Job Descriptions
In this ESL activity, students have to guess a job from clues that contain modal verbs of obligation and prohibition (must / mustn't / have to / don't have to).
Before class, make a copy of the worksheet for each pair of students. Procedure
Explain to the students that are going to guess different jobs from UNIT 3 with some clues. There will be six clues for each job, the first clue being quite difficult and the last clue being very easy.
Demonstrate the activity for the whole class by reading out the clues below for the job of pilot. Elicit one possible job after every clue. Explain that as the clues get easier, the correct answer is worth fewer points.
Clues
1. You must be very responsible (6 points) 2. You must wear a uniform (5 points)
3. You have to have a lot of training (4 points) 4. You have to travel very far (3 points)
5. You must take your passport to work (2 points) 6. You have to sit in the cockpit of an airplane (1 point)
Divide the class into pairs and give each pair a set of cards, which should be shuffled and placed on the desk face down.
The first student picks up the top card and reads out the clues, one at a time.
After listening to each clue, their partner guesses what the job could be.
If the guess is incorrect, the first student reads out the next clue, and so on.
When the second student guesses correctly, he or she gets the number of points indicated next to the clue.
The second student then picks the next card from the pile, and starts reading out the clues, while their partner tries to guess the job.
The game finishes when all the cards have been read. The winner is the student with the most points.
As an extension, ask each pair to think of a job and create their own clues. They then read these clues to the class for them to guess.
Based on Simon Payen for Teach-This.com ©20I4
CLUES
You sometimes have to work outside (6 points) You have to respect client’s instructions (5 points)
You have to give orders to people (4 points) You have to study a lot (3 points) You have to draw plans (2 points) You have to design beautiful buildings (1 point)
ARCHITECT
CLUES
You have to work outside a lot (6 points) You have to receive orders (5 points) You sometimes have to use machines (4 points)
You don’t have to study a lot (3 points) You have to read plans (2 points) You have to build house (1 point)
BUILDER
CLUES
You have to find solution to problems (6 points) You have to see people with problems (5 points)
You have to explain things to people (4 points) You have to know a lot of things (3 points) You have to listen to people’s hearts (2 points)
You have to treat sick people (1 point)
DOCTOR
CLUES
You sometimes have to work outside (6 points) You have to respect official directives (5 points)
You have to adapt to other jobs (4 points) You have to study materials (3 points)
You have to draw plans (2 points) You have to design building structures (1 point)
ENGINEER
CLUES
You have to be helpful (6 points) You have to work in a team (5 points)
You have to be brave (4 points)
You have to sleep at work sometimes (3 points) You have to wear a uniform (2 points)
You have to save people from fires (1 point)
FIREFIGHTER
CLUES
You have to be helpful (6 points) You have to work in a team (5 points) You have to wear a uniform (4 points)
You travel a lot (3 points) You work on a plane (2 points)
You bring what people need during flight (1 point)
FLIGHT ATTENDANT
CLUES
You have to be good with your hands (6 points) You don’t have to use a computer (5 points)
You have to get dirty (4 points) You have to repair things (3 points)
You have to like cars (2 points) You work in a garage (1 point)
MECHANIC
CLUES
You have to like talking to people (6 points) You have to accept to see blood (5 points) You have to know a lot of things (4 points) You have to give medicine to people (3 points) You have to look after people at hospitals (2 points)
You have to assist doctors (1 point)
NURSE
CLUES
You have to wake up very early (6 points) You have to work hard every day (5 points)
You have to be fit (4 points)
You have to operate machinery (3 points) You have to work in the countryside (2 points) You have to work with plants & animals (1 point)
FARMER
CLUES
You have to like talking to people (6 points) You have to stand up for a long time (5 points)
You have to work inside (4 points) You have to be good with your hands (3 points)
You have to sweep the floor (2 points) You have to cut other people’s hair (1 point)
HAIRDRESSER
CLUES
You don’t have to work outside a lot (6 points) You have to respect client’s instructions (5 points)
You have to study a lot (4 points) You have to be goot at maths (3 points)
You have to use computers (2 points) You create applications for computers (1 point)
COMPUTER PROGRAMMER
CLUES
You have to be helpful (6 points) You don’t have to work outside (5 points) You have to explain problems to people (4 points)
You have to know a lot of things (3 points) You must like animals (2 points) You have to treat sick animals (1 point)
