WaT 3

 

Practical English · B1 · Lesson 3

🇺🇸 Ready for Your First Job in America?

Talk about your work experience, describe your strengths, tell stories about the past and answer real seasonal-job interview questions with confidence.

Work & Interviews Past Simple Past Continuous American English

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Warm-up Vocabulary Past tenses Reading Grammar quiz Interview Role-play Final challenge

Frame 1 · Let's get started

💼 Your American job adventure

Imagine that you're preparing for a seasonal job in the USA. You have an interview tomorrow. Your employer wants to know whether you're reliable, friendly and ready to work.

👋 Introduce yourself

What is your name? Where are you from? What kind of job would you like to have?

🎯 Your goal

Why do you want to work in the USA? What would you like to learn?

🧰 Your experience

Have you ever had a job? Have you helped customers, children, colleagues or family members?

⭐ Your strengths

Are you hardworking, patient, reliable or flexible? Give an example.

Quick self-introduction

Complete the sentences aloud, then type your answers if you want to practise writing too.

1. I'm from…

2. I'm interested in working as a…

3. My strongest qualities are…

4. I want to work in the USA because…

Speaking tip: You don't need to have years of work experience. You can talk about school projects, volunteering, helping people, sports teams or other responsibilities—as long as you describe your real experience honestly.

Complete the warm-up

Frame 2 · Essential job vocabulary

📚 Speak like a confident employee

Learn these phrases for interviews and everyday communication at work. The translations are in Ukrainian.

part-time job

/ˌpɑːrt taɪm dʒɑːb/

робота на неповний робочий день

I have a part-time job during the summer.

full-time job

/ˌfʊl taɪm dʒɑːb/

робота з повною зайнятістю

My father has a full-time job.

seasonal job

/ˈsiːzənəl dʒɑːb/

сезонна робота

I'm looking for a seasonal job.

employer

/ɪmˈplɔɪər/

роботодавець

My employer is friendly and fair.

employee

/ɪmˈplɔɪiː/

працівник

I'm a responsible employee.

shift

/ʃɪft/

робоча зміна

I can work different shifts.

work experience

/wɜːrk ɪkˈspɪriəns/

досвід роботи

I have some work experience.

customer service

/ˈkʌstəmər ˈsɜːrvɪs/

обслуговування клієнтів

I have experience in customer service.

deal with customers

/diːl wɪð ˈkʌstəmərz/

працювати з клієнтами; спілкуватися з клієнтами

I know how to deal with customers.

work under pressure

/wɜːrk ˌʌndər ˈpreʃər/

працювати в умовах стресу

I can work under pressure.

work as part of a team

/wɜːrk əz pɑːrt əv ə tiːm/

працювати в команді

I enjoy working as part of a team.

reliable

/rɪˈlaɪəbəl/

надійний

I'm reliable, and people can trust me.

punctual

/ˈpʌŋktʃuəl/

пунктуальний

I'm always punctual and arrive on time.

hardworking

/ˌhɑːrdˈwɜːrkɪŋ/

працьовитий

I'm hardworking and willing to learn.

flexible

/ˈfleksəbəl/

гнучкий; готовий пристосовуватися

I'm flexible with my schedule.

polite

/pəˈlaɪt/

ввічливий

I'm polite when I speak to customers.

patient

/ˈpeɪʃənt/

терплячий

I'm patient with difficult customers.

🇺🇸 Extra American workplace vocabulary

resume

резюме (американський варіант написання)

I brought a copy of my resume.

hiring manager

менеджер, який відповідає за найм

The hiring manager asked me about my experience.

supervisor

керівник; безпосередній начальник

I'll ask my supervisor for help.

availability

доступність; час, коли ви можете працювати

My availability includes weekends.

paycheck

зарплата; чек на зарплату

I receive my paycheck every two weeks.

training

навчання; інструктаж перед роботою

Will I receive training on my first day?

Useful American English: In the USA, people commonly say resume, vacation, schedule, apartment and cell phone. In British English, you may hear CV, holiday, timetable, flat and mobile phone.

Vocabulary quiz

1. A person or company that gives you a job is your…

employee employer customer

2. If you always arrive on time, you are…

punctual flexible nervous

3. Work that is available during a particular season is a…

full-time customer work pressure seasonal job

4. A period of time when you are scheduled to work is a…

resume shift customer service

5. If you can stay calm when work is difficult, you can…

work under pressure work a customer employer a team

Your result will appear here.

