AI in the workplace: discussing ethics and using formal language

Summary

This 90-minute ESL lesson for C1 learners explores AI in the workplace: discussing ethics and using formal language through a real article. Across 10 interactive exercises, you'll develop reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, speaking skills — all built around authentic English content.

What you'll practise:

• 5 key vocabulary items with definitions and usage notes
• Grammar focus: Inversion for emphasis with examples and practice
• Gap-fill and cloze exercises to test vocabulary in context
• Matching exercise to connect terms with their meanings
• Error correction to sharpen grammar awareness
• A reading passage to practise newly learned language

Lesson activities (10 exercises)

Each exercise builds on the previous one. Work through them in order for the best learning experience.

1. Warm-up — Discussion questions to activate what you already know about the topic.
2. Comprehension — Answer questions to check your understanding of the main ideas and supporting details.
3. Vocabulary — Learn key words and expressions from the article, with definitions and usage notes.
4. Matching — Connect words, phrases, or concepts to their correct counterparts.
5. Grammar — Study Inversion for emphasis — explanation, examples, and key rules.
6. Error correction — Find and fix the mistake in each sentence — a great grammar workout.
7. Cloze passage — Fill in blanks within a connected text to practise vocabulary in context.
8. Reading — Read a short passage on the topic and answer comprehension questions.
9. Discussion — Reflect on the topic and share your opinions using the language you've learned.

Vocabulary

This lesson introduces 5 key terms drawn directly from the article:

• A double-edged sword — something that has both positive and negative effects.
• Unintended consequences — outcomes of a purposeful action that are not intended or foreseen.
• To err on the side of caution — to be especially careful and avoid risks, even if it means being less efficient or bold.
• A slippery slope — a course of action that is likely to lead to a series of increasingly undesirable outcomes.
• To hold (someone/something) accountable — to consider someone or something responsible for their actions and the results.

Grammar

This lesson focuses on Inversion for emphasis.

Inversion is the reversal of the normal subject-verb word order in a sentence. We use it in formal or literary English to add emphasis, particularly after negative or limiting adverbs. This structure is highly effective when making strong, persuasive arguments in debates about complex topics like AI ethics.

Examples from the lesson:

• Not only does algorithmic bias perpetuate existing inequalities, but it also creates new forms of discrimination. — After negative or limiting adverbs like 'not only', 'rarely', or 'seldom', we invert the subject and the auxiliary verb for emphasis.
• Under no circumstances should AI systems be deployed without rigorous ethical testing. — This structure is very formal and emphatic, making the statement much stronger than 'AI systems should never be deployed...'
• Rarely has a technology raised such profound questions about the future of humanity. — Using inversion here adds a dramatic or literary tone, highlighting the unique and serious nature of the topic.

Key rules:

• Use inversion after negative or limiting adverbs placed at the beginning of a sentence.
• The structure is typically: adverbial phrase + auxiliary/modal verb + subject + main verb.
• Avoid using inversion in informal conversation as it can sound unnatural or overly dramatic.