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Listen with a purpose

Notice the useful language in “Neil's difficult summer job in Canada — Practise your listening with Real Easy English”.

Set the scene

Listen for the opening question that introduces a past work experience.

Describe conditions

Notice how location, heat, travel, and pay explain why a job was difficult.

Give a work example

Pay attention to the specific duties that make customer-service work concrete.

Cultural note

The context makes the phrase land.

English speakers often soften a work complaint by describing the facts first: the conditions, the pay, the travel, or the duties. This makes the story sound specific rather than simply negative.

Try it

Practice the situation.

Describe a difficult job or task. Explain what you had to do, what made it hard, and whether it was temporary. Say your response aloud before checking the examples below.

“I had a difficult temporary job. I had to pick up calls from customers all day.”

Expression cards · 13 from the transcript

These cards were extracted from the transcript and grouped by the kind of language learners can practice.

Showing 13 of 13 cards.

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Bad or difficult job

A job that is unpleasant, demanding, or disappointing.

Example sentence

“Good. Neil, have you ever had a bad or difficult job?”

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What happened was…

Introduce the events that explain a past experience.

Example sentence

“Well, what happened was I found a job picking beans on a student holiday”

Time & timing

Student holiday

A school break when a student may take a trip or temporary job.

Example sentence

“Well, what happened was I found a job picking beans on a student holiday”

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Hard work

Work that requires significant physical or mental effort.

Example sentence

“Oh yeah. Hard, hard work in the heat, in a field.”

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Customer service

Work that involves helping and communicating with customers.

Example sentence

“I was working in customer service, so I had to pick up calls from customers”

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Pick up calls

Answer incoming telephone calls, especially as part of a job.

Example sentence

“I was working in customer service, so I had to pick up calls from customers”

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Temporary job

Work that is intended to last for a limited period.

Example sentence

“I had quite a difficult job – it was just a temporary one.”

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The main idea

The most important point in a lesson or conversation.

Example sentence

“The main idea of this lesson is how people communicate in work & business situations.”

Clear, honest language

In other words

A phrase used to explain the same idea more simply.

Example sentence

“In other words, the speaker is showing a natural way to handle this situation.”

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For example

A phrase used to introduce a specific supporting detail.

Example sentence

“For example, you can use this phrase when talking about work & business.”

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I'm very well, thank you.

A natural phrase from this lesson’s transcript worth noticing and reusing.

Example sentence

“I'm very well, thank you.”

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I'm excellent, thank you.

A natural phrase from this lesson’s transcript worth noticing and reusing.

Example sentence

“I'm excellent, thank you.”

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Neil, have you ever had a bad or difficult job?

A natural phrase from this lesson’s transcript worth noticing and reusing.

Example sentence

“Neil, have you ever had a bad or difficult job?”

Check your understanding

What does “Bad or difficult job” communicate?

RTB commentary

Listen to how the speakers describe past jobs with clear examples. Notice the phrases they use to explain what happened, how the work felt, and why the job was difficult.