Work (noun)

Work as an uncountable noun

Work is an uncountable noun when it means something we do that takes an effort, often as part of a job or for study:

Hard work is good for you. It keeps you fit. (work as a physical activity)

I’m not going out tonight. I’ve got a lot of work to do. We’ve got exams next week. (work as study)

Warning:

We don’t use work with the indefinite article(a) or in the plural. The word for a specific occupation or task is job, which is a countable noun:

They offered me a job in Helsinki, but Finland is a long way from home.

Not: They offered me a work …

We always have a lot of jobs to do round the house at weekends, like cleaning, washing clothes, gardening, and so on.

Not: … a lot of works to do …

We can say that someone is at work when they are at the place where they work and are doing their job:

Can I ring you back later? I’m at work at the moment and I can’t really talk privately.

Work as a countable noun means something created, especially a book or painting or piece of music or sculpture:

She bought me the complete works of Shakespeare for my birthday.

Several works of art were stolen from the town museum yesterday.

The statue is a beautiful new work by the Swedish sculptor Lars Ahlander.

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