✅ Assistance refers to help or support that you’re getting from someone or something (I need your assistance with the laundry).

✅ Cooperation refers to help from someone, often in pursuit of a joint goal, and can also refer to someone going along with what you want to do (The project could only finish on time with the cooperation of the whole department).

✅ Assistance implies that the person assisting you may have a smaller role (I appreciated your assistance with the costumes), whereas cooperation implies that you’re equals, or that the goal requires an equal effort from all involved (There’s full cooperation between the cast and crew).

✅ Cooperation also suggests that you can’t do what you want to do without the other party (We can’t put on the play without the city’s cooperation).

Practice for a job interview by writing something you achieved with someone else’s cooperation with the help of Grammar Coach.

✅ Structured describes something that has a defined makeup, or is clearly organized or planned (Her work day was very structured).

✅ Methodical describes something done in a systematic and organized way (The detective took a methodical approach to the case).

✅ Structured implies an orderly approach that should be followed and might be applicable to different situations (The school employed a structured approach to teaching). Structured generally suggests a predetermined system or plan that is external to you.

✅ Structured says more about the situation you’re in; methodical says more about you and your skills (She was a very methodical worker).

Would you describe yourself as methodical on your résumé? Add professional pizazz with these powerful adjectives!

✅ Prepare refers to getting yourself or something ready (prepare the table for dinner; prepare for a presentation), but also to getting someone else ready for something (We prepared them for the news).

✅ Train refers to working at something through disciplined practice in order to become good at it, or helping someone else become good at something (train for the tennis match; They had to train him on the new database).

✅ Train implies a longer period of instruction than prepare, and suggests that the person doing the training is in a leadership role.

Train is often used in the context of jobs—and job applications. Prepare a brilliant résumé with these action verbs!