VOCABULARY BUILDING – WORK

Exercise 1:

Complete each chunk of key language from the interview using one of the words in the box. Use the
article to check, and underline each phrase when you find it.

Box:

basis | balance | in | keep | manage | manage | off | remote | sense | up

1. … develop a strong sense of discipline …

2. … _________ my time effectively.
3. … working in _________ locations …
4. … bounce ideas _________ people …
5. … on a daily _________.
6. … _________ my workload …
7. … _________ home and work life separate …
8. … a better work-life _________.
9. … breakdowns _________ communication …
10. … striking _________ friendships …

Activity 2: Fill-in-the-Gap Sentences

Instructions: Use the phrases from the reading to complete the sentences below.

1. Working from home can help me _______ as I can prioritize my tasks as I see fit.
2. One of the biggest challenges of working remotely is to maintain a good _______ between professional
and personal life.
3. In an office, it’s easier to _______ with colleagues by sharing ideas in person.
4. If I don’t maintain a _______ while working from home, I find it hard to stay focused on my tasks.
5. Sometimes, working remotely leads to _______ due to different communication styles and
interpretations.

Writing Exercise 1: Sentence Transformation

Instructions: Rewrite the sentences below using the phrases from the reading.

1. I like being able to choose when to complete my tasks.

a. Using Phrase: “Set my own deadlines”
2. When I work from home, I find it easier to keep my professional and personal life separate.
a. Using Phrase: “Separate work and home life”
3. Working in an office allows me to quickly share ideas with my colleagues.
a. Using Phrase: “Bouncing ideas off people”
4. Working remotely requires a lot of focus and self-control.
a. Using Phrase: “A strong sense of discipline”
 5. I find myself missing the chance to connect with coworkers when I work from home.
a. Using Phrase: “Building relationships at the office”

Complete the Paragraph

Instructions: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate phrase from the list below.

A. build relationships C. manage my workload

B. a sense of discipline D. cultural and linguistic issues
E. separate work and home life

Working from home requires a lot of self-control to maintain _________. Although it offers flexibility, I
sometimes struggle to _________ effectively without a structured office environment. Another downside is that I
miss out on the opportunity to _________ with colleagues, which can be helpful for collaboration and creativity.
Additionally, communication can be tricky because _________ can lead to misunderstandings, especially when
coordinating with people from different regions. Finally, without a clear routine, it can be challenging to
_________, which affects my productivity.

Fill-in-the-Blank Exercise 2: Sentence Completion

Instructions: Fill in the blanks with the correct phrases to complete each sentence logically.

1. Working from home requires _________________________________________, as it’s easy to get distracted.

2. One advantage of working remotely is the ability to ___________________________, which reduces stress.
3. In an office, employees can quickly _____________________ by sharing ideas and feedback face-to-face.
4. When working from home, it’s important to __________________________________________ to maintain a
balance between personal and professional life.
5. ___________________________________ often arise when communicating with international colleagues
due to differences in language and culture.

Writing Exercise 2: Mini Paragraph Completion

Instructions: Complete the following paragraphs by filling in the blanks with the phrases provided.
Paragraph 1:
One of the main advantages of working from home is the flexibility to ____________. This can reduce stress, as
people don’t need to follow a rigid schedule and can choose when to take breaks. Additionally, workers can
avoid the stress of commuting, which means I can focus on ____________ without interruptions from traffic.
Paragraph 2:
On the other hand, working from home can feel isolating. Without regular interactions with colleagues, it’s
harder to ____________. This can impact my job satisfaction, as I miss the chance to engage with coworkers and
____________ by discussing work issues face-to-face.

Fill-in-the-Blank Exercise 3: Advantages and Disadvantages Statements

Instructions: Complete each statement using phrases from the reading to express an advantage or
disadvantage of working from home or in an office.

1. A significant benefit of working from home is the ability to ____________ without commuting.
2. However, a drawback of remote work is that you don’t have as many opportunities to ____________.
3. One way to maintain a work-life balance when working from home is to ____________ at the end of the
day.
4. An advantage of working in an office is that you can easily ____________ when you have questions.
5. When working remotely, ____________ can become a challenge due to lack of face-to-face interaction.

Writing Exercise 3: Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Practice

Instructions: Write two short paragraphs using the phrases provided below. One paragraph should describe
the advantages of working from home, and the other should describe the disadvantages.

Phrases:

• manage my workload
• cultural and linguistic issues
• separate work and home life
• sense of discipline
• build relationships

Example Paragraphs:

1. Advantages:
Working from home allows me to _________, as I can set my own pace and work without commuting.
This flexible schedule helps me feel more productive and less stressed. Additionally, I find it easier to
____________, which helps me relax after work.
2. Disadvantages:
Despite the flexibility, working from home can feel isolating. I often miss the chance to ____________ with
colleagues, which can make collaboration harder. Communication can also be challenging, as
____________ sometimes lead to misunderstandings.
Activity 1: Phrase Matching

• Instructions: Match each phrase to its meaning. Phrases from the text:
o "Manage my workload"
o "Set my own deadlines"
o "Separate work and home life"
o "Build relationships at the office"
o "Work-life balance"
o "Bouncing ideas off people"
o "Cultural and linguistic issues"
o "Sense of discipline"
• Meanings:
o a. Creating personal boundaries between job responsibilities and personal time.
o b. The ability to organize the tasks and time effectively.
o c. Maintaining a healthy division between work commitments and personal time.
o d. Developing professional relationships with coworkers.
o e. Communicating and exchanging ideas with colleagues.
o f. The ability to stay focused and follow a routine.
o g. Organizing deadlines without external pressure.
o h. Challenges arising from differences in language and culture.

