Two Actions, One Person: Work and Study

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Two Actions, One Person: Work and Study

In this lesson, you can talk about two actions with one subject.

Created by , British English teacher.

I’m studying:

Try the activities, then check your answers.

Choose a short recording.

Before you start

Name two things you do every week.

See one possible response

I work and study.

You describe a new weekly routine to a friend and ask them to join one activity.

What you will practise
  • Talk about two actions with one subject.
  • Use can with two action words.
  • Join a positive and a negative idea clearly.

Say your answer. Then check the model. Your answer can be different if it fits the task.

One subject, two actions

When the same person does two things, you can use one subject: I work and study. With she or he in the present simple, both ordinary verbs need the right form: She works and studies.

I cook and clean on Sundays.

My brother works and studies.

Show the same woman with a work laptop and an open study textbook, moving from a focused work task to attentive study. One adult only, both purposeful activities represented by their key objects, no duplicated body or abstract labels.
She works and studies.Both present-simple verbs have the appropriate third-person form.

One can, two base verbs

Can can belong to both actions: We can read and write here. Use the base form after can, including the second verb. Do not add s to the second verb because the subject is she.

She can sing and dance.

We can meet and practise together.

Make negatives clear

To say neither action happens, use don’t or doesn’t with either a clear list joined by or, or repeat the negative: I don’t work or study on Sundays. For a contrast, say I work, but I don’t study. Keep the meaning clear instead of making every sentence shorter.

I don’t drive or cycle to work.

I walk, but I don’t run.

Which activities are negative?

Neither activity on SundaysI don’t work or study on Sundays.

Work: no. Study: no. Both activities come after don’t.

Work is positive; study is negativeI work, but I don’t study.

Work: yes. Study: no. The negative belongs to the second statement.

Use or after don’t when both activities are negative. Keep two clear statements when the first activity is positive and the second is negative.
The same woman demonstrates singing and a poised simple dance step, holding a handheld microphone beside a small music player. Show believable coordinated ability and joyful concentration, retaining elegant formal attire, no stage or audience.
She can sing and dance.Both coordinated actions use base forms after can.

Guided practice

Say or write your answer first. Then compare the meaning and grammar with the model.

1. I walk to work. I listen to music. Use one I and and.

Compare a model and explanation

I walk to work and listen to music.

Both actions share the same subject.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

2. She works and study.

Compare a model and explanation

She works and studies.

Both ordinary verbs need third-person forms.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

3. He can swim and ___. Use dive.

Compare a model and explanation

dive

Can is shared, so use the base verb.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

4. We can meet and we can talk. Keep one we can.

Compare a model and explanation

We can meet and talk.

The subject and modal can be shared.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

5. You drive but you do not cycle. Use but.

Compare a model and explanation

I drive, but I don’t cycle.

Repeat the negative so the contrast is explicit.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

6. I don’t swim or dive. Does the speaker do either activity?

Compare a model and explanation

No.

The negative covers the two alternatives in this simple context.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

7. My friends can cook and cleans.

Compare a model and explanation

My friends can cook and clean.

Both verbs are base forms after can.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

8. On Saturdays, Eva works and studies. On Sundays, she does not work and does not study. Say both days clearly.

Compare a model and explanation

Eva works and studies on Saturdays. She doesn’t work or study on Sundays.

Use agreement for positive verbs and base forms after doesn’t.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

A short conversation

Listen to the exchange, then take one role. The speaker labels identify roles; do not narrate them.

Open the conversation transcript

Friend: What do you do after work?

You: I study and practise the guitar. What about you?

Friend: I cook and listen to music. Can we meet and play on Friday?

You: Yes. I don’t work or study on Friday evenings.

Listening checks

Listen to each extract, then choose the best answer. These three questions have their own score.

1. What does Nadia do during the week?
Read the listening transcript

Nadia works and studies during the week. On Saturday, she rests.

2. Which two abilities are stated positively?
Read the listening transcript

He can cook and clean, but he can’t drive.

3. What does the speaker do?
Read the listening transcript

I walk to work, but I don’t run.

Answer key with explanations

  1. What does Nadia do during the week?

    Both work and study.: Both actions share Nadia as subject.

    Compare all choices
    • Only rest.: Resting belongs to Saturday.
    • Only work.: Studies is also stated.
    • Both work and study.: Both actions share Nadia as subject.

  2. Which two abilities are stated positively?

    Cooking and cleaning.: Can applies to both verbs.

