Where Do You Work? in / for / at + Present Simple
CEFR: A2
Read/Listen first
Christine meets Georges at a job fair in a convention center. Georges says, “Nice to meet you. What do you do?” Christine replies, “I’m a nurse. I work at Sunny Clinic, and I work in the healthcare industry. Our clinic provides primary care and offers weekend walk‑in services.” Georges explains, “I’m an engineer. I work in the electronics industry. I work for Detail Tec, and my team produces circuit boards for electric bikes. Our company also supplies sensors to other manufacturers.” Christine asks, “Where do you work exactly?” He answers, “I work at the R&D center near the river.” They compare schedules and exchange emails, confident they can describe their jobs, their fields, and their company activities clearly and politely.⚡ Learning goals
- Ask and answer about a company’s activity using present simple.
- State your job, field, and employer with correct prepositions.
- Describe and compare basic operations: develop, manufacture, provide, supply, deliver.
✨ Key language
- What does your company do? “What does your company do exactly?”
- I work in … / I work for … “I work in electronics; I work for ComTel.”
- We provide / we manufacture / we develop “We provide support; we manufacture boards.”
⚙️ Rules & Grammar — 4 Structures
1️⃣ Prepositions of work (in/for/at)
Rule: Context: use this structure to describe work and company activity.Examples: I work in finance; I work for Bright Bank; I work at the R&D center
Common pitfall + fix: Using at/for/in interchangeably — Use in for field, for for employer, at for site.
Select the best option: I work ___ ComTel.
Tip: Use for + company/employer.
Fill with the best answer: She works ___ the healthcare industry.
Tip: Use in + field/industry.
2️⃣ Present simple statements
Rule: Context: use this structure to describe work and company activity.Examples: Our lab develops medicine; My team manufactures boards; We provide training
Common pitfall + fix: Confusing he/she/it with plural verbs — Add -s: the company provides, the lab develops.
Choose the correct verb: Our company ___ high‑quality parts.
Tip: Third person singular takes -s.
Fill with the best answer: The lab ___ new medicines every year.
Tip: Third person singular with -s.
3️⃣ Short answers with do/does
Rule: Context: use this structure to describe work and company activity.Examples: customer support team; production line schedule; delivery window
Common pitfall + fix: Mixing verb and noun forms — Use noun compounds for activities (e.g., delivery window)..
Choose the best collocation.
Tip: Common industry collocation.
Fill with the best answer: We planned the ___ line for tomorrow.
Tip: Use the noun production to modify line.
4️⃣ Workplace nouns
Rule: Context: use this structure to describe work and company activity.Examples: customer support team; production line schedule; delivery window
Common pitfall + fix: Mixing verb and noun forms — Use noun compounds for activities (e.g., delivery window)..
Choose the best collocation.
Tip: Common industry collocation.
Fill with the best answer: We planned the ___ line for tomorrow.
Tip: Use the noun production to modify line.
✍️ Vocabulary
clinic
Meaning: medical center for patients.Synonyms: medical center, surgery.
Chunk/Idiom: clinic reception.
Example: The clinic offers weekend appointments..
Morphology: noun.
Self-practice: Say the word aloud and write one new sentence.
engineer
Meaning: professional who designs and builds systems.Synonyms: designer, developer.
Chunk/Idiom: work as an engineer.
Example: He is an engineer in electronics..
Morphology: noun.
Self-practice: Say the word aloud and write one new sentence.
sensor
Meaning: device that detects or measures.Synonyms: detector, probe.
Chunk/Idiom: temperature sensor.
Example: This sensor detects small movements..
Morphology: noun.
Self-practice: Say the word aloud and write one new sentence.
produce
Meaning: make; create goods.Synonyms: make, manufacture.
Chunk/Idiom: produce circuit boards.
Example: We produce parts for e‑bikes..
Morphology: verb.
Self-practice: Say the word aloud and write one new sentence.
supply
Meaning: deliver needed goods to a client.Synonyms: deliver, furnish.
Chunk/Idiom: supply spare parts.
Example: The company supplies sensors to partners..
Morphology: verb.
Self-practice: Say the word aloud and write one new sentence.
R&D center
Meaning: place where research and development occur.Synonyms: lab, research hub.
Chunk/Idiom: work at the R&D center.
Example: He works at the R&D center..
Morphology: noun.
Self-practice: Say the word aloud and write one new sentence.
☁️ Examples (+ audio)
I work in the healthcare industry.
He works at Sunny Clinic.
They work for Detail Tec.
What does your team produce?
✏️ Exercises
Grammar
Choose the best option: I work ___ Detail Tec.
Tip: Use for + employer/company.
Pick the correct sentence.
Tip: Present simple with -s.
Fill with the best answer:
We work ___ the electronics industry.Tip: Use in + field.
Fill with the best answer:
She works ___ the R&D center.Tip: Use at + specific site.
Vocabulary & Comprehension
Which word is a physical place?
Tip: Clinic is a place.
Which verb means ‘give to customers’?
Tip: Supply = provide to clients.
Fill with the best answer:
Our team ___ circuit boards for e‑bikes.Tip: Third person singular.
Fill with the best answer:
He works at the ___ near the river.Tip: Specific site: at + place.
✅ Guided practice
Mini-dialogue:
A: Where do you work?B: I work at Sunny Clinic. I work in healthcare.
Why this matters:
Prepositions signal field, employer, or site clearly. They make introductions faster and more professional. Practice with real company and place names.Verb & Adjective Pack:
provide — provide weekend serviceproduce — produce circuit boards
supply — supply sensors to partners
Try & compare:
Fill with the best answer: I work ___ Bright Bank.
Tip: Use for + employer name.
Self-correction: Fix the sentence: She work in the clinic.
Tip: Add -s to the verb: She works.
Practice aloud: Listen, repeat, then type the sentence.
I work at the R&D center.
Tip: Notice at + specific site.