Phrasal verb
work as sth
Definition
phrasal verb. To have a specific job or role. You use this phrase to describe what someone does for a living or what function something has.
phrasal verb. To be employed in a particular capacity or to function in a specific role. This is a prepositional verb, not a core phrasal verb, as its meaning is literal.
Examples
“My brother works as a chef.”
“She worked as a translator for the government before starting her own business.”
“For centuries, the river worked as a natural border between the two kingdoms, shaping their politics and trade.”
Examples
simple
“My brother works as a chef.”
contextual
“She worked as a translator for the government before starting her own business.”
complex
“For centuries, the river worked as a natural border between the two kingdoms, shaping their politics and trade.”
Usage
The object following 'as' is typically a job title, profession, or a functional role.
Teaching tip
Contrast 'work as' (for a role/profession) with 'work for' (for a company) and 'work with' (for colleagues/tools).
Pitfall
He works like a doctor.
He works as a doctor.
Use 'as' to state a person's actual job or function; 'like' is used for comparison or similarity.
Phrasal verb
Particles
as
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
work + as + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/work-as-sth