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Real Easy English

Easy level

Talking about jobs

Episode 240531 / 31 May 2024

(Image: Getty)

Introduction

Neil and Beth have a real conversation in easy English about their jobs. Learn to talk about your career and how long you have worked somewhere.

Vocabulary

career

the jobs we have over time

for

used to talk about a length of time

since

used to talk about the time when something started

Transcript

Neil
Hello and welcome to Real Easy English. In this podcast we have real conversations in easy English to help you learn. I'm Neil.

Beth
And I'm Beth. Remember, you can find a script for this episode to read along on our website: bbclearningenglish.com.

Neil
Hello, Beth. How are you?

Beth
I’m very well, Neil. How are you?

Neil
I'm good, thank you.

Beth
Good. What are we talking about in this episode, Neil?

Neil
Well, we are going to be talking about jobs and our careers.

Beth
OK, so can you explain the difference between a job and a career?

Neil
Yes. So our job is what we do for work. So I work at BBC Learning English. It's my job. But career is a word we use to talk more about our work in the long term. So all of the jobs that we've had and the jobs that we might want to do in the future.

Beth
OK, and also with career, it's a word we use to talk about the type of work we do. So you might have a career in teaching or a career in TV, for example.

So, Neil. I know you work here at BBC Learning English, of course. But have you had any other jobs?

Neil
Oh, yes. I've had lots of other jobs. Before I worked at the BBC, I was a teacher, an English teacher. And before that I had lots of jobs when I was a student.

Beth
OK, so how long have you worked at the BBC for?

Neil
Twenty years. More than 20 years.

Beth
Oh wow! OK, so when you were a student and you had jobs, that was quite a long time ago.

Neil
It was ages ago, Beth! Before the internet was invented.

Beth
OK. And what jobs did you do when you were a student?

Neil
So when I was a student I worked in a hotel. I worked in restaurants as a waiter. I worked in a fish and chip shop.

Beth
Did you?

Neil
Yeah.

Beth
How long did you work in a fish and chip shop for?

Neil
I worked in a fish and chip shop for a summer.

And how about you, Beth. When did you start working at the BBC?

Beth
I have worked here for around three years. So I've been here since 2021. But I've been working in London for six years, ‘cause I've been here since 2018.

Neil
So, Beth, you said that you have worked at the BBC since 2021. Since… What does it mean when we use since?

Beth
Well, we use since followed by a date or a point in time and we use it to talk about when something started. But also it's something that is still true. So I have been here since 2021 and I still work here now. So it's still true.

Neil
Yeah, and that's different to for, isn't it? When you say I've worked here for twenty years. We're talking about the length of time.

Beth
Exactly. And that can be something that is still true. For example, you've worked here for twenty years and you still work here now, but it also could be something in the past. So, for example, you said you worked in a fish and chip shop for a summer. And that summer has a length of time, it has a start and an end.

Neil
So what is the funniest thing that's ever happened at work, Beth?

Beth
Well, when I was a teenager, I worked at a farm and sometimes the goats would escape. So I had to run after baby goats and I would have to pick them up and put them back. But I got a little cuddle with a baby goat. So it was funny, but it was also very nice.

Neil
Ah, that's a nice thing to do in your job!

Right, let's recap the words we've learnt today. We had career which means the jobs we've had over time.

Beth
Since - which we use to talk about the time when something started.

Neil
For - which we can use to talk about a length of time. For example, I've worked at the BBC for 20 years.

That's it for this episode of Real Easy English. If you enjoyed this podcast, you can find more activities and courses to help you with your English on our website: bbclearningenglish.com.

Beth
Next time, we'll be talking about our habits and daily routines.

Neil
See you then, goodbye.

Beth
Bye!

Now try this...

Learn more about using since and for here.

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