Activity 2: Fill-in-the-Gap Sentences

Instructions: Use the phrases from the reading to complete the sentences below.

6. Working from home can help me _______ as I can prioritize my tasks as I see fit.
7. One of the biggest challenges of working remotely is to maintain a good _______ between professional
and personal life.
8. In an office, it’s easier to _______ with colleagues by sharing ideas in person.
9. If I don’t maintain a _______ while working from home, I find it hard to stay focused on my tasks.
10. Sometimes, working remotely leads to _______ due to different communication styles and
interpretations.

Activity 3: Synonym Search

Instructions: Find synonyms for the following expressions from the text.

1. “Manage my workload”
2. “Strike up friendships”
3. “Build relationships at the office”
4. “Develop a sense of discipline”
5. “Separate work and home life”
Activity 4: Advantages vs. Disadvantages Chart

Instructions: Based on the reading, create a chart listing the advantages and disadvantages of working from
home and working in an office. This activity will help students organize their ideas logically, which is essential
for an IELTS essay.

• Advantages of Working from Home:

o e.g., "Can set my own deadlines and plan breaks," "Avoid rush-hour traffic," "Reduce stress."
• Disadvantages of Working from Home:
o e.g., "Miss out on building relationships with colleagues," "Lack of work-life separation."

Activity 5: Essay Practice Using Key Phrases

Instructions: Write a short paragraph on the advantages of working from home using at least three phrases
from the reading. Then, write another paragraph on the disadvantages of working from home using at least
three other phrases. This activity will directly help them apply vocabulary to their writing.

Example prompt:

• Paragraph 1: Describe the benefits of working from home (e.g., time management, reduced commuting
stress).
• Paragraph 2: Discuss the drawbacks of working from home (e.g., lack of colleague interaction,
cultural/communication barriers).

Writing Exercise 1: Sentence Transformation

Instructions: Rewrite the sentences below using the phrases from the reading.

6. I like being able to choose when to complete my tasks.

a. Using Phrase: “Set my own deadlines”
7. When I work from home, I find it easier to keep my professional and personal life separate.
a. Using Phrase: “Separate work and home life”
8. Working in an office allows me to quickly share ideas with my colleagues.
a. Using Phrase: “Bouncing ideas off people”
9. Working remotely requires a lot of focus and self-control.
a. Using Phrase: “A strong sense of discipline”
10. I find myself missing the chance to connect with coworkers when I work from home.
a. Using Phrase: “Building relationships at the office”

Fill-in-the-Blank Exercise 1: Complete the Paragraph

Instructions: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate phrase from the list below.

Phrases:
 • manage my workload
• cultural and linguistic issues
• separate work and home life
• build relationships
• a sense of discipline

Paragraph: Working from home requires a lot of self-control to maintain _________. Although it offers flexibility,
I sometimes struggle to _________ effectively without a structured office environment. Another downside is that
I miss out on the opportunity to _________ with colleagues, which can be helpful for collaboration and
creativity. Additionally, communication can be tricky because _________ can lead to misunderstandings,
especially when coordinating with people from different regions. Finally, without a clear routine, it can be
challenging to _________, which affects my productivity.

Fill-in-the-Blank Exercise 2: Sentence Completion

Instructions: Fill in the blanks with the correct phrases to complete each sentence logically.

6. Working from home requires ____________, as it’s easy to get distracted.

7. One advantage of working remotely is the ability to ____________, which reduces stress.
8. In an office, employees can quickly ____________ by sharing ideas and feedback face-to-face.
9. When working from home, it’s important to ____________ to maintain a balance between personal and
professional life.
10. ____________ often arise when communicating with international colleagues due to differences in
language and culture.

Writing Exercise 2: Mini Paragraph Completion

Instructions: Complete the following paragraphs by filling in the blanks with the phrases provided.

Paragraph 1:
One of the main advantages of working from home is the flexibility to ____________. This can reduce stress, as
people don’t need to follow a rigid schedule and can choose when to take breaks. Additionally, workers can
avoid the stress of commuting, which means I can focus on ____________ without interruptions from traffic.

Paragraph 2:
On the other hand, working from home can feel isolating. Without regular interactions with colleagues, it’s
harder to ____________. This can impact my job satisfaction, as I miss the chance to engage with coworkers and
____________ by discussing work issues face-to-face.
Fill-in-the-Blank Exercise 3: Advantages and Disadvantages Statements

Instructions: Complete each statement using phrases from the reading to express an advantage or
disadvantage of working from home or in an office.

