ENGLISH
REFERENCE

hard work

compound.
A1 Beginner Oxford

compound. Using a lot of energy and effort to do a job or task.

compound. A significant expenditure of physical or mental effort.


SIMPLE

Success requires hard work.

CONTEXTUAL

Becoming a doctor takes years of hard work and dedication.

COMPLEX

Her promotion was a testament to her relentless hard work, often staying late to ensure every detail was perfect.

Usage

This is an uncountable noun phrase.

Teaching tip

Contrast 'hard work' (the uncountable effort) with 'a hard job' (a countable, difficult task or position).

Pitfall

She did many hard works to finish the project.She did a lot of hard work to finish the project.'Hard work' is an uncountable noun, so it cannot be made plural.

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