work hard
/wɜːrk hɑːrd/
Meaning
This phrase means to put a lot of effort, energy, and time into doing a job or task. It is a very common expression used to praise someone's effort or to describe a diligent person.
Examples
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If you work hard, you will surely get a promotion.
If you work hard, you will surely get a promotion.
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She had to work hard to finish the project on time.
She had to work hard to finish the project on time.
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Our team works hard every day to meet our goals.
Our team works hard every day to meet our goals.
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He works hard to support his family.
He works hard to support his family.
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You need to work hard if you want to pass this difficult exam.
You need to work hard if you want to pass this difficult exam.
Common Mistakes
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✗ He works hardly every day.
✓ He works hard every day.
'Hardly' is an adverb that means 'almost not.' To describe putting in a lot of effort, you must use the adverb 'hard'.
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✗ She is a very work hard person.
✓ She is a very hard-working person.
'Work hard' is a verb phrase. To describe a person, you should use the compound adjective 'hard-working'.
Related Expressions
Practice
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If you want to succeed in this company, you must ___.
💡 Put in a lot of effort.
Show answer
work hard
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They had to ___ to get the product ready for launch.
💡 Put in effort.
Show answer
work hard