Speaking practice: answer out loud for one minute
Which jobs will disappear in the next twenty years?
1:00
12 conversation questions about the future of work
- 1Which jobs will disappear in the next twenty years?
- 2What skills will be most valuable in the future?
- 3Should governments introduce a universal basic income?
- 4Will people still have one career for life?
- 5How should education change to prepare people for future jobs?
- 6Is the gig economy freedom or exploitation?
- 7Will AI make work more or less meaningful?
- 8Should companies pay a tax for replacing workers with machines?
- 9Will the traditional nine-to-five survive?
- 10How can older workers keep their skills relevant?
- 11Are soft skills becoming more important than technical skills?
- 12How are you preparing for changes in your own field?
Useful phrases
- I'd predict that...
- It's likely to reshape...
- The jury's still out on...
- We're already seeing signs of...
- In a world where..., ...
- Adaptability will be key.
- That could lead to a situation where...
- I'm hedging my bets by...
Key vocabulary
- automation
- the use of machines to do work people used to do
- gig economy
- work made of short-term jobs, often through apps
- upskill
- learn new skills to do your job better
- universal basic income
- a regular payment given to everyone by the state
- obsolete
- no longer used or needed
- soft skills
- personal skills like communication and teamwork
Sample answer
Which jobs will disappear in the next twenty years?
I'd predict that many routine office jobs, like data entry and basic customer service, will largely disappear. What will matter more is the ability to work alongside AI and to do the things it's bad at: building trust, negotiating, handling messy human problems. Adaptability will be key. Personally, I'm hedging my bets by learning some data skills while also improving my communication.
Practise "The future of work" with a real partner
Questions are easier to remember once you've answered them out loud. Start a live 1-on-1 video call and use this topic to get the conversation going.
Practise this topic liveHow to practise this topic
- Answer each question in at least two or three sentences.
- Try to use two of the useful phrases and one new word in every answer.
- With a partner, ask a follow-up question like "Why?" or "Can you give an example?"
- Alone, record your one-minute answer and listen back for one thing to improve.