Day 10 Job suffixes and gerunds and infinitives

1.Job suffixes

Job names ending in –er:

presenter, teacher, train driver

Job names ending in –or:

actor (some people say actress for female actors), translator

Job names ending in –ian:

librarian, politician, optician

Job names ending in –ist:

journalist, receptionist, dentist

2.Verb patterns: gerunds and infinitives

Meaning and use
Gerunds are the -ing form of a verb, and infinitives are the to + base form. These words can be confusing; they combine the meaning of a verb with the grammar of a noun.

My father asked me to phone him. I enjoy talking with my father.
So, how is ‘to phone’ like a noun? Imagine the first sentence said: My father asked me a question. You can see how a question and to phone have the same grammatical role. Similarly, you could replace ‘talking’ with the noun conversation.

Using gerunds and infinitives correctly with verbs can be difficult because some verbs go with only the infinitive or only the gerund, and others can go with either one.

I enjoy going to the movies. (enjoy + -ing form only)
Jason wants to visit a museum on Friday. (want + infinitive form only)
Tony likes eating at restaurants. Tony likes to eat at restaurants. (like + either -ing or infinitive form)
Another difficulty is that sometimes choosing the infinitive or the gerund will change the meaning of the sentence.

Mary stopped eating at six.
(Mary was eating, and at six o’clock, she stopped.)
Mary stopped to eat at six.
(Mary was walking home, and at six o’clock she stopped walking and went into a café to eat.)
The best way to learn which verbs take infinitives, gerunds, or both, is to notice them in context when you read, or to consult grammar references. Here are some of the most common verbs:

Followed by a gerund (-ing form)

admit, advise, consider, discuss, dislike, dread, enjoy, finish, mind, practise, recommend, suggest

Followed by an infinitive

agree, appear, choose, decide, expect, fail, hope, learn, need, refuse, seem, wait, want

Followed by either, usually with no change in meaning

begin, continue, hate, like, love, prefer, start

Followed by either, with a change in meaning

forget, regret, remember, stop, try

Form
Gerunds and infinitives can follow verbs in the form verb + -ing form of the verb or verb + infinitive (to + base form of the verb).

Positive

Theresa suggested going to the park.
Ross decided to go home instead.
Negative

The negative form is verb + not + gerund/infinitive.

My grandparents have retired and enjoy not working.
Frank hopes not to travel over the holidays.
Question

What did the doctor advise taking for your cold?
Do you need to do your laundry this weekend?
Take note: ‘split’ infinitives
A ‘split infinitive’ has an adverb between to and the verb.

It is important to thoroughly study for an examination.
His sister seems to really want a cat.
Some people think split infinitives are ungrammatical. If you are writing formal English, it is best to avoid using them in your writing.

Take note: possessives
Remember that gerunds are types of nouns, so you can use possessive adjectives like my, your, his, her, etc.

Do you mind my going out for a while?
I like his planning our holidays for us.

3.Vocabulary Reference

vlogger
someone who makes video blogs

career advisor (or ‘careers advisor’)
someone who gives help and advice to people looking for a job

juggling
throwing and catching two or more balls in the air repeatedly

ukulele
a small musical instrument like a guitar with four strings

to keep fit
to stay healthy and strong by doing physical exercise
tour manager
someone who organises trips for tourists

covering letter
a letter that goes with a job application, saying why you are suitable for the job

prep
short for ‘preparation’ – getting things ready in advance

job description
an official description of a job used by employers

person specification
a list of skills and experience someone needs to do a job

potential
(here) possible, probable

head start
advantage; something that increases the possibility of success

feedback
statements about how well someone is doing something, to help them do it better next time

first and foremost
most importantly

nerve-wracking
very scary

body language
movements of your body that show what you are thinking and feeling

non-verbal communication
communication without words

eye contact
looking at someone in their eyes

nod
moving your head up and down to show you agree or understand

assertive
describes confident behaviour that shows someone’s opinions

go back to the top
go back to the beginning

rephrase
say something in another way

speedy response
quick answer

panel
the people at an interview who ask questions and decide who to give the job to

position
a formal or official word for ‘job’

authentic
real and true, not a copy

host families
families that guests stay with

maintaining
keeping

quality
how good or bad something is

variable
not always the same; sometimes high, sometimes low

studio
(here) a special room where TV programmes are made and broadcast

wonder
(here) something extraordinary, or amazingly good

confidence
belief that you can succeed

role model
someone who you admire, and who you would like to copy

launch
start something officially

local
from this area

frustrated
annoyed or angry because you cannot do something

active
doing things; influencing a situation

join in
take part; become involved

the key to
(here) the only way or the best way to achieve a goal

politician
a person who works in politics or government

courageous
being brave in a difficult or scary situation

brave
able to deal with a difficult situation without showing fear

determination
not allowing anything to stop you doing what you are trying to do

impressive
describes someone or something that is special, large or shows great skill

hero
someone who you love or admire because they have done something brave or impressive

4.Your covering letter

Four paragraphs
Did you notice Sunny’s letter was written in four paragraphs?

They were:

1) Introduction
2) Why she wants the job
3) Why she’s a good person for the job
4) Conclusion

Dear Mr Smith,

My name is Sunny Zhang. I am a recent graduate in Drama and Performing Arts. I am writing to apply for the role of Tour Manager that you advertised in the Tourist Daily.

The role of a tour manager is very interesting to me. Working in the travel industry is one of the most challenging but rewarding jobs you can do. I have followed the progress of Big Fun Holiday Tours since the company was founded in 2001 and I have seen how it has continued to grow as a leader in the travel sector. I particularly like how you work with families rather than big groups of adults.

During my BA in Drama and Performing Arts I worked as a Group Leader for Theatre Workshops for Kids. I enjoy performing on stage. It is rewarding to help children to learn to do drama. I believe that this work experience allowed me to use the knowledge I learned in my degree. After finishing my job for Theatre Workshops, I tried to learn some new skills. I learned to play the ukulele and now I practise playing at least three times a week. Therefore, I believe that I am a good fit for this job, which requires creativity and dedication. I also love to travel and visit new places. While I was travelling, I developed my interpersonal skills. I had to interact with different people to find out information and get help when I needed it. In addition to this, I also speak English and Chinese fluently. I hope to learn Spanish and have recently started attending an evening course.

I have decided to look for a job that will help me develop my skills and learn new ones as well. I believe that I am a suitable candidate for this job, because I love travelling and working with a lot of different people. I hope you will give me a chance to work with you.

I am available for interview Monday to Friday from 10am to 2pm.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Yours sincerely,

Sunny Zhang (Miss)