English assessment study guide — Work and skills
Topics: work, your work experience, your skills, the 4 Cs and work idioms. Based on your class materials. Learn the English expressions; the German translations help you check their meaning.
1. What to learn first
- Explain where you did your work placement, what you did and what you learnt.
- Describe a job, its responsibilities, required skills, advantages and drawbacks.
- Name and explain the 4 Cs: critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication.
- Describe your strengths with specific examples, and explain what you still want to improve.
- Know the seven work idioms in section 6 and use them in sentences.
2. Talking about work
Essential vocabulary
| English | German / meaning |
|---|---|
| a job | eine Arbeitsstelle; a countable noun: a job, two jobs |
| work | Arbeit; usually uncountable: some work, much work |
| work experience | praktische Berufserfahrung / Praktikum, depending on context |
| a work placement / an internship | ein Praktikum |
| employer / employee | Arbeitgeber / Arbeitnehmer |
| colleague / supervisor | Arbeitskollege / Betreuer, Vorgesetzter |
| responsibilities / duties | Verantwortungsbereiche / Aufgaben |
| qualifications | Qualifikationen, Abschlüsse |
| workplace / working hours | Arbeitsplatz / Arbeitszeiten |
| deadline | Abgabetermin, Frist |
| career / promotion | berufliche Laufbahn / Beförderung |
| salary / wages | Gehalt / Lohn |
| customer / client | Kunde / Klient |
| drawback | Nachteil |
| occupational hazards | berufsbedingte Gefahren |
Sentence patterns
| Purpose | Pattern and example |
|---|---|
| Name your job | I work as a … → I work as a sales assistant. |
| Name your employer | I work for … → I work for a local company. |
| Name the setting | I work in … → I work in an office. |
| Explain responsibilities | My responsibilities include + -ing. → My responsibilities include answering the phone. |
| Explain a duty | It is my job to + infinitive. → It is my job to arrange meetings. |
| Describe requirements | You need to possess … → You need to possess good interpersonal skills. |
| Describe conditions | The work can get … → The work can get hectic. |
| Give your opinion | I find my job … → I find my job challenging but rewarding. |
Describing jobs
| Word / phrase | Meaning | Useful contrast |
|---|---|---|
| tedious / monotonous | langweilig, eintönig | exciting and interesting |
| well-paid | gut bezahlt | badly-paid / poorly paid |
| work long hours | lange arbeiten | go home early / work shorter hours |
| tough | schwierig, anstrengend | easy / a piece of cake |
| hectic | sehr geschäftig, hektisch | quiet / hardly anything to do |
| isolated | isoliert, allein | in the company of other people |
| dangerous | gefährlich | safe |
| highly qualified | hoch qualifiziert | no degree or diploma required |
| stressful | stressig | relaxing |
| exhausting | erschöpfend | not very tiring |
| challenging | anspruchsvoll | easy |
| rewarding | erfüllend, lohnend | unrewarding |
| fascinating | faszinierend | boring |
Useful answer: “The work was sometimes hectic because several customers needed help at the same time. However, I found it rewarding because I could solve their problems.”
Jobs and their skills from the worksheet
| Job | Important skills / qualities |
|---|---|
| carpenter — Tischler | good with their hands; problem-solving; using tools |
| sales representative — Vertriebsmitarbeiter | communication; persuasion; following up with prospective customers |
| therapist — Therapeut | empathy; listening; understanding clients |
| company director — Unternehmensleiter | leadership; motivation; getting the most out of employees |
| architect — Architekt | sketching; design; technical abilities |
| firefighter — Feuerwehrmann/-frau | bravery; physical fitness; communication; keeping a cool head |
| accountant — Buchhalter | an aptitude for numbers; analytical and computer skills; attention to detail |
| lawyer — Anwalt | interpersonal skills; persuasion; public speaking |
Key expressions:
- empathetic: able to understand another person’s feelings — einfühlsam.
- an aptitude for numbers: a natural ability to work with numbers — Zahlenverständnis.
- good with your hands: skilful at practical tasks — handwerklich geschickt.
- following up: contacting someone again after the first contact — nachfassen.
- getting the most out of someone: helping them achieve their best performance.
- sketching skills: ability to draw sketches.
- public speaking skills: ability to speak effectively to an audience.
- interpersonal skills: ability to interact well with other people.
3. Your work experience
Structure for a spoken answer or report
- Placement: employer, workplace, dates, duration and reason for choosing it.
- Goals: personal and professional aims.
- Responsibilities: main tasks and a typical working day.
- Challenges: difficulties and how you dealt with them.
- Development: skills gained or improved, supported by concrete examples.
- Evaluation: positive aspects, drawbacks and the effect on your career plans.