Complete the vocabulary section

Frame 3 · Grammar for telling stories

⏰ Past Simple vs Past Continuous

Employers often ask about previous jobs and difficult situations. These two past tenses help you explain what happened and what was happening at the time.

PAST SIMPLE

Completed actions

Use Past Simple for an action or event that started and finished in the past.

Form: subject + past verb

I worked in a café last summer.

She helped customers.

We didn't have enough staff.

Did you work weekends?

Маркери: yesterday, last week, two years ago, in 2024.

PAST CONTINUOUS

Actions in progress

Use Past Continuous for an action that was in progress at a particular time in the past.

Form: was/were + verb-ing

I was serving a customer at 5 p.m.

They were cleaning the tables.

She wasn't working that day.

Were you working yesterday?

Маркери: at 5 p.m., while, when, all morning.

1. When one action interrupts another

I was serving a customer when the manager called me.

The longer action: was serving

The shorter action: called

---

While I was cleaning the tables, a customer dropped a glass.

While often introduces the action in progress. When often introduces the shorter event that interrupts it.

2. Compare the meaning

Past Simple	Past Continuous
I cleaned the kitchen.	I was cleaning the kitchen when the manager arrived.
She answered the phone.	She was answering the phone when I walked in.
They worked yesterday.	They were working at 8 p.m. yesterday.

3. Remember the irregular verbs

go → went

I went to work early.

have → had

I had a busy shift.

meet → met

I met my supervisor.

do → did

I did many different tasks.

get → got

I got a new job.

learn → learned/learnt

I learned how to use the register.

Common mistakes:
❌ I was work in a café.
✅ I worked in a café.

❌ I working when he called.
✅ I was working when he called.

❌ Did you worked there?
✅ Did you work there?

Grammar practice: choose the correct answer

1. Last summer, I ______ in a small restaurant.

was work worked were working

2. At 7 p.m. yesterday, we ______ the tables.

cleaned was cleaning were cleaning

3. I ______ a customer when the phone rang.

was helping helped were helping

4. While I ______ to work, I saw my manager.

walked was walking were walking

5. The manager ______ us a new task yesterday.

gave was give giving

6. What ______ you ______ when the customer complained?

did / doing were / doing was / do

7. We ______ lunch when our supervisor arrived.

were having was having had having

8. I ______ my first job two years ago.

was getting get got

Your result will appear here.

Build your own sentences

1. Write one Past Simple sentence about a previous job.

2. Write one Past Continuous sentence.

3. Join two actions using when.

4. Join two actions using while.

Complete the grammar section

Frame 4 · Reading story

📖 The Busiest Shift of Maria's Life

Read the story. Notice how Past Simple and Past Continuous work together to describe events at work.

Maria got her first job when she was 18. She worked in a small café near her college. At first, she was nervous because she had never worked with customers before.

Her responsibilities included taking orders, cleaning tables, preparing drinks and helping other employees. Her manager, Alex, was patient and showed her how to use the cash register.

One Friday afternoon, Maria was serving a customer when the café suddenly became extremely busy. A large group of tourists walked in, the phone started ringing, and two customers were waiting to pay.

While Maria was preparing coffee, another employee dropped a tray of cups. Everyone turned around. For a moment, Maria didn't know what to do.

Then she took a deep breath. She asked her colleague to clean up the broken cups while she finished the drinks. Alex answered the phone, and another employee helped the tourists find a table.

They were all working quickly, but they were communicating and helping each other. By the end of the shift, every customer had been served.

After work, Alex said, “You did a great job today. You stayed calm and worked well with the team.”

Maria smiled. She was tired, but she felt proud. Before that day, she thought that making a mistake meant being a bad employee. Now she understood that good employees asked for help, learned from problems and worked together.

Six months later, Maria was much more confident. She could deal with difficult customers, work under pressure and train new employees. When she applied for a seasonal job in the United States, she used this experience to explain why she was a good candidate.

Reading comprehension

1. Where did Maria work?

In a hotel in the USA In a small café near her college In a supermarket

2. What was Maria doing when the café became busy?

She was serving a customer. She was going home. She was talking to a friend outside.

3. What happened while Maria was preparing coffee?

The manager left the café. The lights went out. Another employee dropped a tray of cups.

