VOCABULARY

UNIT 4:
Vocabulary Pronunciation Meaning Example

advice /ədˈvaɪs/ when you suggest what someone Steven gave me some good advice
should do

agency /ˈeɪ.dʒən.si/ a business that arranges services for The duty of the agency is to act in
people the best interests of the child.

appreciate /əˈpriː.ʃi.eɪt/ to understand that someone has done There's no point buying him
something good for you, and feel expensive wines - he doesn't
grateful (=want to thank them) appreciate them.

arrange /əˈreɪndʒ/ to make plans so that something can I'm trying to arrange my work so that
happen I can have a couple of days off next
week.

attend /əˈtend/ to go to a meeting, school, event, etc The meeting is on the fifth and we're
hoping everyone will attend.

bring something ↔ /brɪŋ/ to change the time or date of The police brought forward some
forward something so that it happens earlier new evidence in the case.
than you planned before

confirm /kənˈfɜːm/ to tell someone that an arrangement is Flights should be confirmed 48 hours
now sure to happen before departure.

consultative /kənˈsʌl.tə.tɪv/ asking for advice from other people She works for the firm in a
consultative capacity.

contact /ˈkɒn.tækt/ to telephone or write to someone There isn't enough contact between
teachers and parents.

convenient /kənˈviː.ni.ənt/ good for a particular situation and easy Our local shop has very convenient
to do opening hours.

decision-making /dɪˈsɪʒ·ən the things you do when making She plays no part in the daily
ˌmeɪ·kɪŋ/ important decisions decision-making.
delighted /dɪˈlaɪ.tɪd/ very pleased about something Pat was delighted with her new
house.

democratic /ˌdem.əˈkræt.ɪk/ giving everyone the right to help Do you think Australia is a more
choose or decide something, usually democratic country than Britain?
by voting

employee /ɪmˈplɔɪ.iː/ someone who is paid to work for The number of employees in the
another person or organization company has trebled over the past
decade.

employer /ɪmˈplɔɪ.ər/ a person, company or organization that We need a reference from your
gives people work former employer.

executive /ɪɡˈzek.jə.tɪv/ an important manager in a company She is now a senior executive,

having worked her way up through
the company.

feel free /fiːl friː/ used to tell someone that they are Feel free to help yourself to coffee.
allowed to do something

finance /ˈfaɪ.næns/ activities connected with the spending We keep a tight control on the
or saving of large amounts of money organization's finances.

fix /fɪks/ to decide on an exact time, place, Shall we fix a time for our next
price, etc meeting?

fixed schedule /fɪkst ˈʃedʒ.uːl/ a timetable (=list of times when things The fixed schedule is critical.
must happen) that cannot be changed

flexible hours /ˈflek.sə.bəl when someone can choose when they Flexible hours are another good way
ˈaʊəz/ start and finish work to keep some staff happy.

full-time /ˌfʊl ˈtaɪm/ working for all the hours of a normal he score was 2–2 at full time.
week at work, usually 35-40 hours

guru /ˈɡʊr.uː/ someone who knows a lot about a I’ve become the computer guru in
particular subject, and gives advice to our department.
other people

hands-off /ˌhændˈzɒf/ not telling the people that you are in Paul has a hands-off style of
charge of what to do, but letting them management.
make their own decisions
hands-on /ˌhændˈzɒn/ doing something yourself, rather than She's very much a hands-on
telling other people to do it manager.

input /ˈɪn.pʊt/ ideas, advice, opinions or work that The power input will come largely
you give to help something succeed from hydroelectricity.

intern /ɪnˈtɜːn/ someone, especially a student, who Many foreigners were interned for
works for a short time in a job to get the duration of the war.
experience

look forward to /lʊk/ used at the end of a formal letter to say I'm really looking forward to my
that you hope to hear from or see holiday.
someone soon, or that you expect
something from them

move into /muːv ˈɪn.tuː/ to change to a different job Before moving into the new house
we had to spend a week camped in
an empty property.

nine-to-five /naɪn tuː faɪv/ working every day from nine o’clock It's impossible to be a nine-to-five
in the morning until ve o’clock in the doctor.
evening

out /aʊt/ if a particular suggestion or activity is She opened the window and stuck
out, it is not possible her head out.

part-time /ˌpɑːtˈtaɪm/ working or studying for less than the She's found some part-time
usual number of hours ( secretarial work.

permanent /ˈpɜː.mə.nənt ɪm someone who has a contract to work Soon, he became a permanent
employee ˈplɔɪ.iː/ for a long time employee of the department.

fair point /feər pɔɪnt/ used during a discussion to say that Fair points those, as well as the
you think someone has said something suggestions above.
true and you agree

take someone’s /teɪk ˈsʌm.wʌn used during a discussion to say that Am I taking your point correctly
point pɔɪnt/ you understand what someone has said when you say you disagree but do
not object?

have a point /hæv eɪ pɔɪnt/ used during a discussion to say that f he'd already killed once, surely he'd
someone has said something that is have killed Sarah?' She had a point
important or useful there.
remote worker /rɪˈməʊt someone who works in a place away Organizations have embraced remote
ˈwɜː.kər/ from the o ce working during coronavirus
lockdowns.

retired /rɪˈtaɪəd/ having stopped working, usually He is a retired airline pilot.

because you are old

self-employed /ˌself.ɪmˈplɔɪd/ working for yourself, and not They run an advice centre for the
permanently employed by a company self-employed.

shift /ʃɪft/ one of the periods of work during a Modern detergents will shift most
day, for example at a place such as a stains.
hospital where there must be workers
all day and night

staff /stɑːf/ all the people who work for an here is a good relationship between
organization staff and pupils at the school.

suit /suːt/ to be useful or all right, and not cause All the businessmen were wearing
problems for you pinstripe suits.

take place /teɪk pleɪs/ to happen, especially after being The story takes place in the 18th
planned or arranged century.

temporary worker /ˈtem.pər.ər.i someone who has a job for only a It hired Samuel as a temporary
ˈwɜː.kər/ limited period of time worker to do the job.

unable /ʌnˈeɪ.bəl/ not able to do something We were unable to contact him at the
time.

unemployed /ˌʌn.ɪmˈplɔɪd without a job (= out of work) He's been unemployed for over a
year.

unfortunately /ʌnˈfɔː.tʃən.ət.li/ used to say that you feel sad or Unfortunately, I didn't have my
disappointed about something credit card with me, or else I would
have bought it.

view /vjuː/ an opinion or belief about something In my view, her criticisms were
completely justified.

work pattern /wɜːk ˈpæt.ən/ one of the different ways that Monitoring work patterns, pay and
someone’s hours of work can be
 organized conditions.

working day /ˈwɜː.kɪŋ deɪ/ the time during the day that people We need to make the working day
spend doing their job more flexible.

working life /ˈwɜː.kɪŋ laɪf/ the part of their life during which She had spent all her working life
someone has a paid job teaching in high schools