    Compare all choices
    • Cooking and cleaning.: Can applies to both verbs.
    • Cooking and driving.: Driving is explicitly negative.
    • Cleaning and driving.: Driving is not a stated ability.

  3. What does the speaker do?

    Walk to work.: Walking is positive and running is negative.

    Compare all choices
    • Neither walk nor run.: Walking is positively stated.
    • Walk to work.: Walking is positive and running is negative.
    • Run to work.: Running is explicitly denied.

Mastery quiz

Choose the best answer for each situation. The score is out of eight.

1. Use one present-simple subject for reading and writing.
2. Complete: He can sing and ___.
3. Join I work. I study. with one subject.
4. Choose a sentence saying neither activity happens.
5. Choose the clear positive–negative contrast.
6. Complete: My friends ___ and study.
7. Which sentence shares can correctly?
8. Choose the correct weekly plan.
Answer key with explanations

  1. Use one present-simple subject for reading and writing.

    She reads and writes.: Both ordinary verbs agree with she.

    Compare all choices
    • She read and writes.: The first verb also needs s.
    • She reads and writes.: Both ordinary verbs agree with she.
    • She reads and write.: The second ordinary present verb also needs s.

  2. Complete: He can sing and ___.

    dance: A shared can takes a base verb.

    Compare all choices
    • dances: Do not add third-person s after can.
    • dancing: This is not the base form required by shared can.
    • dance: A shared can takes a base verb.

  3. Join I work. I study. with one subject.

    I work and study.: Both actions share I.

    Compare all choices
    • I work and study.: Both actions share I.
    • Work I and study I.: This is not normal statement order.
    • I work and studies.: Studies does not agree with I.

  4. Choose a sentence saying neither activity happens.

    I don’t drive or cycle.: The negative covers both alternatives.

    Compare all choices
    • I drive and cycle.: Both activities are positive.
    • I don’t drive or cycle.: The negative covers both alternatives.
    • I drive, but I don’t cycle.: Driving is still positive.

  5. Choose the clear positive–negative contrast.

    I cook, but I don’t clean.: The second action is explicitly negative.

    Compare all choices
    • I don’t cook or clean.: Both actions are negative.
    • I cook and clean.: Both actions are positive.
    • I cook, but I don’t clean.: The second action is explicitly negative.

  6. Complete: My friends ___ and study.

    work: Plural friends takes work.

    Compare all choices
    • work: Plural friends takes work.
    • works: Works is third-person singular.
    • working: A finite present verb is needed here.

  7. Which sentence shares can correctly?

    We can meet and talk.: Can belongs to both base verbs.

    Compare all choices
    • We can meeting and talk.: Meeting is not the base form after can.
    • We can meet and talk.: Can belongs to both base verbs.
    • We can meet and talks.: Talks is not a base form.

  8. Choose the correct weekly plan.

    Mia works and studies on Monday. She can rest and read on Tuesday.: Ordinary verbs agree with Mia; verbs after can are base forms.

    Compare all choices
    • Mia work and studies on Monday. She can rests and read on Tuesday.: Work needs s; rests must lose s after can.
    • Mia works and study on Monday. She can rest and reads on Tuesday.: The second verb is wrong in each sentence.
    • Mia works and studies on Monday. She can rest and read on Tuesday.: Ordinary verbs agree with Mia; verbs after can are base forms.

Use it in your own words

Two routines

Describe two people. Give two ordinary present-simple actions for each.

Reveal a possible response

I cook and clean. My friend works and studies.

  • Share each subject
  • Keep both verbs correctly formed

Choose other familiar activities.

Two abilities

Describe someone’s two abilities and one thing they cannot do.

Reveal a possible response

My cousin can sing and dance, but she can’t swim.

  • Share can over two base verbs
  • Make the negative separate and clear

Abilities can be invented.

Put it all together

Plan a small weekend language group. Say what you do together, what one helper does, two things members can do, and what you do not do. Add a time and your opinion.

Reveal a possible response

We meet and talk on Saturdays. Ana brings tea and helps new people. We can read and practise together. We don’t work or study for exams. We meet from ten to eleven. I think it’s useful.

  • Control shared verbs
  • Use can with base forms
  • Include a clear negative
  • Retrieve a time phrase and an opinion

Shorter linked sentences are welcome; accuracy matters more than compression.

Take it with you

One subject can share two actions. Keep third-person endings where needed. After can, use the base form for both verbs.