1.3.1 JOBS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
JOBS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1A.Warm-up
- What’s your dream job?
- What jobs would you never do?
- What is your job?
- Do you have a specific job title?
- What are the most important responsibilities in your job?
1B. Brainstorming
1C. Vocabulary: Jobs
1D. What do you think are the pros and cons of the jobs above?
1E. Moral dilemmas
Look at the following moral dilemmas. Click on the + sign to see each one. Choose one or two and follow the instructions.
Compliance Officer
A manager encourages employees to ignore a safety rule to meet a deadline. What should the compliance officer do?
Role-play as compliance officers deciding the best course of action.
Use modal verbs: should, must, might, could.
UX/UI Designer
Your client wants a pop-up ad that tricks users into buying extra features. What should the designer do?
Discuss ethical design decisions.
Use vocabulary like user-friendly, ethical, misleading, intuitive.
Modal verbs: should, must, might, could.
Lawyer/Solicitor
A client asks you to draft a contract clause that hides important fees from the other party. What should you do?
Role-play giving ethical legal advice. Use formal expressions like:
I recommend…,
It is advisable to…,
You may consider…
Accountant
The manager asks you to slightly exaggerate profits in the report. What should the accountant do?
Role-play as accountants deciding on ethical financial reporting.
Try and use modal verbs and phrases like:
We must ensure accuracy
We could suggest corrections…
Data Scientist
Your company wants to use customer data to target ads in a way that feels manipulative. What should the data scientist do?
Discuss ethical use of data. Use expressions like:
The data shows…,
We should protect…,
It might be unethical if…
Quality Assurance Manager
A new gadget has minor safety flaws, but the company wants to release it to meet deadlines. What should the QA manager do?
Role-play deciding on product safety vs. deadlines.
Vocabulary: standards, compliance, inspection.
Modal verbs: should, must, might, could.
Supply Chain Manager
A supplier offers cheaper materials, but their factory has poor labour conditions. What should the supply chain manager do?
Discuss ethical sourcing. Use negotiation and problem-solving language:
We should consider…,
It would be better if…,
We must ensure…
Communications Officer
A product has a defect, but admitting it might hurt sales. What should the communications officer do?
Role-play drafting ethical company statements. Focus on transparency, tone, and formal language:
We should disclose…,
It might be advisable to…,
Our responsibility is…
2A.Vocabulary
Look at the following words. Do you know them all?
- responsibilities / duties / tasks
- position / role / post
- supervisor / manager / team leader
- report to / be in charge of / oversee
- deadlines / targets / workload
- skills / experience / qualifications
2B.Workplace Vocabulary Gap Fill
2C. Describe one of the jobs from Ex.1C, using the vocabulary in Ex.2A. See if the other students can guess which job you are describing.
Info Box: Responsible vs Responsibility
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Important notes for Spanish speakers:
- In Spanish, “responsable” can be a noun (e.g., el responsable del proyecto).
- In English, “responsible” is never a noun — you must use responsibility if you want a noun.
- Common collocations:
- take responsibility for → asumir responsabilidad por
- be responsible for → ser responsable de
When “responsable” (in Spanish) is used as a noun (the person in charge of something)
- You need a phrase like:
- the person in charge of…
- the manager of… / the coordinator of…
- the one responsible for…
Examples:
- El responsable del proyecto → The person responsible for the project
- El responsable de la oficina → The office manager / the person in charge of the office
Quick tip:
If you see “responsable” in Spanish, ask yourself: “Am I describing a person (responsible) or a duty/task (responsibility)?”
Fill in the blanks
Discussion
In your job, what are you responsible for?
What are your main responsibilities in your job or studies?
3A. Grammar Focus: modals for obligations to describe responsibilities.
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Quick Tips
- Must → strict rules / internal obligation
- Have to → obligation imposed by situation / external circumstances
- Should → advice, recommendation
- Need to → necessity / practical requirement
Examples
- “All employees must wear ID badges.” (rule)
- “You have to finish the report before the meeting.” (requirement)
- “You should check your work before submitting it.” (advice)
- “You need to submit the form to HR.” (practical necessity)
3B. Practice
3C. Must or Have to?
Quick Tip
- Ask: “Is the obligation coming from a rule/law or a personal decision?” → helps choose between have to (rule) and must (personal/strong feeling).
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3D.Gap-Fill: Must or Have To
4A. Video
Watch the following video and take notes in the box below about the job, place of work, and main duties and responsibilities of each person.
Click HERE to watch the video.
4B. Compare and Contrast Roles
In pairs or groups, discuss:
- Which jobs are more customer-focused?
- Which jobs involve more responsibility or teamwork?
- Which job would they prefer and why?
4C. Verbs and Phrases of Responsibility
4D. Write Your Own Job Description
Write a short paragraph about your current or ideal job, using the verbs from Ex.4C.
4E. Discussion Questions
5.Role-play
Look at the following scenarios. Try to act them out.
Scenario 1: Job interview
- Student A: Interviewer
- Student B: Candidate
Task: Describe previous job responsibilities using vocabulary and grammar learned.
Scenario 2: Explaining team roles
Take turns explaining your role in a team project, using “I am responsible for… / I report to… / I oversee…”
Try and use of modals for obligations: “I have to manage the team deadlines.”
6.Discussion
- Which jobs have the most responsibility in your country?
- Do you think being responsible at work is more important than having technical skills? Why?
- How do responsibilities change when someone is promoted?
To download the pdf, click on the link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mYWjGvuSb7Uelj0d_Mi4LnD12KcJwNlD/view?usp=sharing