employment - Master This Word

employment Word Meanings

• the state of having paid work
• an occupation or profession
• the use of something in a particular way

employment Example Sentences

Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.

• She is looking for employment.
• He found a job for his employment.
• Employment helps people earn money.
• The company offered him employment.
• Many people want good employment.

employment Word Etymology

Employ- = to use, ment = process/state; Origin: Latin 'implicare' → Old French 'emploi' → English. Imagine a person actively using their skills at work, symbolizing the process of being employed.

English Brain Route

I sit at a desk, push the chair a bit, and open the plan for the day. I move from one task to the next, adjusting the pace as needed. The effort shows in my hands and breath, a little pull of concentration that keeps me steady. By sunset, employment feels like the steady rhythm of having paid work, a role I shape through what I do.

Real Context

Employment refers to the state of having paid work. It describes a relationship in which a person is employed by an employer and receives wages in exchange for labor. The word can also refer to an occupation or profession in a broader sense, or to the use of something in a particular way, as in 'the employment of a resource.' In everyday use, people talk about being employed, seeking employment, or losing employment, and about employment history, benefits, and terms of employment. The term is formal enough for official contexts, yet common in everyday speech when discussing work status, job markets, and career paths.

Usage Reminders

• Be employed by, be employed in a field, seek employment, gainful employment, employment history, terms of employment

Common Misconceptions

• Employment means a job opening or vacancy.
• Employment only refers to full-time positions.
• You can only be employed if you work for a company.
• Employment is the same as doing any activity for money, including volunteering.
• The phrase 'in employment' means unemployed.

Thinking Differences

English tends to frame employment as a formal, ongoing status (employed vs unemployed), with clear distinctions between paid work and other activities like volunteering or self‑employment. Learners often overgeneralize 'employment' to mean any job or even temporary work, or confuse 'employment' with 'work' in casual speech.

Learning Tips

• Learn core collocations: be employed by, seek employment, employment history, terms of employment, gainful employment, full-time/part-time employment
• Differentiate employment from self-employment and volunteering
• Use employment in formal contexts (contracts, statistics) and work in colloquial contexts
• Pair with related nouns: unemployment, job market, job security
• Practice common phrases: apply for employment, start employment, lose employment
• Notice that employment focuses on paid work, not just any activity

5-Step Learning Method - Learn English in English

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