The sample report distinguishes personal goals, such as becoming more confident, from professional goals, such as gaining relevant experience, developing a portfolio or improving career prospects. It also reflects on communication, time management, overcoming nervousness and learning about a chosen industry.
Useful phrases
- I did my work placement at … for … weeks.
- I chose this placement because I wanted to gain experience in …
- My personal goal was to become more confident when …
- My professional goal was to develop my … skills.
- I was responsible for … / My duties included …
- At first, I found … difficult because …
- I dealt with this problem by asking / planning / practising …
- With my supervisor’s support, I learnt how to …
- This experience helped me improve my …
- I stepped out of my comfort zone when …
- I realised that I was good at …
- I still need to work on …
- Overall, the placement gave me an insight into …
- It confirmed my interest in … / It made me reconsider …
Grammar that helps
- Past simple for completed events: “I worked in a shop. I helped customers. I learnt new skills.”
- Present simple for general facts or current strengths: “Communication is important. I am organised.”
- Present perfect for development connected to now: “I have become more confident.”
- would like to / hope to for goals: “I would like to improve my public speaking skills.”
- good at + noun / -ing: “I am good at solving problems.”
- responsible for + noun / -ing: “I was responsible for checking orders.”
- Use because for reasons, however / although for contrasts and therefore for results.
Avoid: “I made a work experience.” Use: “I did a work placement” or “I gained work experience.”
Model answer — fictional example to adapt
I did a two-week work placement in a local shop. I chose it because I wanted to learn about customer service and become more confident. My responsibilities included organising products, checking stock and helping customers. At first, I found it difficult to answer questions because I did not know all the products. I asked my supervisor for advice and took notes. Gradually, I became more independent. I developed my communication skills by listening carefully and explaining information clearly. I also used collaboration when I worked with colleagues to prepare the shop for a busy afternoon. The work was sometimes hectic, but I learnt to keep a cool head. Overall, the placement was rewarding and helped me understand which skills I still need to improve.
Replace the details with your own experience. Your example should show what you did and what you learnt, rather than only listing adjectives.
4. Skills you have and skills you developed
Hard skills are specific technical abilities, such as using a spreadsheet, operating tools or applying GIS software. Soft skills concern how you work and interact, such as communication, teamwork and self-management. Transferable skills can be used in different jobs and settings.
Use this pattern: skill → situation → action → result / learning.
“I showed responsibility when I checked an order before it was sent. I noticed an error and informed my supervisor, which helped prevent a mistake.”
Competencies from your internship sheet
| Competency | English phrase | Possible evidence — adapt to your experience |
|---|---|---|
| Kritisch-forschendes Denken | critical thinking / an enquiring approach | comparing information before reaching a conclusion |
| Kommunikationsfähigkeit | communication skills | explaining a task or asking clear questions |
| Teamfähigkeit | teamwork / collaboration | sharing tasks and helping colleagues |
| Selbstorganisation | self-organisation | planning tasks and keeping notes |
| Zielgerichtetes Arbeiten | goal-oriented working | setting priorities to meet a deadline |
| Verantwortung | responsibility | checking work and admitting mistakes |
| Konzentration / Durchhaltevermögen | concentration / perseverance | staying focused and continuing after setbacks |
| Selbstbewusstsein / Selbstvertrauen | self-confidence | speaking to unfamiliar people |
| Interkulturelle Kompetenz | intercultural competence | respecting different backgrounds and adapting communication |
The sheet also lists researching, processing written information, writing texts, using maps, collecting field data, using geographic information systems (GIS), IT skills, presenting, debating and arguing a case, and creativity. Only claim the skills you actually used.
Five skill groups from the first poster
| Group | What it includes |
|---|---|
| Thinking skills | acquiring and understanding knowledge; applying, analysing and evaluating it; considering different arguments; reflecting on your own thinking (metacognition) |
| Social skills | accepting responsibility; making group decisions; taking different roles; respecting others; cooperating; resolving conflict |
| Communication skills | listening, speaking, reading, writing, interpreting visual information, presenting and non-verbal communication |
| Self-management skills | organisation, time management, safety, healthy habits, informed choices, appropriate behaviour, physical coordination and spatial awareness |
| Research skills | asking questions, observing, planning, collecting and recording data, organising and interpreting it, presenting findings |
Describing strengths and development
- I am reliable: people can depend on me.
- I am adaptable: I can adjust to changes.
- I am detail-oriented: I notice small but important details.
- I am self-motivated: I can work without constant reminders.
- I am empathetic: I try to understand how others feel.
- I can work independently, meet deadlines, take initiative and accept feedback.
For a weakness, add an improvement strategy: “I sometimes find public speaking difficult. To improve, I prepare key points and practise speaking in front of others.”
