Casa ESL · B2 Upper Intermediate · Unit 20 of 20 · Step 2

The Future of Work

Changing workplaces and sentence transformations

✓Rewrite sentences preserving meaning using a range of grammatical structures
✓Practise paraphrasing with passive voice, cleft sentences, inversions, and modal verbs
✓Discuss automation, remote work, and the evolving job market

Name

Date

Vocabulary

automation

noun

The use of technology to perform tasks without human intervention.

"Automation has transformed manufacturing but also displaced many workers."

obsolete

adjective

No longer produced or used; out of date.

"Some analysts predict that certain professions will become obsolete within a decade."

gig economy

noun

A labour market characterised by short-term, freelance, or on-demand work.

"The gig economy offers flexibility but often lacks job security and benefits."

upskill

verb

To learn new skills or teach workers new skills.

"Companies must upskill their employees to keep pace with technological change."

remote

adjective

Done from a distance, especially from home rather than an office.

"Remote work became the norm for millions of people during the pandemic."

redundancy

noun

The state of being no longer needed or useful, especially regarding employment.

"The factory closures led to widespread redundancy in the region."

sustainable

adjective

Able to be maintained at a certain rate or level over the long term.

"A sustainable economy must balance productivity with worker well-being."

livelihood

noun

A means of securing the necessities of life.

"Millions of people depend on traditional industries for their livelihood."

Grammar Focus

Sentence transformations and paraphrasing

Paraphrasing requires rewriting a sentence so the meaning stays the same but the structure changes. Key strategies: active to passive ('They cancelled the meeting' → 'The meeting was cancelled'), cleft sentences ('It was the pandemic that changed everything'), fronting ('Never before had so many people worked from home'), modal substitution ('You must apply' → 'It is necessary that you apply'), reported speech, and conditional restructuring. This skill is essential for academic writing and advanced exams.

'Technology is replacing many jobs.' → 'Many jobs are being replaced by technology.'

'The pandemic changed everything.' → 'It was the pandemic that changed everything.'

'People have never worked remotely on this scale.' → 'Never before have people worked remotely on this scale.'

'You should learn new skills.' → 'It is advisable that you learn new skills.'

Exercises

Exercise 1

Rewrite each sentence using the word in brackets so that the meaning stays the same. Write only the transformed sentence.

1. 'They will automate the entire process next year.' (be) → The entire process .

2. 'The new policy caused the most disruption.' (It) → that caused the most disruption.

3. 'We have never seen such rapid change.' (Never) → Never such rapid change.

4. 'You must complete the training before starting.' (necessary) → It is the training before starting.

5. 'She said, "I will resign if conditions don't improve."' (would) → She said she if conditions didn't improve.

Exercise 2

Choose the sentence that has the same meaning as the original.

1. 'Automation is transforming the workplace.' Which paraphrase is correct?

2. 'I had never experienced anything like it.' Which is correct?

3. 'It was remote work that saved many businesses.' Which is a valid paraphrase?

4. 'You ought to update your skills regularly.' Which has the same meaning?

5. 'The company closed because it couldn't adapt.' Which is the best paraphrase?

Reading

Working in 2040

It is estimated that nearly half of all current jobs could be automated within the next two decades. Never before has the pace of technological change been so rapid, and rarely have workers faced such uncertainty about the future of their livelihoods. It was the pandemic that accelerated many of these trends — remote work, which had previously been a privilege for the few, became a necessity for the many. The gig economy, once seen as a fringe phenomenon, is now a significant part of the labour market. Of particular concern is the growing divide between those who can upskill and those who cannot. It is often the most vulnerable workers — those in routine manual or clerical roles — who face the greatest risk of redundancy. Had governments invested more heavily in education and retraining programmes earlier, the transition might have been smoother. What is needed now is not resistance to change but a sustainable framework that protects workers while embracing innovation. It is this balance that will define the future of work — provided that society is willing to confront the difficult questions about fairness, opportunity, and the meaning of a livelihood in an automated world.

1. According to the passage, what role did the pandemic play in changing work?

2. What does the passage suggest is the greatest challenge for the future of work?

Speaking

Discuss these questions with a partner or your teacher.

1Debate: 'Governments should guarantee a universal basic income as automation replaces jobs.' Argue for or against. Try to paraphrase your partner's arguments using different structures before responding.
2Discuss: How do you think your own career or field will change in the next twenty years? What skills will be most valuable? Use a variety of sentence structures to express your ideas.

Writing

Write a paragraph (8–10 sentences) about how technology is changing work. Include at least one example of each: a passive sentence, a cleft sentence (It was... that...), a fronted/inverted sentence (Never before...), and a sentence transformation using a modal.

Example: Many traditional jobs are being replaced by artificial intelligence. It was the rapid development of machine learning that made this possible. Never before have workers needed to adapt so quickly. It is essential that education systems prepare young people for a very different labour market.

Answer Key — For Teacher Use

Exercise 1

1. will be automated next year · 2. It was the new policy · 3. have we seen · 4. necessary that you complete · 5. would resign

Exercise 2

1. The workplace is being transformed by automation. · 2. Never had I experienced anything like it. · 3. Remote work is what saved many businesses. · 4. It is advisable that you update your skills regularly. · 5. Had the company been able to adapt, it would not have closed.

Reading Comprehension

1. It was the pandemic that accelerated trends like remote work and the growth of the gig economy, making what had been a privilege into a widespread necessity. · 2. The greatest challenge is finding a sustainable balance that protects vulnerable workers from redundancy while embracing innovation, and addressing the growing divide between those who can upskill and those who cannot.

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