English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and Intermediate » Unit 96: Completing forms and CVs

Word List
  • arrival
  • career aim
  • complicated
  • country of origin
  • CV
  • date of arrival/departure
  • date of birth
  • enrolment form
  • entry form
  • fill sth in
  • handwriting
  • interests
  • landing card
  • marital status
  • on my/your own
  • personal details
  • personal statement
  • qualification
  • reference
  • registration form
  • relevant
  • require
  • signature
  • signed
  • skills
  • team
  • tip [advice]
  • type v
  • visa application form
  • work experience
Exercises

96.1 ‣ What forms do you have to complete in these situations?

  1. You are just arriving in Britain and you come from a country outside the European Union.
  2. You are applying to do an English course at a school in Britain. _____
  3. You are going to do a Cambridge exam. _____
  4. You want to travel to the United States this summer. _____

96.2 ‣ Write these sentences in more informal English.

  1. What was your date of arrival?
  2. What’s your date of birth?
    _____
  3. What’s your country of origin?
    _____
  4. What’s your marital status?
    _____
  5. What’s your date of departure?
    _____

96.3 ‣ Match the words on the left with the information on the right.

  1. personal details
  2. education _____
  3. qualifications _____
  4. work experience _____
  5. career aims _____
  6. interests _____
  7. references _____
  1. a) I would like to become a radio producer.
  2. b) Trainee at Northern Radio Station, Jan–June 2007
  3. c) Leona Phillips, 18 Mansion Road, Beckington BE2 3RJ
  4. d) I direct plays for a theatre group, and help with a children’s charity.
  5. e) letter from Mr J. Tobin BA, MA (University tutor)
  6. f) BA Honours degree in Media Studies
  7. g) Kent University 2007–2010, Ainslie Grammar School 1999–2006

96.4 ‣ Answer correct or incorrect.

  1. It’s OK to make one or two mistakes in my CV.
    • correct
    • incorrect
  2. I need to type my CV.
    • correct
    • incorrect
  3. It’s OK if my CV is three pages long.
    • correct
    • incorrect
  4. My CV should be complicated.
    • correct
    • incorrect
  5. For an admin job, it is relevant to say I have computer skills.
    • correct
    • incorrect
  6. I can put down a driving licence as one of my skills.
    • correct
    • incorrect
  7. I can put down travelling abroad as a career aim.
    • correct
    • incorrect

96.5 ‣ Replace the underlined words with a word or phrase that has a similar meaning.

  1. Do I have to complete this form?
  2. Monica gave me a useful piece of advice about shopping in America. _____
  3. I shall be alone most of the time. _____
  4. They sent the form back to me because I didn’t write my signature at the bottom. _____
  5. Please contact us if you need any more help._____
  6. I think I’m good at working as part of a group of people. _____

96.6 ‣

Over to you

Answer the questions. If possible, ask someone else the same questions.

  1. Have you ever written a CV? If so, what information did it include?
    _____
  2. Have you had to write a personal statement? If so, why?
    _____
  3. On a CV, what would you put as your interests, your skills, and your career aims?
    _____
Answer Key
A ‣ Types of form

  1. a registration form
    where you enter your name on an official list, e.g. at a school or college (also called an enrolment form when you are applying to do a course of study)
  2. an entry form
    if you want to enter for an exam, e.g. Cambridge English: First
  3. a landing card
    for people from some countries when they enter the UK
  4. a visa application form
    when you make an official request to enter or leave some countries
B ‣ Language of forms

When you fill in [complete] a form, you will see that they often have more formal expressions. In spoken English, ideas may be expressed differently.

writtenspoken
date of birth= When were you born?
place of birth= Where were you born?
country of origin= Where do you come from?
marital status= Are you single or married?
date of arrival= When did you arrive?
date of departure= When are you leaving? OR When did you leave?
signed= Write your signature [the special way you have of writing your own name]
C ‣ Curriculum vitae

If you apply for a job, you need to send a letter and a CV (curriculum vitae or résumé in American English), which should give:

  1. personal details [information about you such as your name, address, email address, etc.]
  2. details about your education and qualifications, e.g. university degree, teaching certificate, etc.
  3. your work experience [the jobs you have done]
  4. your interests [what you enjoy doing]
  5. skills [abilities you have learned and practised, e.g. ability to speak a foreign language]
  6. career aims [what you want to do in your future working life]
  7. names of people who will give you a reference [a letter written by someone who knows you which says if you are suitable for a particular job]

If you apply to university, they require [need; fml] a personal statement in which you must explain why you want to go to this university; why you want to follow this particular course; details of your educational background; your skills; your interests.

D ‣ Tips for writing a CV or personal statement

A tip is a useful piece of advice. Here are some tips for writing a CV or personal statement.

  1. A CV should be no longer than two pages; a personal statement no more than 45 lines of text.
  2. Type your CV or personal statement (handwriting is not suitable).
  3. Keep it simple. Don’t make it complicated [difficult to understand].
  4. Check there are no mistakes.
  5. Make sure the information you give is relevant [connected to and useful for the particular job]. For example, if you are going to be working on your own [without others], don’t say that you are good at working in a team [with a group of people].

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