4. How did the team solve the problem?

Everyone stopped working. They divided the tasks and helped each other. They sent all the customers away.

5. What did Maria learn?

Good employees never need help. Busy cafés are always easy to work in. Good employees stay calm, learn and work as a team.

6. How did Maria feel at the end of the shift?

Tired but proud Angry with her manager Bored and disappointed

Your result will appear here.

Find the tenses in the story

Past Simple: “Maria got her first job.”

Past Continuous: “Maria was serving a customer when the café became busy.”

Past Continuous with while: “While Maria was preparing coffee, another employee dropped a tray.”

Discuss the story

1. What would you have done?

Imagine you were Maria. Would you have felt nervous? What would you have done first?

2. What makes a good employee?

Choose three qualities and explain why they are important.

3. Tell a similar story

Describe a time when something went wrong but you solved the problem.

4. Connect it to the USA

How could Maria use this story to impress an American employer?

Complete the reading section

Frame 5 · Grammar challenge

🧠 Can you tell the story correctly?

Choose Past Simple or Past Continuous. Think: is it a completed event or an action in progress?

1. While I ______ the kitchen, my supervisor called me.

cleaned was cleaning

2. The customer ______ the store at 9 a.m. yesterday.

entered was enter

3. They ______ orders when the computer stopped working.

took were taking

4. I ______ my manager for help, and she explained the task.

asked was ask

5. What ______ you ______ at 6 p.m. last Friday?

did / doing were / doing

6. I ______ to work late yesterday because the bus was delayed.

got was get

7. While the manager ______ to a customer, I prepared the order.

talked was talking

8. We ______ the training session last Monday.

attended were attend

Your result will appear here.

Complete the sentences yourself

Type the missing verb form. Suggested answers are available after you try.

1. Yesterday, I ______ (work) an eight-hour shift.

2. At 3 p.m., I ______ (help) a customer.

3. I ______ (talk) to my supervisor when the phone rang.

4. While we ______ (clean) the tables, the manager arrived.

Suggested answers:
1. worked
2. was helping
3. was talking
4. were cleaning

Other answers may be possible if your context is different.

Complete the grammar challenge

Frame 6 · Interview preparation

🎤 20 questions an employer may ask

Practise answering out loud. Aim for two to four sentences per answer. Be honest, positive and specific.

Experience

1. Do you have any work experience?
2. Where have you worked?
3. What was your previous job?
4. How long did you work there?
5. What were your responsibilities?
6. What did you like about your job?
7. What didn't you like?
8. Why did you leave?
9. What did you learn from your previous job?

Skills and availability

10. Have you ever worked with customers?
11. Have you ever worked in a team?
12. Can you work under pressure?
13. Can you work weekends?
14. Can you work evenings?
15. Are you comfortable working long hours?
16. Are you comfortable doing physical work?
17. What would you do if a customer complained?
18. What would you do if you made a mistake?
19. What are your strengths as an employee?
20. What makes a good employee?

Build strong answers

Pattern 1: I am + adjective

“I am reliable, hardworking and punctual.”

Я надійна, працьовита й пунктуальна.

Pattern 2: I have experience in + noun/-ing

“I have experience in customer service.”

“I have experience in working with children.”

Я маю досвід обслуговування клієнтів / роботи з дітьми.

Pattern 3: I can + verb

“I can work under pressure and learn quickly.”

Я можу працювати в умовах стресу та швидко навчатися.

Pattern 4: In my previous job, I…

“In my previous job, I helped customers and worked with a team.”

На попередній роботі я допомагала клієнтам і працювала в команді.

Model answers you can adapt

Q: Do you have any work experience?

“Yes, I do. I worked in a small café for six months. I served customers, prepared drinks and kept the tables clean. I learned how to work in a team and stay calm when it was busy.”

Так. Я працювала в невеликому кафе шість місяців. Я обслуговувала клієнтів, готувала напої та стежила за чистотою столиків. Я навчилася працювати в команді й зберігати спокій, коли було багато роботи.

Q: Why should I hire you?

“I'm responsible, hardworking and friendly. I enjoy working with people, and I learn new tasks quickly. I can work as part of a team, follow instructions and help customers. I'm ready to learn and do my best.”

Я відповідальна, працьовита й привітна. Мені подобається працювати з людьми, і я швидко навчаюся нових завдань. Я вмію працювати в команді, виконувати інструкції та допомагати клієнтам. Я готова навчатися й докладати максимум зусиль.

