Work. Jobs. The daily grind. Whether you love your job or you’re just doing it to pay the bills, work is a huge part of life.
We spend so much time plugging away at tasks, trying to get ahead, and maybe even dreaming of the day we can finally knock off early.
We talk about work all the time, from what we do to how much we like (or dislike) it. Looking for a new challenge? You might be sending out your CV and hoping to get your foot in the door. Dealing with a particularly difficult boss? You might have to bite your tongue.
As a native speaker online teacher, I think it’s important to know the language of the workplace, especially if you’re aiming for a job in a British English speaking environment.
Ways to say ‘I’m busy’: Swamped / Snowed under / Up to my eyes in work / I have a lot on my plate / Working all the hours that God sends
Which one describes your current situation?
Phrasal Verbs for the Workplace
Taking on
Accepting a new employee or new responsibility.
Knuckle down
Starting to work hard or focus seriously.
Run by
Asking someone for their opinion or approval.
Lay off
Terminating an employee’s job, usually for economic reasons.
Burn out
Becoming exhausted or losing motivation from overwork.
Hand in
Formally submitting something, like a resignation or a report.
Key Work Idioms & Phrases
Get your foot in the door
Enter a company at a low level, hoping to progress.
I took an internship just to get my foot in the door at that big tech company.
Learn the ropes
Learn how a particular job is done.
It took me a few weeks to learn the ropes, but I feel comfortable now.
Bring home the bacon
Earn money to support a family.
My partner has been bringing home the bacon since I lost my job.
Be snowed under
Have too much work to deal with.
Sorry I can’t help, I’m completely snowed under with deadlines right now.
Be given the sack
Be fired from a job.
He was always late, so he eventually got the sack.
Pull your weight
Do your fair share of the work.
The rest of the team are complaining that you’re not pulling your weight.
Move up in the world
Become more successful in life or at work.
Since getting that promotion, she’s really starting to move up in the world.
Burn the midnight oil
Work late into the night.
I had to burn the midnight oil to finish the report before the client meeting.
Practice
#1
a: I’m completely stressed out. I’ve been working all the hours that God sends and I’m starting to ________.
b: Oh no, that sounds awful. You need to tell your boss to give you a break.
a: I can’t. If I don’t ________ and do my part, the whole project will fail.
b: That’s true. Just remember that it’s important to take care of yourself.
#2
a: Did you hear about Tom? He ________ yesterday!
b: What?! Why?
a: Apparently, he was caught stealing office supplies. They had to ________ him immediately.
b: Wow, I knew he was struggling, but I didn’t think he was that desperate to ________ for his family.
#3
a: This is my first week, and I’m really enjoying it, but I need some help.
b: No problem, it takes time to ________. Ask me anything.
a: Thanks. I’m just happy I managed to ________ with the temporary contract they offered me.
b: That’s great! I’m sure you’ll quickly ________ here.
Show answers
burn out / pull your weight / got the sack (or was given the sack) / lay off / bring home the bacon / learn the ropes / get my foot in the door / move up in the world
Key Vocabulary
- pay the bills — earn enough money to cover living expenses
- plugging away — working hard and steadily at a task
- get ahead — be successful in your career
- knock off — finish work for the day
- bite your tongue — stop yourself from saying something you want to say
- swamped — overwhelmed with work (similar to snowed under)
- loads — many
- working all the hours that God sends — working extremely long hours
Ready to practise this? Book a lesson or see how I teach.