What Does Your Working Day Look Like

MEET & SPEAK  |  INTERMEDIATE  |  3 NOVEMBER 2026

Talk about real working days and practise choosing -ing or to + verb.

REVIEW

What would you say? Choose the phrase that fits each situation.

settle in  ·  put up with  ·  There’s something wrong with…  ·  It keeps happening.  ·  Could you have a look at it?

1. You moved last month and are starting to feel comfortable in your new home.

2. The neighbours are a little noisy, but you can tolerate it.

3. Your washing machine is making a strange noise. Describe the problem.

4. Your Wi-Fi has stopped working again. This is the third time this week.

5. You ask a neighbour to check your broken kitchen light.

GRAMMAR

When one verb follows another, learn the pattern of the first verb.

Verb + -ing: enjoy, avoid, (don’t) mind.
I enjoy solving problems. I avoid checking work emails at night.

Verb + to + verb: want, need, plan, decide, would like.
I need to finish a report. We plan to change our working hours.

Like and love allow both forms, often with little difference: I like working / to work alone. With would like / would love, use to + verb: I’d like to learn a new skill.

When a verb follows a preposition, use -ing: I’m responsible for organising deliveries.

Fill in the blanks. Use the correct form of the verb in brackets. Sometimes two answers are possible.

1. I enjoy ______________ (help) new colleagues.

2. We plan ______________ (hire) someone next month.

3. I avoid ______________ (answer) work emails at weekends.

4. I’d like ______________ (work) from home twice a week.

5. I don’t mind ______________ (stay) a little longer today.

6. I need ______________ (speak) to my manager.

7. I’m responsible for ______________ (train) new staff.

8. I like ______________ (start) work early.

Grammar reference: Cambridge Dictionary — Verb patterns

USEFUL LANGUAGE

BREAKOUT ROOMS

Talk about your current or previous job, studying or everyday responsibilities.

This or that: explain your choices. Find one thing you agree on and one you see differently.

1. Working closely with others OR working on your own

2. A clear routine OR something different every day

3. Learning on the job OR doing a course first

4. Dealing with customers OR organising things

CONVERSATION QUESTIONS

Take turns asking and answering. Give your own answers; the examples are only ideas. Ask follow-up questions and compare your experiences.

1. What do you actually do at work? What would surprise someone about your day?

Example: I’m responsible for organising deliveries. People think I just answer emails, but I spend a lot of time solving problems.

2. Which part of your work do you enjoy most? What makes it satisfying?

Example: I enjoy helping customers find what they need. It feels good when I can solve a problem for someone.

3. What task do you avoid doing until you really need to? Why?

Example: I avoid making difficult phone calls. I know I need to do them, but I always find something else to do first.

4. What do you deal with at work that other people rarely notice?

Example: I deal with last-minute changes almost every day. People usually only notice when something goes wrong.

5. Who do you work closely with? What makes working together easy or difficult?

Example: I work closely with two colleagues. I like sharing ideas, but we sometimes find it hard to agree.

6. What did you learn on the job that a course couldn’t really teach you?

Example: I learnt to stay calm with upset customers. I needed to listen carefully before trying to solve their problem.

7. What took you a while to get the hang of? Who or what helped?

Example: The booking system took me a while to get the hang of. A colleague showed me a few useful shortcuts.

8. Do you like to plan your day, or decide what to do as you go?

Example: I like to plan the important tasks first. I don’t mind changing my plan when something urgent comes up.

9. What would you like to learn to make your working day easier?

Example: I’d like to get better at using spreadsheets. At the moment, I need to ask for help with simple things.

10. If you could change one part of your working day, what would you change?

Example: I’d like to spend less time in meetings. I enjoy talking to colleagues, but some meetings could be an email.

Go further: which tasks would you like to swap with your partner, and why?