Типовые выражения (обсуждайте, заучивайте и подставляйте свои данные):
| To get a driving license, you must fill in a form, sign it, and wait for the official response. |
| Before traveling abroad, always check if your passport or visa will expire soon — you might need to renew a visa in advance. |
| When you apply for a job or a residence permit, you usually need to complete a form with your date of birth, place of birth, and country of origin. |
| At customs, officers often check the documents carefully, including your birth certificate or marriage certificate, if required. |
| Don’t forget to sign the application form — your signature makes it valid. |
| If you join a gym or a club, you’ll receive a membership card after filling out a registration form and providing your marital status. |
| Lawyers usually draft the contract first, and both parties sign it only after reviewing all details. |
| Either side can terminate the contract if the other party breaks the terms — but you’ll need official papers to prove it. |
| Many people wait for weeks to get permission to work or study in another country. |
| Always keep your papers safe — expired documents can cause serious problems at customs or during visa renewal. |
| On arrival forms, you must write your date of arrival and date of departure clearly. |
| An official at the embassy asked me to fill in a form again because I forgot to include my country of origin. |
| Even simple tasks like changing your address often require you to complete a form and sign it in front of an official. |
| If your membership card is about to expire, you should apply for renewal before it’s too late. |
| Never use someone else’s signature — it’s illegal, even if you’re helping a family member with their papers. |
Task: Fill in the blanks
Complete the sentences with words from the list. Use each word/phrase only once.
- signature
- marital status
- expire
- customs
- membership card
- draft the contract
- country of origin
- apply for
- registration form
- official
- Please write your __________ — are you single, married, or divorced?
- My passport will __________ next month, so I need to renew it.
- At the airport, I had to go through __________ and show all my documents.
- Don’t forget to include your __________ on the job application.
- After you pay the fee, they’ll give you a __________ valid for one year.
- The lawyer will __________, and then we’ll review it together.
- You must __________ a visa at least two months before your trip.
- Every guest at the hotel must complete a __________ with their date of arrival.
- An __________ from the city hall checked my birth certificate.
- Always keep a copy of your __________ in case you lose the original.
Task: Sentence transformation
Rewrite each sentence using a different tense or voice (e.g., passive, future, present perfect).
Example:
Original: She filled in the form yesterday.
Rewritten: The form was filled in by her yesterday.
Someone forgot to write their date of departure.
They check the documents at customs.
I applied for a driving license last week.
He will sign the contract tomorrow.
We need to renew our visa soon.
Справочник английской грамматики
Типовые вопросы:
| Have you ever had to fill in a complicated application form? |
| How long did you wait to get your driving license? |
| What documents do you need to renew a visa in your country? |
| Do you always check your papers before traveling? |
| What information is usually asked on a registration form? |
| Have you ever forgotten to sign an official document? What happened? |
| Why do people need a birth certificate when applying for a passport? |
| Can you terminate a contract without the other person’s agreement? |
| What should you do if your membership card expires? |
| Is it easy or difficult to get permission to work in another country? |
| What’s the difference between “fill in a form” and “complete a form”? |
| Do you think bureaucracy takes too much time in your country? |
| What happens if your visa expires while you’re abroad? |
| Who usually drafts the contract in a business deal? |
| Would you trust an official to handle your personal documents? |
Task: Match the question to the answer
Match each question (1–5) with the most logical answer (a–e).
- What happens if your visa expires while you’re abroad?
- Do you always check your papers before traveling?
- What information is usually asked on a registration form?
- Can you terminate a contract without the other person’s agreement?
- How long did you wait to get your driving license?
a) Name, date of birth, address, and sometimes marital status.
b) Yes, I always double-check — I once forgot my return ticket!
c) It depends on the contract, but usually you need a valid reason.
d) You might have to pay a fine or even be deported.
e) About three weeks — it felt like forever!
Task: Write your own answers
Choose 5 questions from the Common Questions list and answer them in full sentences. Use at least two different tenses (e.g., past simple, present perfect, future).
Example:
Have you ever had to fill in a complicated application form?
→ Yes, I filled in a visa application last year. It had over 20 pages!
У вас есть водительские права; расскажите когда вы их получали; как часто вы ставите вашу подпись на документах:
Вопросы для обсуждения:
— Is bureaucracy necessary, or does it just make life harder for ordinary people?
— Should all government forms be available online to save time?
— What’s the most frustrating bureaucratic experience you’ve had?
— Do you think officials always treat people fairly when checking documents?
— How can governments make bureaucratic processes faster and more user-friendly?
Video
Reading
Lost in Paperwork
For many people, the word bureaucracy brings to mind long queues, confusing forms, and endless waiting. Maria, a student from Brazil, recently tried to renew her visa in London. She spent hours filling in forms, gathering papers like her birth certificate and marriage certificate, and waiting for an appointment with an official. Just one missing signature delayed her application by two weeks.
At the airport, travelers often face strict checks at customs. Officers check the documents carefully — passport, date of arrival, country of origin — and even a small mistake can cause big problems. “I once forgot to write my date of departure,” says Tom, a frequent flyer. “They almost didn’t let me board.”
Even everyday life involves bureaucracy: getting a driving license, joining a library (with a membership card), or signing a rental agreement. Lawyers draft the contract, both sides sign, and if things go wrong, they may need to terminate the contract legally.
While some rules exist for safety and order, many agree that bureaucracy could be simpler. Digital systems, clearer instructions, and kinder officials would go a long way. After all, papers are just tools — not obstacles to living your life.