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"Job" is a specific position or employment; "work" is the general activity of working.
Side-by-side comparison
"Job" is the specific paid position you hold. It is always countable: "a job", "two jobs". "I got a new job" = I found new employment.
She got a new job at a hospital.
I have two jobs right now. It is exhausting.
What kind of job are you looking for?
"Work" is the general activity of working or the effort you put in. As a noun it is uncountable: you do not say "a work" (except for a piece of art). "I have a lot of work" = I have many tasks to do.
I have a lot of work to do before Friday.
She goes to work by bus every morning.
Good work! You did an excellent job.
Common mistake
- •"I am looking for a work" is wrong: "work" as a noun is uncountable. Correct: "looking for a job" or "looking for work" (no article).
- •"Job" always needs an article or determiner: "a good job".
Trick to remember it
- •The counting test: JOB counts (a job, two jobs, many jobs = countable, needs an article). WORK doesn't count (a lot of work, much work = uncountable, no article in general sense).
- •Can you put "a" before it and make it plural? JOB. Can you only measure with "much"? WORK.
Quick rule
- •"Job" = specific position (countable, needs article).
- •"Work" = activity or effort (uncountable, no article in general sense).
Did you know?
"Work" has several uses where it IS countable, the trick is context. In art and literature, "work" is countable: "a work of art", "the complete works of Shakespeare", "a work of fiction". Also in technical senses: "a musical work" (a musical composition). "Homework" is uncountable in all contexts: never "a homework", always "homework" or "some homework." The same applies to "housework" and "paperwork", all uncountable. The pattern: work-as-abstract-labor = uncountable. Concrete-artistic-or-literary-work = countable.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
She has just found a new _____ as a nurse at the local hospital.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
I have so much _____ to do this week. I might have to stay late every day.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
One spends or invests, the other squanders or wastes.
"Above" is at a higher level without contact; "over" implies covering, movement, or crossing.
'Currently' means 'at the present time'; 'actually' means 'in reality', not 'nowadays'.
"Actually" corrects or contrasts an assumption; "really" intensifies or confirms.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy