Jose Carillo's English Forum

English Grammar and Usage Problems => Use and Misuse => Topic started by: nostalgic_haze on February 10, 2011, 04:46:14 PM

Title: How to use the word "occupation" in a sentence?
Post by: nostalgic_haze on February 10, 2011, 04:46:14 PM: I read someone use this word like this: "My occupation is a teacher". But I think "My occupation is that of a teacher" and "My occupation is teaching" sound more correct.

Could anyone help me with this? I can't find any credible source online for this one. Thank you very much in advance! :)
Title: Re: How to use the word "occupation" in a sentence?
Post by: Joe Carillo on February 10, 2011, 06:31:10 PM: By definition, an “occupation” is an activity one engages in or is the principal business of one’s life, and the noun “teacher” means one who teaches or whose occupation is to instruct. To say “My occupation is a teacher” is therefore grammatically and semantically wrong. It erroneously makes the activity of teaching equivalent to the person who engages in it. Of course, the alternative statements you suggested, “My occupation is that of a teacher” and “My occupation is teaching,” sound correct, but they are grammatically and semantically correct to a fault.

We must take note here that the first-person statement “My occupation is a teacher” is a typical flawed response to this question: “What is your occupation?” The correct, natural, and straightforward response to that question is, of course, “I’m a teacher” or simply “Teaching.” To say “My occupation is that of a teacher” or “My occupation is teaching” is too agonizingly correct and stilted, and I must say that the English of the teacher who talks that way leaves much to be desired.
Title: Re: How to use the word "occupation" in a sentence?
Post by: nostalgic_haze on February 10, 2011, 09:50:42 PM: Thank you for the explanation, sir.

I was wondering how to use this in a simple sentence to show ESL students the meaning of the word. Can I just use "My occupation is teaching"?

(By the way, I am not a teacher. I'm just helping out in editing some ESL materials. ;D)
Title: Re: How to use the word "occupation" in a sentence?
Post by: Joe Carillo on February 11, 2011, 12:18:23 AM: Yes, of course, you can use “My occupation is teaching” to show ESL students what the word “occupation” means. I just want to point out that while grammatically correct, it's not an idiomatic way to talk. When asked about their occupation or when they want to introduce themselves, native English speakers who are teachers normally would use this simple declarative sentence: “I teach” or “I'm a teacher.”
Title: Re: How to use the word "occupation" in a sentence?
Post by: nensyronn on August 02, 2011, 03:20:03 PM: I think my occupation is a teacher is not correct but you can tell that my occupation is teaching. I think you can tell that in a simple way that I am a teacher.
Title: Re: How to use the word "occupation" in a sentence?
Post by: dannyr on August 25, 2011, 06:12:01 PM: "My occupation is that of a teacher" - sound really awful. Kind of..tarzan english.
But, it can be right..that was actually beauty of english language- expect the unexpected :)
Title: Re: How to use the word "occupation" in a sentence?
Post by: edgarfrost23 on March 02, 2012, 09:25:03 PM: Whats your occupation? I think so.
Title: Re: How to use the word "occupation" in a sentence?
Post by: sarahluke on March 08, 2012, 03:48:05 AM: "my occupation is teaching"
Title: Re: How to use the word "occupation" in a sentence?
Post by: cateespimsleur on March 16, 2012, 02:48:06 PM: I think that my occupation is teacher is wrong. Saying that my occupation is teaching is the right. You can simply say that I am a teacher.