Cool MateLabour vs Work
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Labour
Top 2,000 (common)B2noun
Work
High-frequency chunkA1verb
Most common: Work
| Labour | Work | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈleɪbə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈleɪbər/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/wɜːk/","/wɜːks/","/wɜːkt/","/ˈwɜːkɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/wɜːrk/","/wɜːrks/","/wɜːrkt/","/ˈwɜːrkɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | Physical work, especially hard work. | To do a job or task. |
| Example | The workers organized a strike to demand better conditions and fair labour practices. | I need to work on my homework before dinner. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | High-frequency chunk |
| CEFR level | B2 | A1 |
| Part of speech | noun | verb |
| Collocations | manual, physical, back-breaking, withdraw, productivity, camp, manual, physical, back-breaking, withdraw, productivity, camp, free, organized, wage, force, market, pool, difficult, easy, long, go into, induce, room, ward, pains, in labour | hard, tirelessly, assiduously, continue to, choose to, prefer to, as, at, for, hard, tirelessly, assiduously, continue to, choose to, prefer to, as, at, for, correctly, effectively, efficiently, seem to, work like a charm, work like magic, work to somebody’s advantage, correctly, effectively, efficiently, seem to, work like a charm, work like magic, work to somebody’s advantage |
| Antonyms | leisure, idleness, inactivity | rest, idleness, leisure |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'labor' (American English spelling)., Using 'labour' as a verb incorrectly., Overusing 'labour' in casual conversations; better to use 'work' instead. | Confused with 'job' vs 'work': 'Job' is a specific role, while 'work' refers to the tasks involved., Using 'work' as a noun in contexts needing a verb: e.g., saying 'I will work tomorrow' instead of 'I will do work tomorrow.', Omitting plural forms: e.g., saying 'We all have work to do' is correct, but learners may mistakenly say 'We all have works to do.' |
| Usage notes | Use 'labour' in contexts related to work, especially when discussing physical tasks or efforts. Avoid in casual settings without a clear reference to work. | Use 'work' in professional or casual contexts to refer to tasks or jobs. Avoid using in overly formal settings where a more specific term may be preferred. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Labour vs Work
What's the difference between Labour and Work?
Labour: Physical work, especially hard work. Work: To do a job or task.
Which is more common: Labour and Work?
Work is the most common in everyday English.
Which is more advanced: Labour and Work?
Labour is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.
Are Labour and Work the same CEFR level?
Labour: B2, Work: A1 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Labour and Work?
Labour: noun, Work: verb.
Can you show an example of each?
Labour: The workers organized a strike to demand better conditions and fair labour practices. Work: I need to work on my homework before dinner.
Can I use Labour and Work interchangeably?
Not always. Labour and Work 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.