10 Work English Mistakes — Easy English Conversation

Transcript

Introduction

A: Yesterday we practiced asking for a day off. Today we’re fixing ten work English mistakes that can sound strange.

B: Many of them are false friends — words that look like a word in your language but mean something else in English. The rest are small grammar and preposition slips.

A: Listen for colleague or college, boss or chef, attend or assist, take a break, Are you busy?, and by Friday or until Friday. We’ll cover four more corrections too.

B: After the ten, you’ll hear three short work conversations and a practice where you answer out loud.

A: You can practice today’s phrases in Recursio — link in the description.

People and places

B: Number one is about the people you work with. Some learners say, “My college is very helpful.”

A: And they mean a person.

B: Yes, but “college” is a place — a school, a university. The person is a colleague. They sound similar, but listen to the end: “colleague” ends like “league,” with a long E and a G sound. “College” ends with a short sound and a J: “COL-ij.”

A: “Colleague.” “College.”

B: Exactly. And in American English, “coworker” is often more common in conversation: “My coworker helped me.” “Colleague” is a bit more formal — you’ll see it in emails and at universities.

A: So “coworker” is the safe everyday word.

B: Very safe. You may also hear “teammate” for the people on your own team.

A: So “teammate” for my small team, and “coworker” for anyone at work.

B: Exactly. Number two: “My chef wants the report by Friday.”

A: A chef works in a kitchen.

B: Right. In some languages, the word “chef” means the boss. In English, a chef is a professional cook. The person who manages you is your boss, or more formally, your manager.

A: “My boss wants the report.” “My manager approved my day off.”

B: Exactly. And “boss” is fine to use — it’s not rude. “My boss is great.” In formal writing, people usually use the job title: “my manager” or “my supervisor.”

A: Number three.

B: “We have a reunion at ten.”

A: That sounds like a party with old friends.

B: A reunion is when people meet again after a long time — a family reunion, a high school reunion. For a regular work discussion, it’s a meeting.

A: “We have a meeting at ten.”

B: Yes. And remember from our meetings episode: you “schedule a meeting,” you’re “in a meeting,” and you “put it on the calendar.”

A: So if I say “reunion at ten,” my team might imagine old friends getting together, not the weekly sales call.

B: Exactly. “Meeting” tells them it’s part of the workday.

A: Number four is grammar, I think.

B: It is. “I’m looking for a work.”

A: Should be “a job.”

B: Yes. “Work” is usually uncountable — like “water” or “information.” So no “a,” and no “works” in this meaning. “Job” is countable: “a job,” “two jobs.”

A: So: “I’m looking for a job.” “I have a lot of work.”

B: Perfect pair. And “I’m going to work” — the activity or the place. “She has two jobs” — two positions.

A: What about “works of art”?

B: Good catch — there “work” means a painting or a book, and it’s countable. But for your job, think: work is uncountable, a job is countable.

Verbs that trick you

A: Number five. “I assisted the meeting yesterday.”

B: Another false friend. In several languages, a word that looks like “assist” means “to be present.” In English, “assist” means “to help.” “She assisted the doctor.” “Can I assist you?”

A: So “I assisted the meeting” sounds like I helped the meeting.

B: Exactly. If you were there, you attended it. “I attended the meeting.”

A: “Attend” — be present. “Assist” — help.

B: Yes. And in everyday speech, people often just say “I went to the meeting” or “I was at the meeting.” “Attend” is a little formal.

A: I also hear “assist” in basketball.

B: Yes. In basketball, an assist is a pass that helps a teammate score. Again, it’s about helping, not just being there.

A: And I can attend a class or a conference, not only a meeting?

B: Yes. If you were there as a participant, “attended” works for all three.

A: Number six. My manager says, “Please control the numbers before you send the report.”

B: The intended meaning is “look carefully to make sure they’re correct.” In English, that’s check.

A: “Please check the numbers.”

B: Yes. “Control” in English means to have power over something: “control the budget,” “control your emotions,” “the pilot controls the plane.” And a “controlling” person tries to decide everything for other people — not a compliment.

