Session 37
August 1, 2026 · Intermediate
- Uncountable "work" vs "tasks"
- business idioms (pay off, on good terms)
- word forms
- appreciating your team
1 Corrections
How you said it, the natural version, and why. These are your own sentences.
How you said it
Take an advancement (a down payment).
The natural version
Take an advance (a down payment).
an advance = an early payment; advancement = career progress; an announcement = a public statement. Three different words!
How you said it
He changed the reports and took money from the company balance.
The natural version
He faked the reports and took money from the company's accounts.
To secretly change records is to fake / falsify them; money sits in accounts (the "balance" is just the amount in them).
How you said it
They need to handoff their tasks.
The natural version
They need to hand over their tasks.
Verb = hand over (two words); noun = a handover. It means giving your tasks *with the knowledge* to do them.
How you said it
I had many works.
The natural version
I had many tasks (or a lot of work).
Work is uncountable — no "works," no "many." Use much / a lot of work, or switch to a countable noun like tasks.
How you said it
He lied on the bed.
The natural version
He lay on the bed.
To recline: lie → lay → lain ("he lay down"). Lied is the past of lie = to tell an untruth ("he lied to me").
1b Already right
These needed no correction at all.
Before we proceed with the operation, we need to do the paperwork.
Correct and very professional — great use of proceed and paperwork.
2 Grammar tips
take advantage of + noun
Always with of. It means (1) use a chance well, or (2) use someone unfairly.
I took advantage of the offer. / Don't let them take advantage of you.
Uncountable: work
Work has no plural and no "many." Use much / a lot of / some work — or switch to a countable noun.
I have too much work today. → I have many tasks.
succeed / success / successful
One idea, three forms: verb / noun / adjective.
If you succeed, your success makes you a successful manager.
lie / lay / lied
lie = recline (lie–lay–lain): "he lay down." lie = tell an untruth (lie–lied–lied): "he lied to me."
She lay on the sofa. / He lied about the money.
register (verb / noun)
register (verb) = to sign up or record; register (noun) = the cash machine, or an official list.
Please register at the desk. / Pay at the register.
pay off
An effort or risk pays off when it brings a good result (opposite: it's a loss).
The risk paid off. / No — it was a loss.
on good / bad terms
Describes the state of a relationship — how two people stand.
We parted on good terms. / It ended on bad terms.
3 New words and phrases
4 Pronunciation
- ·procurementStress the middle, KYOOR: "pruh-KYOOR-ment."
5 Practice sentences
01Today I had too much work, so I gave many tasks to my assistant.
02Before we proceed with the operation, we always finish the paperwork first.
03It was a risk, but I took it — and in the end it paid off.
04Good, honest employees are a real blessing, and I always appreciate their efforts.
05If you don't appreciate your staff, some of them will start to take advantage of the situation.
06My previous financial manager became greedy and faked the reports.
07When someone leaves, they must do a proper handover so the work continues.
08Ask the procurement manager to check the warehouse and the storage room.
09Things with my last accountant ended on bad terms, but there were no hard feelings.
10On the contrary, I never interfere — I only help when my staff need me.
11I learned everything the hard way, and that's why I'm successful today.
12The new system is fully automated, so you just register at the front desk.
6 Model sentences
Read these out loud three times.
Before we proceed, let's finish the paperwork — it's part of every operation.
It was a risk, but I hoped it would pay off, and it did.
Good staff are a blessing; if you appreciate them, they won't take advantage of you.
A greedy manager who fakes the reports will end up in court one day.
When you leave a job, always do a clean handover and part on good terms.
On the contrary, I don't interfere — I trust my team to finish their tasks.
The procurement manager keeps the warehouse organized and everything automated.
I learned everything the hard way, and that hard work turned into real success.
7 Mini-dialogue
- A
You look worried. Is everything okay at the hospital?
- B
My financial manager became greedy. He faked the reports and took money from the accounts.
- A
That's serious. Will it go to court?
- B
Maybe. He could have been a cornerstone here, but he took advantage of my trust.
- A
So now you check everything your staff does?
- B
On the contrary — I don't interfere. But he has to hand over his tasks and leave.
- A
You always appreciate honest people, don't you?
- B
Always. A good, honest employee is a real blessing.
Read A, say B's line yourself, then check.
8 Homework
- Countable vs uncountable: Write 5 sentences using "work" correctly (much / a lot of / some — no "works"), and 5 using "tasks" (many / a few).
- Word forms: Write one sentence each for succeed, success, and successful; then one for register as a verb and one as a noun.
- Speaking: Say these words out loud three times each and record yourself — procurement, warehouse, divorce, automated, clerk.
- Writing: Describe a risk you took at work in 6 sentences, using take a risk, pay off, paperwork, and proceed.
- Idioms: Use on good/bad terms, no hard feelings, and take advantage of in three real sentences about people you know.
- Grammar: Write 3 sentences with lie/lay for reclining (past = lay) and 3 with lie/lied for telling an untruth.
9 Self-check
The trickiest grammar was "work" being uncountable — I said "many works." Now I know to say "a lot of work" or switch to "many tasks." The lie/lay/lied difference is still hard, so I'll keep practicing it.
The most useful words for me were the management ones — appreciate, take advantage of, greedy, handover, and blessing — because they describe exactly what happened with my old financial manager.
One thing I want to check next time: the difference between an advance, advancement, and an announcement, and when to use "on the contrary" versus "on the other hand."