a diligent work

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a diligent work" is not correct in standard written English.
It should be "diligent work" without the article "a." Example: "Her diligent work on the project earned her a promotion."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

A diligent work of scholarship, this book nonetheless takes too narrow a view of the responsibility for an episode of which we all must be ashamed.

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

We appreciate diligent work, a pleasant working environment and the innovative ability inspired by the mixture of talents with diverse backgrounds.

Huffington Post

I would suggest that the anonymous amateur photographs described in your editorial are not happenstance occurrences or "the luck of the living moment," but rather an amateur's diligent work at cultivating a particular skill that some call the job of being a photographer.

The New York Times

There he earned a reputation for diligent work and exemplary attendance.

The New York Times

It took him a few months of diligent work to transform himself from a winger to a centre-forward with a killer instinct for goals.

BBC

I think that's right, it was designed to create an obedient and diligent work force and those days are gone - we need something else.

Huffington Post

They are a betrayal of the diligent work of nutrition scientists, and a willful sacrifice of public health on the altar of profit for well-organized special interests.

Huffington Post

A judge has praised the "diligent" work of law students for helping overturn a former gang member's murder conviction.

The Guardian

On Tuesday morning, 13 years after two of the deaf Mexican peddlers walked into a police station in Queens with a letter describing the conditions, Mr. Gutierrez was honored for his diligent work at a company that has cleaning contracts with federal agencies.

The New York Times

These three examples, just to name a few, directly impact the diligent work of urban planners in both the public and private spheres.

Huffington Post

But they know a great deal more than they did a year ago and, thanks to their diligent work, parents know more too and can make better informed decisions.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Prefer "diligent work" without the article "a". Using the article makes the phrase grammatically incorrect in most contexts. For example, "Her diligent work on the project led to its success" is correct.

Common error

Don't use "a" before "diligent work". The phrase is generally used as an uncountable noun. Instead of saying "He did a diligent work", say "He did diligent work".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a diligent work" functions as a noun phrase intended to describe effort characterized by perseverance and care. However, as Ludwig AI points out, the inclusion of the article "a" is typically grammatically incorrect.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "a diligent work" appears in some contexts, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI suggests that the correct form is "diligent work", without the article "a". This phrase aims to describe effort marked by care, perseverance, and thoroughness. It tends to appear in professional or neutral registers, particularly in News & Media. Better alternatives are "diligent effort", "thorough job", or "dedicated work". Remember to avoid using the article "a" before "diligent work" in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

diligent effort

Removes the word "work" and focuses on the effort involved.

thorough job

Replaces "diligent work" with a phrase emphasizing completeness and attention to detail.

conscientious effort

Substitutes "diligent" with "conscientious", highlighting the careful and moral aspect of the effort.

dedicated work

Replaces "diligent" with "dedicated", stressing commitment.

assiduous work

Uses a more formal synonym, "assiduous", for "diligent", indicating persistent effort.

careful work

Emphasizes the attention to detail and precision of the work.

hard work

Simplifies the phrase to emphasize the amount of labor involved.

industrious effort

Replaces "diligent" with "industrious", focusing on the quality of being hardworking.

sedulous effort

Emphasizes the persistent and careful application in the effort.

persistent effort

Highlights the continuing nature of the effort.

FAQs

How do I use "a diligent work" correctly?

The phrase "a diligent work" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. It's better to say just "diligent work".

What can I say instead of "a diligent work"?

You can use alternatives like "diligent effort", "thorough job", or "dedicated work" depending on the specific context.

Is it "a diligent work" or "diligent work"?

The correct phrase is "diligent work" without the article "a". The inclusion of "a" is generally considered ungrammatical.

What does "diligent work" mean?

"Diligent work" refers to work that is characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic effort; painstaking and attentive. It implies carefulness and perseverance.