A: But I’ve seen “passport control” at the airport.

B: Good point, and “quality control” in a factory. Those are fixed phrases, and they’re nouns. As a verb, for your numbers or your email, say “check” or “double-check.”

A: So I check my email, and I don’t control it.

B: Unless your email controls you.

A: That’s my life. Number seven.

B: “Let’s make a pause.” It’s from today’s short video.

A: I’ve said that in meetings.

B: Many people do. In English, you “take a break.” “Let’s take a break.” “Let’s take a ten-minute break.”

A: Is “pause” wrong?

B: Sometimes it works. In a discussion, you may hear “Let’s pause here for a second,” meaning a few seconds. But to stop and rest, people take a break.

A: So a pause is short, and a break is real rest.

B: Right. “Pause” also works for videos, or a short silence in a conversation. But for stopping work to rest, “take a break” is the natural phrase. And the opposite: “Break’s over — let’s get back to work.”

A: “Take a break,” not “make a pause.” Got it.

B: Quick tip before the last three. If false friends like these keep coming back, save them in Recursio and review them later.

Time and availability

A: Number eight. I want to talk to a coworker, and I ask, “Are you occupied?”

B: It’s understandable, but it sounds formal here. “Occupied” often describes places — a seat, a restroom: “Sorry, this seat is occupied.” You can say a person is occupied with a task, but the everyday question is: Are you busy?

A: “Are you busy?”

B: Yes. Or “Are you free?” “Do you have a minute?” — from yesterday’s episode. And the answer: “I’m a bit busy right now — can we talk at three?”

A: So I can ask a coworker, “Are you busy?” or “Do you have a minute?”

B: Exactly. Number nine is about vacations. “I’m on holidays next week.”

A: In British English, I think it’s “on holiday.”

B: Yes — “on holiday,” singular. “On holidays” isn’t the usual form. And in American English, the most common way is on vacation. “I’m on vacation next week.” “She’s on vacation until Monday.”

A: And “holidays” in American English?

B: Usually special days like Thanksgiving or New Year’s: “the holidays” often means the end-of-year season. “Happy holidays!” So in the US, you go “on vacation,” and you celebrate “the holidays.”

A: And the last one?

B: Number ten — two small words, a big difference. By Friday or until Friday.

A: I always mix these up.

B: Here’s the simple rule. “By Friday” is a deadline — at or before Friday, not later. “Please send the report by Friday.”

A: And “until”?

B: “Until Friday” means something continues the whole time and stops on Friday. “I’m on vacation until Friday.” “The office is closed until Monday.”

A: So: “Finish the report by Friday” — one action, before the deadline. “I’ll be away until Friday” — a situation that lasts.

B: Perfect. If you say “Send it until Friday,” it sounds like you should keep sending it all week.

A: That’s a lot of emails.

B: A lot. So: “by” for a deadline, “until” for time that lasts.

A: One question. If I’m on vacation until Friday, do I work on Friday?

B: Good question. It’s not always clear. Many people say “I’m back on Friday” to be safe. You may also hear “through”: “I’m out Monday through Friday,” and that includes Friday.

Monday at the office

A: Let’s put them together. It’s Monday, and I’m new at the company. You’re my coworker.

B: Hi! Welcome. How’s your first day?

A: Good, thanks. Are you busy? I have a few questions.

B: Not really. Go ahead.

A: First, who’s my boss?

B: Your manager is Rita. She’s on vacation until Wednesday, but she wants your first report by Friday.

A: By Friday. Okay. And is there a team meeting this week?

B: Yes, on Tuesday at ten. Everybody attends — even the interns. I’ll send you the calendar invite.

A: Thanks. Should I check the numbers in this report before the meeting?

B: Yes, please. Last month there was a mistake, and Rita wasn’t happy. The sales totals are on the second page.

A: I’ll compare them with the spreadsheet before I send anything. Is this report my responsibility now?

B: You’ll prepare a first draft. Rita will review it when she returns, so you have time to ask questions before Friday’s deadline.

A: Got it. And one more question — is it okay to take a break whenever I want?

