a cheap labor

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a cheap labor" is not correct in English; it should be "cheap labor" without the article "a." You can use "cheap labor" to refer to workers who are paid low wages, often in discussions about economics, employment, or labor rights.
Example: "Many companies seek cheap labor to reduce their production costs and increase profits."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

This is about a cheap labor pool".

The New York Times - Sports

Trump has described H-1Bs as a "cheap labor program" subject to "widespread, rampant" abuse.

The Washington Post

Even though some of them were academics and many are educated, they represent a cheap labor force.

The New Yorker

These organizations charged that growers were seeking to preserve a cheap labor force that had few legal rights.

Cornell University

"But the fact of the matter is this is not a party issue, Republican versus Democrat, as much as it is a cheap labor issue".

The New York Times

Herat has long been a center for burka production, largely because it has a cheap labor and fairly consistent access to electrical power.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

Worker advocacy groups and labor unions say these companies simply want to find a cheaper labor pool.

Huffington Post

If Christie has his way, New Jersey will be transformed from a state that currently has the highest per capita income in the nation into a cheaper labor state.

Huffington Post

As engineering skills grew, India became more than just a cheap-labor pool.

Forbes

Despite the fact that, compared to the U.S., Mexico is a cheap-labor economy, there are plenty of nations with even lower average wages.

Huffington Post

Home Depot, for example, overestimated the desire for D.I.Y. home projects and high-end materials in a country with an unbelievably cheap labor force and a thriving black market.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the article "a" before "cheap labor". The correct and accepted form is simply "cheap labor". For example, use "The company relies on cheap labor" instead of "The company relies on a cheap labor".

Common error

The most common mistake is including the indefinite article "a" before "cheap labor". This is grammatically incorrect and should be omitted for clarity and correctness. Remember, "cheap labor" functions as a noun phrase without needing an article.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cheap labor" (without the article "a") functions as a noun phrase, typically acting as the object of a verb or the subject of a sentence. This is confirmed by Ludwig's examples, which consistently use "cheap labor" without the article. The inclusion of "a" creates a grammatical error.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Academia

24%

Science

24%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the search query was for "a cheap labor", the correct and accepted form is "cheap labor", without the article "a". Ludwig and its examples confirm this. The phrase functions as a noun phrase, typically used to describe a workforce that is available at a low cost. Its register is generally neutral, although it can sometimes carry negative connotations. The phrase appears most frequently in news media and academic contexts. Common errors include the unnecessary addition of the article "a". Remember to avoid the article when using the phrase in your own writing for grammatical correctness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

cheap labor

Omits the article "a", correcting the grammatical error in the original query.

low-cost labor

Replaces "cheap" with "low-cost", offering a slightly more formal tone.

inexpensive labor

Substitutes "cheap" with "inexpensive", providing a more polite alternative.

affordable labor

Uses "affordable" instead of "cheap", shifting the focus to accessibility.

economical labor

Replaces "cheap" with "economical", emphasizing cost-effectiveness.

low-wage workers

Changes the structure to focus on the workers themselves rather than the labor.

underpaid workforce

Highlights the unfair compensation aspect of the labor.

labor at a reduced rate

Phrases the concept as labor provided at a discounted price.

labor available at minimal expense

Emphasizes the minimal cost associated with obtaining the labor.

competitively priced labor

Focuses on the market aspect, highlighting competitive pricing.

FAQs

How do I properly use "cheap labor" in a sentence?

Use "cheap labor" as a noun phrase without the article "a". For example: "The factory's profits depend on cheap labor".

What are some alternative ways to refer to "cheap labor"?

You can use alternatives like "low-cost labor", "inexpensive labor", or "affordable labor" depending on the context.

Why is "a cheap labor" considered grammatically incorrect?

The term "cheap labor" is generally used as a non-count noun phrase, similar to "hard work" or "fast food", which do not typically take the indefinite article "a".

What's the difference between "cheap labor" and "low-wage workers"?

"Cheap labor" refers to the cost aspect of the labor itself, while "low-wage workers" emphasizes the people performing the labor and their compensation. The phrases are very similar, although often interchanged.