6. A significant benefit of working from home is the ability to ____________ without commuting.
7. However, a drawback of remote work is that you don’t have as many opportunities to ____________.
8. One way to maintain a work-life balance when working from home is to ____________ at the end of the
day.
9. An advantage of working in an office is that you can easily ____________ when you have questions.
10. When working remotely, ____________ can become a challenge due to lack of face-to-face interaction.

Writing Exercise 3: Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Practice

Instructions: Write two short paragraphs using the phrases provided below. One paragraph should describe
the advantages of working from home, and the other should describe the disadvantages.

Phrases:

• manage my workload
• cultural and linguistic issues
• separate work and home life
• sense of discipline
• build relationships

Example Paragraphs:

3. Advantages:
Working from home allows me to _________, as I can set my own pace and work without commuting.
This flexible schedule helps me feel more productive and less stressed. Additionally, I find it easier to
____________, which helps me relax after work.
4. Disadvantages:
Despite the flexibility, working from home can feel isolating. I often miss the chance to ____________ with
colleagues, which can make collaboration harder. Communication can also be challenging, as
____________ sometimes lead to misunderstandings.

5. work productivity: năng suất làm việc

6. a nine-to-five job: công việc giờ hành chính
7. poor work performance: hiệu suất làm việc kém
8. sick leave: nghỉ phép vì bệnh
9. professional work environment: môi trường làm việc chuyên nghiệp
10. to get a well-paid job: có được 1 công việc được trả lương tốt
11. to earn a high salary: có được mức lương cao
 12. job satisfaction: sự hài lòng khi làm việc
13. to work long hours: làm việc nhiều giờ
14. to limit work hours: giới hạn giờ làm việc
15. to suffer from various health issues: mắc các vấn đề về sức khỏe
16. low productivity: năng suất thấp
17. a case in point: 1 ví dụ điển hình
18. to frequently feel exhausted: thường xuyên cảm thấy kiệt sức
19. to make more errors at work: sai sót nhiều hơn tại sở làm
20. to have serious consequences for …: gây ra hậu quả nặng nề cho…
21. busy work schedules: lịch trình công việc bận rộn
22. to be self-employed: tự làm chủ
23. to pursue a career: theo đuổi sự nghiệp
24. to learn various skills and experience: học được những kỹ năng và kinh nghiệm
WORK FROM HOME
• to provide us with flexibility and convenience: cung cấp cho chúng ta sự linh hoạt và tiện lợi
• do not need to go to the office on a daily basis: không cần tới công sở hàng ngày
• to save a large amount of time commuting back and forth to work: tiết kiệm 1 lượng lớn thời gian đi
lại
• to have the freedom to choose where and when they want to work: có sự tự do lựa chọn nơi đâu và
khi nào họ muốn làm việc
• to require high levels of discipline and commitment: đòi hỏi mức độ kỷ luật và cam kết cao
• to have no supervision and restrictions: không có sự giám sát hay hạn chế nào
• might experience feelings of loneliness and isolation sometimes: thỉnh thoảng có thể trải qua cảm
giác cô đơn và đơn độc
• to easily get distracted by things like movies/ online games/…: dễ dàng bị sao nhãng bởi các thứ như
phim, games online
• cannot concentrate entirely on their work: không thể hoàn toàn tập trung vào công việc
• to negatively affect their work performance and productivity: ảnh hưởng tiêu cực tới hiệu suất làm
việc
• to be difficult to develop social skills (communication, teamwork skills,…): khó phát triển các kỹ
năng xã hội (kỹ năng giao tiếp, làm việc đội nhóm,…)
• to have less chance to interact and communicate directly with their colleagues and clients: có ít cơ
hội tương tác và giao tiếp trực tiếp với đồng nghiệp và khách hàng

Bài mẫu IELTS chủ đề Work

People tend to work longer hours nowadays. Working long hours has a negative effect on themselves
their families and the society so working hours should be restricted. Do you agree or disagree?

Working longer hours is getting more common in today’s society. I personally believe that this trend not only
has a severe impact on the workers themselves, but also on their families and the community as a whole.
Therefore, I totally agree with the idea of limiting working hours.
A few decades ago, a person normally worked an average of eight hours per day. Average daily working hours in
recent years, however, have significantly increased to ten or even fourteen. This, in my opinion, adversely
affects employees’ health and productivity. For example, people who spend longer at work are more likely to
suffer from various health issues, ranging from fatigue to more serious problems like anxiety disorders or
even stroke . Failing health leads to more sick leave , poor work performance and low productivity. My cousin
is a case in point. Working nearly twelve hours on a daily basis, he frequently feels exhausted and makes
more errors at work than he used to.

I also think that extended hours of work has serious consequences for families and communities . At the
family level, busy work schedules prevent people from taking frequent family trips or even just having meals
together. Relationships among members are greatly weakened if they cannot make time for each other. In
terms of community life, overworked people do not devote time to voluntary activity that brings benefits for
their society. My uncle, for example, hardly has time for local community service projects such as conservation
work or working with a charity because he works more than sixty hours per week.

In conclusion, I would argue that working time should be reduced since the frequency of long working hours
exerts an adverse effect on employees, their family bonds and their community.