The Future of Work & AI
Lesson 9.4 tackles Task 2 two-part questions on the future of work and AI, using Band 7 lexis and complex structures.
- Answer BOTH parts of a two-part question in a balanced way
- Use Band 7 lexis for work and automation
- Vary sentence structure with subordination and conditionals
Vocabulary · Work & automation
Listening Skills — The Future of Work Lecture
You will hear a lecture about how automation and AI are changing employment. This time you will answer short questions rather than complete gaps, so listen for complete facts rather than single missing words.
- Read each question fully before listening and underline the key word (who, what percentage, what type).
- Note statistics carefully — they may be rounded or exact, and figures are sometimes corrected mid-sentence.
- Keep your answer to three words or fewer — do not copy whole sentences.
- Listen for the lecturer's opinion, which may differ from the data presented.
Listen first — the transcript stays hidden so this works like the real exam.
Listening audio
Tap play to generate and listen.
Answer the questions. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
- What percentage of jobs did the 2020 report predict could be automated by 2030?
- What is the more recent estimate for the percentage of jobs at risk?
- Besides manufacturing and transportation, which type of work is expected to be affected?
- What type of intelligence makes healthcare and education low-risk sectors?
- Who found that roles involving complex human interaction are unlikely to be automated?
- What are governments being urged to invest more in?
Answer key
Writing · Two-part question method
Losing marks on Task Response usually means one of the two questions was ignored. Underline them both before you plan.
Writing practice · Prompt
AI is expected to replace many jobs in the next twenty years. Why is this happening, and is it a positive or negative development?
- 'AI can do many jobs because it is fast and cheap.'
- 'The primary driver of this shift is the sheer cost efficiency of AI: a well-designed model can perform routine analytical tasks in seconds and at a fraction of the cost of a human employee.'
Pathway focus · Academic hedging
Hedge your predictions: 'is likely to', 'has the potential to', 'may well'. Overclaiming loses Task Response marks.
Exam Strategy
- Exam Tip
Two-part questions = two body paragraphs. Non-negotiable.
Independent Practice
Write the AI prompt in 40 minutes and check whether BOTH parts got their own paragraph.
Key Takeaways
- Answer BOTH questions with equal weight.
- Band 7 essays hedge — 'is likely to' beats 'will definitely'.
- Band 7 collocationsFix the wrong word — the collocation errors that cap Lexical Resource at 6.
- Reading inference and writer's viewRead for meaning and attitude, not matching words — the Band 7 reading skill.
- Band 7 upgrades — Task 1 languageOverview quality, comparison language and precise data description.
Optional — this doesn't affect your lesson or course progress.