi) A person who is forceful and vigorous.

xii) A person who does not easily get ruffled.

 

i) ambitions

ii) empathetic

iii) extrovert

iv) punctual

v) reliable

vi) persuasive

vii) practical

viii)creative

ix) energetic

x) sensitive

xi) dynamic

xii) cool-headed

 

 

 Vocabulary

i) A person who wants to get to the top. ambitious

ii) A person who can relate to other people’s feelings.

iii) A person who enjoys meeting people and new situations.

iv) A person who is always on time.

v) A person who can be counted upon.

vi) A person who can change people’s opinions.

vii) A person who is good at finding solutions to problems.

viii) A person who is original in his thinking.

ix) A person with the capacity for vigorous activity.

x) A person who is easily affected by emotions.

xi) A person who is forceful and vigorous.

xii) A person who does not easily get ruffled.

 

 

i) ambitions

ii) empathetic

iii) extrovert

iv) punctual

v) reliable

vi) persuasive

vii) practical

viii)creative

ix) energetic

x) sensitive

xi) dynamic

xii) cool-headed

 

 

Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate words.

i) I have been in this job so long that I feel my career is more or less

_____________. (progressive, static)

ii) It is interesting to __________________ the possibilities of different

career options. (explore, accept)

iii) It is advisable to take help from ________________ to find a job.

(consultants, offices)

iv) Sometimes in the _____________ world today jobs are not advertised.

(consultant, competitive)

v) Jobs are advertised in the _____________ sections of the newspapers.

(matrimonial, recruitment)

 

 

Answers

 

i) static

ii) explore

iii) consultants

iv) competitive

v) recruitment

 

 

GRAMMAR: PASSIVE FORM

 

1) They pulled down many trees.

2) We make water from a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen.

3) Someone hit my car from the back.

4) The Principal unfolded the flag on Independence Day.

5) Madam Curie discovered Radium.

6) They announced the winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics and Chemistry

yesterday.

7) Someone broke the window yesterday in the evening.

8) The fire brigade will put out the fire.

9) They have cleared all the roads in this area due to VIP movement.

10) They elected a new mayor yesterday

 

Answers

1) Many trees were pulled down.

2) Water is made from a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen.

3) My car was hit from the back.

4) The flag was unfolded by the Principal on Independence Day.

5) Radium was discovered by Madam Curie.

6) The winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics and Chemistry were announced

yesterday.

7) The window was broken yesterday in the evening.

8) The fire will be put out by the fire brigade.

9) All the roads in the area have been cleared due to the movement of VIP.

10) A new mayor was elected yesterday.

 

 

Complete the sentences given below using gerunds.

 

i) Your job will include……….……(write), I mean ……………… (type)

letters, .……… (answer) the telephone, …………. (take) dictation and

….…………… (maintain) the files.

ii) Sir, there’s Mr. Randhawa on the telephone. He has been ……………..

(call) since morning.

iii) Think carefully before……………(join) your new assignment.

Remember in order to do so you will be..…………(quit) a comfortable

job.

iv) The skill of …………….…..(read) and …….………..(write) in

English is essential for an office boy’s job here.

v) Simply …………….(place) an advertisement in a popular daily will

fetch us many candidates.

vi) …………….(respond) to job advertisements is a skill that freshers

must learn.

vii) The Manager is always busy nowadays. …………………(interview)

candidates for different jobs takes up most of his time.

viii)……………………..(market) designer clothes can be tricky. One never

knows when someone will simply copy them instead of ………….(buy)

them.

 

Answers

 

1) i) Your job will include writing, I mean typing letters, answering the

telephone, taking dictation and maintaining the files.

ii) Sir, there’s Mr. Randhawa on the telephone. He has been calling since

morning.

iii) Think carefully before joining your new assignment. Remember in order

to do so you will be quitting a comfortable job.

iv) The skill of reading and writing in English is essential for an office

boy’s job here.

v) Simply placing an advertisement in a popular daily will fetch us many

candidates.

vi) Responding to job advertisements is a skill that freshers must learn.

vii) The Manager is always busy nowadays. Interviewing candidates for

different jobs take up most of his time.

viii)Marketing designer clothes can be tricky. One never knows when

someone will simply copy them instead of buying them

 

 

Complete the sentences using the appropriate participles.

 

i) The ……………….(type) letters are ready for dispatch.

ii) Please remove the ………………..(break) chairs from the hall.

We shall have our meeting here.

iii) Joan and Raul reached the ………………..(meet) point well before the

appointed time. They wanted to be punctual on the day of the informal

interview.

iv) I think a line is …………..(miss) in the letter. Please insert it and have

it ………………… (dispatch).

v) Please show me a few samples of a ………….(cover) letter.

vi) This is a ……………….. (well-pay) job. Everyone wants it.

vii) The …………… (attend) patients looked settled while the ……………..

(un, attend) ones looked………… (dis, satisfy).

viii)The company has changed its name. All the letter heads have been

printed afresh. Please use the …………….(change) letterheads

 

 Answers

 

 i) The typed letters are ready for dispatch.

ii) Please remove the broken chairs from the hall. We shall have our

meeting here.

iii) Joan and Raul reached the meeting point well before the appointed

time. They wanted to be punctual on the day of the informal interview.

iv) I think a line is missing in the letter. Please insert it and have them

dispatched.

v) Please show me a few samples of a covering letter.

vi) This is a well -paid job. Everyone wants it.

vii) The attended patients looked settled while the unattended

ones looked dissatisfied.

viii)The company has changed its name. All the letter heads have been

printed afresh. Please use the changed letterheads

 

Given below are some FAQs (Frequently asked questions) at interviews. Write

out your answers. Then practise a mock interview with a friend/colleague

 

1) What are your career goals?

2) Where do you see yourself 5/10 years from now?

3) Why should we hire you?

4) What are your extracurricular interests?

5) What did you enjoy most in your college/university?

6) What appeals to you most in this job?

7) What are your greatest achievements?

8) At this point in life what is the most important thing for you?

9) How would your friends describe you?

10) What motivates you?

11) What do you want out of life?

12) What are your strengths and weaknesses?

13) Tell us about yourself?

14) How would you judge your interpersonal skills?

15) What do you know about our company?