Unit 30: Profession & Jobs
Warm-up and Vocabulary
What do you want to be in the future? A doctor? A gamer? A teacher? This is your future profession or job. Today, we will learn how to write a paragraph about your dream job. Let’s learn the words!
| Word | Definition (in simple English) |
| profession | A job that needs special training (e.g., doctor). |
| doctor | A person who helps sick people. |
| engineer | A person who designs and builds machines or bridges. |
| YouTuber | A person who makes videos for YouTube. |
| chef | A professional cook in a restaurant. |
| reason | The answer to “Why?”. |
| help | To do something good for someone. |
Activity 1: Vocabulary Match
Activity 2: Check Your Vocabulary
Choose the best word to complete the sentence.
Building a Strong Paragraph
In the IELTS Reading test, you don’t just read sentences; you read arguments. Passages are built from paragraphs, and each paragraph is a “mini-essay” with its own structure.
Understanding this structure helps you read faster, predict the author’s next move, and find answers more easily. The three keys to a good paragraph are Coherence, Logic, and Cohesion.
The Three Keys to a Paragraph
1. Coherence (The Unity)
Coherence means the entire paragraph is about one single, main idea. Think of a paragraph as a team. Every sentence is a player, and they must all be working for the same goal.
The “Hamburger” Method: A simple way to see this is the “hamburger” model.
- Top Bun (Topic Sentence): This is the first sentence. It introduces the main idea and “promises” the reader what the paragraph is about.
- The Meat (Supporting Sentences): These are the sentences in the middle. They must all support the main idea with explanations, reasons, and examples.
- Bottom Bun (Concluding Sentence): This final sentence wraps up the idea, often summarizing the main point or linking to the next paragraph.
2. Logic (The Order)
Logic is the sensible order of the ideas. The author can’t just throw random facts at you. They must build their argument step-by-step.
Common Logical Patterns:
- General to Specific: Starts with a big idea (Topic Sentence) and then gives specific examples.
- Problem-Solution: The first half describes a problem; the second half offers a solution.
- Cause-Effect: Explains a cause (e.g., “The city’s pollution…”) and then describes the effects (“…is leading to…”).
- Process/Sequence: Explains a series of steps in order (uses words like First, Next, Finally).
3. Cohesion (The Glue)
If coherence is the main idea, cohesion is the “glue” that holds the sentences together. These are the specific words that create flow and link one sentence to the next.
Key “Glue Words” to look for:
- Transitions: However, Therefore, In addition, For example, As a result.
- Pronouns: it, they, this, these, which. (You must ask: “What does ‘it’ refer to?”).
- Repeated Words/Synonyms: The author will repeat key words or use synonyms (e.g., “The problem…” → “This issue…” → “This difficulty…”).
Let’s look at a “bad” (incoherent) paragraph and a “good” (coherent) paragraph.
Bad Paragraph (Incoherent and Illogical)
The printing press was a great invention. It was invented by Gutenberg. Books were very expensive. Monks had to write them by hand. This was a slow job. In addition, my favorite book is “The Hobbit.” It is very long. The printing press made things faster.
Why it’s bad: The sentence “My favorite book is ‘The Hobbit'” has no connection to the main idea. It breaks the coherence and logic.
Good Paragraph (Coherent, Logical, and Cohesive)
[1] The invention of the printing press by Gutenberg revolutionized how information was shared. [2] Before this innovation, books were rare and expensive because they had to be copied by hand. [3] This process was incredibly slow and meant that only the wealthy could afford to own a book. [4] However, the printing press allowed for the mass production of texts. [5] As a result, knowledge became accessible to a much wider audience, sparking the Renaissance.
Why it’s good:
- Coherence: The main idea (Top Bun) is in sentence [1]: “The printing press revolutionized how information was shared.” Every other sentence supports this.
- Logic: The order is logical:
- [1] Main Idea
- [2-3] The “Problem” (before the invention)
- [4] The “Solution” (the invention)
- [5] The “Effect” (the revolution)
- Cohesion: Look at the “glue” words:
- “…this innovation…” (refers to the printing press)
- “…they…” (refers to books)
- “…This process…” (refers to copying by hand)
- “…However,…” (shows a contrast)
- “…As a result,…” (shows the conclusion)
Tip:
- Matching Headings
- This question tests coherence. The “heading” is almost always a summary of the “Top Bun” (the topic sentence). Read the first sentence of a paragraph, then ask yourself: “What is the one main idea here?”
- Insert a Sentence (Fill in the Gap)
- This question tests cohesion. Don’t just read the sentence you need to insert. Look at the “glue” words before and after the gap.
- Example: If the sentence before the gap ends with “…a serious problem.” and the sentence you have is “This issue…”, you have a strong cohesive link.
- Summary Completion / Following Arguments
- This tests logic. When you read, look for those “signpost” words (e.g., First, Then, Finally or Problem, Solution). They give you a map of the author’s argument, making it easier to follow and find the specific detail you need.
Skill Practice
Activity 1: Put the Paragraph in Order
Activity 2: True or False
Choose if these statements are correct or incorrect.
Activity 3: Find the Word