English grammar
Job-ad English: ellipsis, no articles, no verbs
Write and understand a job ad in telegraphic English, from the employer's side.
From the scene Waiter wanted
In short
Job ads drop subjects, verbs and articles: Waiter wanted, Experience required, Immediate start.
Your turn
Which one goes with dropping 'is' before a past participle?
Options: Experience required · Waiter wanted · Essential: knowing how to make coffee and smile
Show answer
dropping 'is' before a past participle → Experience required
How it works
Job ads drop the words a full sentence would need — subjects, verbs, even articles — to sound businesslike and save space.
Good to know
'Waiter wanted' (not 'A waiter is wanted'), 'Experience required' (not 'Experience is required'), 'Immediate start' (not 'It is an immediate start').
Good to know
Essential and an advantage separate must-haves from nice-to-haves.
a job ad, not a full sentence Waiter wanted
dropping 'is' before a past participle Experience required
Tomás
"Experience required and a good memory."
"Se requiere experiencia y buena memoria."
Your turn
What fills the gap?
"(blank) and a good memory."
Options: Essential: knowing how to make coffee and smile · Experience required · Waiter wanted
Show answer
Tomás
"Experience required and a good memory."
"Se requiere experiencia y buena memoria."
a must-have Essential: knowing how to make coffee and smile
Nuria
"Essential: knowing how to make coffee and smile."
"Imprescindible: saber hacer café y sonreír."
Your turn
What fills the gap?
"(blank)."
Options: Essential: knowing how to make coffee and smile · Waiter wanted · Experience required
Show answer
Nuria
"Essential: knowing how to make coffee and smile."
"Imprescindible: saber hacer café y sonreír."
a nice-to-have, not required Pastry experience an advantage
Tomás
"Pastry experience an advantage."
"Se valorará experiencia en pastelería."
Your turn
What fills the gap?
"(blank)."
Options: Pastry experience an advantage · Waiter wanted · Experience required
Show answer
Tomás
"Pastry experience an advantage."
"Se valorará experiencia en pastelería."
starts straight away Immediate start
Javi
It's an immediate start, isn't it? Well, here I am.
La incorporación es inmediata, ¿no? Pues aquí estoy.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
It's an (blank), isn't it? Well, here I am.
Options: Waiter wanted · Experience required · immediate start
Show answer
Javi
It's an immediate start, isn't it? Well, here I am.
La incorporación es inmediata, ¿no? Pues aquí estoy.
Common mistake
Not is an advantage or being an advantage here. A job ad drops 'is'.
"Pastry experience an advantage."
"Se valorará experiencia en pastelería."
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| a job ad, not a full sentence | Waiter wanted |
|---|---|
| dropping 'is' before a past participle | Experience required |
| a must-have | Essential: knowing how to make coffee and smile |
| a nice-to-have, not required | Pastry experience an advantage |
| starts straight away | Immediate start |
More lines from the story
- TomásAnother job, Javi? We've only just written it!¿Otro trabajo, Javi? ¡Si acabamos de escribirlo!
- JaviOf course! Smiling is the only job I've never quit.¡Claro! Sonreír es el único trabajo que nunca he dejado.