Cool MateJob vs Task
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Job
High-frequency chunkA1noun
Task
Top 1,000 (very common)A2noun
| Job | Task | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/dʒɒb/"]/🇺🇸 /["/dʒɑːb/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/tɑːsk/"]/🇺🇸 /["/tæsk/"]/ |
| Meaning | A paid position of regular employment. | A piece of work that needs to be done. |
| Example | I have a job in a restaurant. | Completing this math task is important for your exam. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | High-frequency chunk | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | A2 |
| Part of speech | noun | noun |
| Collocations | decent, good, great, have, carry out, do, pay, disappear, go, search, ad, advertisement, in a/the job, on the job, out of a job, change jobs, move jobs, a loss of jobs, adequate, decent, good, carry out, do, handle, job in, job on, get the job done, make a good, poor, etc. job of something, odd jobs, bank, inside, do, bungle | awesome, challenging, daunting, handle, take on, take upon yourself, involve something, require something, fall to somebody, task for, task in, be no easy task, the task ahead, the task at hand, awesome, challenging, daunting, handle, take on, take upon yourself, involve something, require something, fall to somebody, task for, task in, be no easy task, the task ahead, the task at hand |
| Antonyms | unemployment, idleness | leisure, idleness, rest |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'occupation' vs 'job'; 'occupation' can imply a broader career., Saying 'Jobs are important' instead of 'Jobs is important' when referring to the concept., Using 'job' only for manual labor and forgetting it applies to all employment types. | Confused with 'chore' — tasks are often more formal or job-related., Using 'task' as a verb — 'task' is a noun., Saying 'a task for doing' instead of 'a task to do'. |
| Usage notes | Use 'job' in both formal and informal settings. It's appropriate to refer to work in any context, but be cautious with implications of stability or permanence when discussing careers. | Commonly used in both spoken and written English. Suitable for formal and informal contexts, but avoid using in very casual scenarios like chats among friends. |
Frequently asked questions: Job vs Task
What's the difference between Job and Task?
Job: A paid position of regular employment. Task: A piece of work that needs to be done.
Are Job and Task the same CEFR level?
Job: A1, Task: A2 on the CEFR scale.
Can I use Job and Task interchangeably?
Not always. Job and Task are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.