When S is doing a Z's job

1. 1
   substitute/ˈsʌbstəˌtuːt/

   noun

   Someone or something that takes another's place.
2. 2
   temp/temp/

   noun

   A worker hired for a short stretch, often in an office.
3. 3
   shift/ʃɪft/

   noun

   The block of hours you spend at work.
4. 4
   instructions/ˌɪnˈstrʌkʃənz/

   noun

   The written steps that come with a machine and tell you how to set it up and use it.
5. 5
   confused/kənˈfjuːzd/

   adjective

   Unable to make sense of what is going on.
6. 6
   exhausted/ɪɡˈzɔːstɪd/

   adjective

   So tired there is nothing left in you.
7. 7
   improvise/ˌɪmprəˈvaɪz/

   verb

   To do something on the spot, with no preparation.
8. 8
   juggle/ˈdʒʌɡəl/

   verb

   To handle several things at the same time.
9. 9
   cope/koʊp/

   verb

   To deal with something hard well enough to get through it.
10. 10
    swap/swɑːp/

    verb

    To give one thing and get another in return.

The sentences

1. I'm just the substitute until she gets back.

2. They sent a temp over to cover the desk.

3. I'm covering her shift until closing tonight.

4. Are there instructions for the coffee machine anywhere?

5. I'm a little confused about the opening routine.

6. I'll be exhausted by the end of this shift.

7. I had to improvise when the register jammed.

8. Can you juggle the phones and the front counter?

9. I can cope for a few hours on my own.

10. Could we swap breaks so I can eat first?

Pronunciation

• substitute/ˈsʌbstəˌtuːt/

  Stress the first syllable and let the middle one go quiet: SUB-stuh-toot.

• instructions/ˌɪnˈstrʌkʃənz/

  The final s buzzes like a z.

• confused/kənˈfjuːzd/

  The s in the middle sounds like a z: kun-FYOOZD.

• exhausted/ɪɡˈzɔːstɪd/

  The x sounds like gz and the stress lands in the middle: ig-ZAWS-tid.

• improvise/ˌɪmprəˈvaɪz/

  Ends on a z sound, with the beat on the last syllable: im-pruh-VIZE.

• juggle/ˈdʒʌɡəl/

  The first g is soft like a j, the second is hard: JUG-ul.

Questions

What do you say if you don't know how to use the coffee machine?

You can say 'Are there instructions for the coffee machine anywhere?'

What does 'juggle' mean in this scene?

It means handling several things at once, like the phones and the front counter.

What can you say if you need to swap breaks?

You can say 'Could we swap breaks so I can eat first?'