B: We take short breaks, usually in the middle of the morning. If you need a longer one, check with Rita. There’s coffee in the kitchen.

A: Great. You know, this is my first job in an English-speaking company. At my last job, we used different words for almost everything.

B: You’ll learn quickly. If a word sounds unfamiliar, ask. Your coworkers are friendly, and nobody expects you to know every office phrase on day one.

A: That’s a relief. I’ll ask when I’m unsure instead of guessing from a word that looks familiar.

B: That’s the best plan for any new job.

A message to the manager

A: One more short scene. It’s Wednesday, and I’m writing a short message to my manager. I’ll read it, and you help me fix it.

B: Okay, read it to me.

A: “Hi Rita. Yesterday I assisted the reunion with the team. My chef from my old work said I should control everything twice. Could we make a pause this afternoon? I’ll send the report until Thursday. Could I take Friday off?”

B: Okay… let’s fix it together. “Assisted the reunion” —

A: “Attended the meeting.”

B: “My chef from my old work” —

A: “My boss from my old job.”

B: “Control everything twice” —

A: “Check everything twice.”

B: “Make a pause this afternoon” — how would you say that if you mean ten minutes to rest?

A: “Could we take a break this afternoon?” And I can ask about Friday separately.

B: Right. Then “until Thursday” —

A: “By Thursday.” Wow. Seven mistakes in that short message.

B: Seven fixes. Read the corrected message once, so you can hear how it flows.

A: “Hi Rita. Yesterday I attended the meeting with the team. My boss from my old job said I should check everything twice. Could we take a break this afternoon? I’ll send the report by Thursday. Could I take Friday off?”

B: Clear. Now send it and wait for Rita’s answer before you make plans for Friday.

Coffee break

A: Last scene. It’s Thursday afternoon, and we’re in the kitchen on a coffee break.

B: Hey! How was your first week?

A: Busy, but good. I attended three meetings and finished my first report.

B: By Friday?

A: By Thursday, actually. I checked the numbers twice, and Rita approved my request to take Friday off after I sent the report.

B: Nice. Now you can enjoy your long weekend. Any plans?

A: Just rest. But next month I’m going on vacation for a week.

B: Lucky you. Where are you going?

A: To the mountains with my brother. He’s a chef, by the way. A real one, in a restaurant.

B: So when you say “chef,” you really mean a cook.

A: Exactly. My boss is Rita, and my brother is the chef.

B: Perfect. Okay, break’s over. Let’s get back to work.

A: I’ll take one last look at my email before I go. Then I’m off for three days.

B: Three days is enough time to forget about the spreadsheet for a while.

Practice

A: Here’s how it works. You’ll hear a situation. Answer out loud in the pause, then listen to our answer. First one: the person who sits next to you at work helped you. How do you say that using the everyday American word?

B: My coworker helped me.

A: “Coworker” is very common; “colleague” is a bit more formal.

B: You were present at a meeting yesterday. How do you say that in a slightly formal way?

A: I attended the meeting yesterday.

B: “Attend” — be present. “Assist” means help.

A: In the middle of a long meeting, everybody is tired. How do you suggest ten minutes of rest?

B: Let’s take a ten-minute break.

A: “Take a break,” not “make a pause.”

B: You want to talk to a coworker who is typing very fast. How do you ask if it’s a good time?

A: Are you busy?

B: “Occupied” is usually for seats and restrooms. “Do you have a minute?” works too.

A: You won’t be at work next week because you’re traveling for fun. What do you tell your team?

B: I’m on vacation next week.

A: In the US, “on vacation.” “The holidays” usually means the end-of-year season.

B: Your manager wants the report, and the last possible day is Friday. You’re out of the office this week, and you’ll be back on Thursday. How do you say both things?

A: I’ll send it by Friday. I’ll be away until Thursday.

B: “By” for the deadline, “until” for a situation that lasts.

Outro

A: A small word can change the message at work. Think of “a job” but “work,” or “by Friday” for a deadline and “until Friday” for time away.

B: Start with the correction you hear most often at your own workplace.

A: Open the link below and practice them in Recursio.

B: See you in the next one.