Meaning & use
work
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Meanings
noununcountable
Physical or mental effort used to do or make something, especially as a job.
Grammar: No an and no plural: a lot of work, not a work.
Patterns
- work on something
- work for someone
I have a lot of work to finish tonight.
She is looking for work in the city.
He goes to work by bus.
nouncountable
A piece of art, writing or music that someone has created.
Grammar: Countable in this sense: a work of art, two works.
Patterns
- a work by someone
The museum owns several works by Picasso.
Her latest work is a collection of short stories.
verbintransitive
To do a job or task, usually to earn money.
Grammar: No object; uses for a company and at or in a place: work for a bank.
Patterns
- work for someone
- work as something
- work at something
She works for a small publishing firm.
He works as a nurse at the local hospital.
They work long hours.
verbintransitive
To operate correctly or successfully.
Grammar: No object: the plan worked.
Patterns
- work well
The new phone doesn't work.
The medicine worked within an hour.
Your idea might work.
verbtransitive
To use or operate a machine or tool.
Grammar: Takes an object: work the machine.
Patterns
- work something
Can you work the coffee machine?
She works the controls with ease.
Word forms
| plural | works |
|---|---|
| third person singular | works |
| past tense | worked |
| past participle | worked |
| -ing form | working |
Common combinations
- hard work
- Success takes hard work.
- work out
- I hope everything works out.
- work of art
- The painting is a true work of art.
- out of work
- He has been out of work for a year.
- work on
- She is working on her thesis.
Synonyms and how they differ
- labor
- Is more formal and stresses hard physical effort.
- job
- Is a particular position or task, and can be counted: a job.
- employment
- Is formal and refers to the state of having paid work.
- function
- Means to operate as intended, used for machines or systems.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: work or job?
work vs job
Work is uncountable; a job is countable. Say a lot of work or a good job, not a lot of works.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
Work meaning tasks or effort is uncountable, so it takes a lot of and has no plural.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “work”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.