Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[stevenukd]

Dear Teachers,

1. � What�s your occupation?
- What�s your job?
- What do you do?
- What do you do for a living?

- Which sentence is more common?

2. A: I�d like two hamburger and two Pepsis please!
B: OK. I�ll be right back / please wait a minute / just a moment please / just a minute please / right away Sir / Ma�am.

- Are these natural?

Thanks a bunch to Teachers,

Stevenukd

[CP]

1. In conversation, you are more likely to hear, "What do you do / What do you do for a living?" than the other two, although any of the four could come out naturally.

A: "Business is really tough these days." B: "Oh? What's your occupation? / What do you do for a living?"

C: "I'm thinking about quitting my job." D: "Is that so? What is your job? / What do you do?"

2. "OK. I�ll be right back [with your drinks]" is informal but fine. More polite / formal: "Very well, sir / ma'am. I'll be back in a moment with your drinks."

"Please wait a minute / just a moment please / just a minute please" all tell the customer that the waiter / waitress is too busy to take this simple order right now. They are a little rude. More polite: "If you can wait just a moment, sir / madam, I'll be right with you to take your order."

"Right away, sir / ma'am" is fine. It tells the customer that the order will be delivered to the kitchen immediately.

In a diner or coffee shop in the U.S.A., where informality or even familiarity might be expected, an order like this might be answered with, "Coming right up!" or "You got it!" or even, from an older waitress, "Sure thing, Hon[ey]."
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