Practise your own answers

1. Tell me about yourself.

2. What was your previous job, and what were your responsibilities?

3. What would you do if a customer complained?

4. Why should I hire you?

Interview tip: If you don't have formal work experience, don't invent a job. Talk about transferable skills and real responsibilities: helping at an event, volunteering, studying in a team, babysitting or assisting with a family business.

Complete interview preparation

Frame 7 · Real-life role-play

🎭 You're in the interview!

Student = job applicant. Teacher = American employer. Read the first model, then try the extended interview without looking at the answers.

Employer: Hi! Thanks for coming in today. Could you tell me a little about yourself?

Applicant: Hi! Thank you for meeting with me. I'm a friendly and hardworking person, and I'm interested in this seasonal job.

Employer: Do you have any previous work experience?

Applicant: Yes. I worked in a café for six months. I took orders, prepared drinks and helped customers.

Employer: What did you learn from that job?

Applicant: I learned to work in a team, stay organised and remain calm when the café was busy.

Employer: Can you work weekends and different shifts?

Applicant: Yes, I'm flexible with my schedule. My availability includes weekends, and I can work different shifts.

Employer: Why should I hire you?

Applicant: I'm reliable, punctual and willing to learn. I enjoy working with people, and I'll do my best to support the team.

Employer: Great. Do you have any questions for me?

Applicant: Yes, thank you. What training will I receive, and what would a typical shift look like?

Now try the challenge interview

The teacher should ask these questions in a random order. Answer without reading a prepared script.

Tell me about yourself. Why do you want to work in the United States? What was your most challenging work experience? Tell me about a time you helped someone. What were you doing when you had to solve a problem? What would you do if you didn't understand an instruction? What would you do if a customer was rude? Are you comfortable with physical tasks? What is your availability? Do you have any questions for us?

Questions YOU can ask the employer

“What does a typical shift look like?”

“Will I receive training?”

“What are the main responsibilities of this position?”

“What is the schedule like?”

“Who would I report to?”

“What qualities are you looking for in an employee?”

Important: Be honest about your work availability, experience and skills. Before accepting a job in the USA, make sure the position, pay, working conditions and any required work authorization are appropriate for your circumstances.

Complete the role-play

Bonus · Problem-solving English

🚨 What would you do at work?

Employers want to know how you react to problems. Use calm, polite English and explain the steps you would take.

Situation A: An unhappy customer

A customer says their order is wrong and starts complaining.

Useful language: “I'm sorry about that.” “Let me check.” “I'll ask my supervisor to help.”

Situation B: A mistake

You accidentally give a customer the wrong item.

Useful language: “I'm sorry. I made a mistake.” “I'll correct it.” “Thank you for your patience.”

Situation C: You don't understand

Your supervisor gives you an instruction, but you don't understand it.

Useful language: “Could you explain that again, please?” “Could you show me how to do it?”

Situation D: Too much work

Three customers are waiting, the phone is ringing and a colleague needs help.

Useful language: “I'll finish this task first.” “Could someone help with the phone?” “Let's prioritise the customers.”

Write your response

Choose one situation and explain what you would do.

Complete problem-solving practice

Frame 8 · Final challenge

🏆 Get hired! The 60-second pitch

Imagine you're sitting in front of an American employer. You have one minute to explain why you're a good candidate for a seasonal job.

Your answer must include:

I am + adjective

I have experience in + noun

I can + verb

One example from the past

One Past Simple sentence

One Past Continuous sentence

A strong final sentence

Plan your pitch

1. Three qualities

2. Your experience or transferable skills

3. What you can do

4. Something you did in the past

5. An action in progress in the past

6. Your closing sentence

Put it all together

Your checklist will appear here.

Final self-assessment

I can describe a previous job. I can talk about my responsibilities. I can use Past Simple correctly. I can use Past Continuous for an action in progress. I can describe my strengths with examples. I can answer “Why should I hire you?” I can ask an employer polite questions. I can explain what I would do in a work-related problem.

Your final reminder: You don't need perfect English to make a good impression. Speak clearly, be polite, give real examples and show that you're ready to learn.

🇺🇸 You've got this!

Be reliable. Be curious. Be ready to learn.

Your experience matters—and so does how you talk about it.

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