5. The 4 Cs and 21st-century skills
The 4 Cs — learn these particularly well
| Skill | Meaning | Example at work |
|---|---|---|
| Critical thinking | Examine information, question assumptions, compare options and make reasoned decisions. | Check why an order is wrong before deciding how to fix it. |
| Creativity | Develop useful ideas or approach a problem in a new way. | Suggest a clearer layout for instructions. |
| Collaboration | Work with others towards a shared goal, share responsibility and consider their ideas. | Divide tasks, support colleagues and agree on a solution. |
| Communication | Exchange information clearly through speaking, listening, writing and other forms. | Listen to a customer, ask questions and explain the next steps. |
Why they matter: They help people solve problems, adapt to change and work effectively with others. Most jobs require several of these skills together.
One situation, all four Cs: A team needs to reduce customer waiting times. It analyses the causes (critical thinking), suggests a new system (creativity), shares the tasks (collaboration) and explains the system clearly (communication).
Important distinctions: Critical thinking means evaluating ideas fairly; it is more than criticising. Creativity is useful beyond art. Collaboration requires active cooperation. Communication includes listening and non-verbal signals, as well as speaking.
The broader framework in the linked article
The iCEV article groups twelve skills into three categories:
- Learning skills — the 4 Cs: critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication.
- Literacy skills — IMT: information literacy (evaluate information and evidence), media literacy (assess sources and how messages are presented), technology literacy (understand and use digital tools).
- Life skills — FLIPS: flexibility (adapt), leadership (guide and motivate), initiative (start useful tasks independently), productivity (complete work efficiently), social skills (build respectful relationships).
Source: iCEV — What Are 21st Century Skills?. The list above is a brief summary of its framework.
Additional skills in the second poster
- Citizenship: act responsibly and contribute positively to your community; at work, respect others and consider the impact of your actions.
- Growth mindset: believe that abilities can improve through practice, feedback and perseverance. For example: “I cannot do this confidently yet, but I can improve.”
The poster includes these alongside the 4 Cs. Different materials group skills differently; citizenship and growth mindset are not extra Cs.
6. Work idioms
The seven core idioms from your worksheet
| Idiom | Meaning | German | New example |
|---|---|---|---|
| do the dirty work | do unpleasant or uninteresting tasks | die unangenehme Arbeit erledigen | Nobody enjoyed cleaning the store, but someone had to do the dirty work. |
| be out of work | be unemployed | arbeitslos sein | He is out of work and is applying for jobs. |
| get down to business | start doing the main task seriously | zur Sache kommen | We have discussed our ideas; now let’s get down to business. |
| have your work cut out (for you) | have a difficult task ahead | eine schwierige Aufgabe vor sich haben | We have our work cut out for us if we want to finish today. |
| a dead-end job | a job with no real prospects of advancement | Job ohne Aufstiegschancen | She wanted more responsibility, so she left her dead-end job. |
| get the sack | be dismissed from your job; informal British English | gefeuert werden | He got the sack after repeatedly breaking company rules. |
| learn the ropes | learn how a job or activity works | sich einarbeiten, die Abläufe lernen | My colleague helped me learn the ropes during my first week. |
Also in the worksheet:
- keep a cool head: stay calm, especially under pressure — einen kühlen Kopf bewahren. “I kept a cool head when the shop became busy.”
- a piece of cake: something very easy; informal — ein Kinderspiel. “After some practice, the task was a piece of cake.”
Grammar: “I have my work cut out”; “she has her work cut out”; “we had our work cut out.” Past forms: got the sack, learnt/learned the ropes, kept a cool head.
7. Optional vocabulary from the worksheet extension
These are lower priority than the stated assessment themes unless your teacher includes the optional extension.
| Word | Meaning / German |
|---|---|
| idleness | inactivity or an unproductive state — Untätigkeit |
| privation | lack of basic necessities — Entbehrung |
| blue-collar | relating to manual or industrial work — Arbeiter-, handwerklich/industriell |
| grassroots | ordinary people at the base of a community or organisation — Basis |
| stark | complete or extreme in the worksheet context; also harsh or striking — völlig, extrem |
| capitalism | an economic system based on private ownership and profit — Kapitalismus |
| intertwine / intertwined | connect closely / closely connected — verflechten / verflochten |
| burnout | severe exhaustion associated with prolonged stress — Burnout |
Materials used
- Work, Linguahouse student worksheet, B2–C1, especially sections 2–5; optional vocabulary from section 6.
- Corresponding Work solutions, used to check meanings and matches.
- Work experience sample report parts, used for goals, challenges, reflection and report structure.
- Überfachliche Kompetenzen im Praktikum, used for competency vocabulary and evidence-based reflection.
- Your two skills posters, used for the five skill groups, the 4 Cs, citizenship and growth mindset.
- iCEV article on 21st-century skills, used for the twelve-skill framework.
This guide summarises the topics you named. Example sentences are newly written; they do not describe your actual work placement.