Confusing words: work vs job

One of the most frequent mistakes I hear from students has to do with the use of the words “work” and “job”. In this post, I’ll explain their core meaning and try to make a clear distinction between them. 

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JOB

Grammatically, job is a countable noun. It typically refers to one’s occupation – a paid position of regular employment.  

> The new startup company promises to create 300 new jobs. 

> In my previous job I had to work six days a week. 

It can be used in the sense of a specific task, a piece of work one has to do (it usually implies being paid for it): 

> Please leave me alone and let me finish the job. 

EXTRA TIP

When you want to ask someone about their job, use natural-sounding phrases such as: 

• What do you do? 

• What do you do for a living? 

• Where do you work? 

The question “What’s your job?” may be grammatically correct, but it sounds a bit odd; the phrases above are far more frequent. 

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WORK – AS AN UNCOUNTABLE NOUN 

The word work is most often used as an uncountable noun. Its meaning can overlap with that of the noun job, but be careful – they are only partial synonyms. 

> It’s difficult to find work in this city. = It’s difficult to find a job here. [Again, note that work is uncountable, so the indefinite article is NOT used before it.]  

However, work is usually used to imply the mental and/or physical effort needed to do your job, rather than the job itself: 

> I’ve put so much work into this project! [You can’t use ‘job’ in this context. Try to remember this: a job is what you have, and work is what you do.] 

Work can also be used to refer to one’s place of work, with the preposition “at” and no article:

> I’ll call you later, I’m at work right now. [Another situation where you can’t use job; the phrase ‘to be at job’ is incorrect!] 

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WORK – AS A COUNTABLE NOUN 

When can work be used as a countable noun? Here are some examples: 

• To refer to artistic creations: 

> “Guernica” is one of Picasso’s most famous works. 

• To refer to certain construction or maintenance projects, in the plural form: 

> This route is closed due to some road works. 

• To refer to a place of employment, namely plants and factories – also in the plural form: 

> He quit his job in the steel works. 

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WORK – AS A VERB 

The word work is also used as a verb, directly related to the primary meaning of the noun work: to do something that includes mental and/or physical effort, usually as part of a job. 

> I work five days a week. (i.e. this is what my job requires; I show up, I put in the effort, and I get paid for it.) 

Another meaning of the verb work is to say that something functions properly: 

> I’m very happy with my new smartphone – it works perfectly! 

There are also some frequent phrasal verbs with work, each with a very specific meaning. Here are just a few examples: 

• to work out = to exercise; to try to find a solution to a problem 

• to work on = to persuade; to manipulate 

• to work through = to deal with a problem or a difficult situation 

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There are other meanings and uses of these two words, but they are very particular, and many of them informal. Do consult a good dictionary if you find either of them in an unusual context, as the exact meaning may refer to a more marginal or limited use not mentioned in this post.

Also, have a look at the recommended resources below. All of them include audios and full transcripts, so you can use them for listening practice, as well. If you have any additional questions or if you’d like to share some of your example sentences, don’t be shy – leave me a comment in the box at the bottom of the page!

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Ask about English: work / job [BBC Learning English] 

The Different Ways to Use the Word ‘Work’ [VOA Learning English] 

Verbs to use with ‘job’ [BBC Learning English] 

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NOTES