been engaged to work

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "been engaged to work" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to convey that someone has been involved in work or a project, but the construction is awkward and unclear. Example: "I have been engaged to work on the new marketing campaign for the next quarter."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Science

Formal & Business

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Reference

Social Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

I understand from sources that executive search consultants have been engaged to work on senior hires and that this will include a new head of SME banking.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

One special member is "PS" which indicates that professional services will be engaged to work on this project.

University of California, Berkeley

Even the international Quartet was engaged to work with Arab states' intelligence services in order to disrupt Hamas's sources of financing.

The Guardian - Opinion

Frost was engaged to work as a civilian doctor at Weeton barracks, near Blackpool, in July 2013 through a private healthcare recruitment group.

The Guardian

In July 2013, Frost was engaged to work as a civilian doctor at Weeton barracks near Blackpool through a private healthcare recruitment group.

The Guardian

We've long known that employees can be engaged to work hard and creatively on projects for which they are responsible and that they own.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

McKinsey and Company was engaged to work with the CELBSS to address this and other efficiency issues.

British Journal of Cancer

Several interventions from around the world, such as those by the South African organisation Sonke Gender Justice and the Brazilian Promundo, have shown that boys and men can be engaged to work towards gender equality and equitable decision-making (e.g., Peacock 2012; Ringheim and Feldman-Jacobs 2009; World Health Organization 2007).

Culture, Health and Sexuality

Has William Caxton been engaged to do the work, or should we be suspicious of some shabby fix?

The Guardian - Opinion

Picturing the Environment In June, nine artists were engaged to create works that relate to environmental issues facing Connecticut, in an effort to illustrate for the public some solutions as well as examples of environmental degradation.

The New York Times

Her goal is to stay engaged, to work in a business that is increasingly hostile to women who are not young or traditionally beautiful.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of using "been engaged to work", opt for clearer alternatives like "hired to work", "contracted to work", or "assigned to work" for better clarity and grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using passive and convoluted phrasing. The phrase "been engaged to work" can be simplified to more direct and active constructions. For example, instead of saying 'The consultant has been engaged to work on the project', say 'The consultant was hired to work on the project'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase is a passive voice construction indicating that someone or something has been selected or employed for a particular task or job. However, it's an awkward and non-standard way to express the concept. Ludwig AI underscores that it may be intended to convey that someone has been involved in work or a project, but the construction is unclear.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

31%

Science

28%

Academia

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

12%

Wiki

6%

Encyclopedias

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "been engaged to work" is a passive construction that, while understandable, is considered an awkward and non-standard way to express that someone has been selected or hired for a job. As noted by Ludwig AI, the phrase is not correct in standard written English, and the construction can be unclear. It appears infrequently across various sources, including news, academia, and business, but clearer alternatives like "hired to work", "contracted to work", or "assigned to work" are generally preferred for better communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hired to work

Focuses specifically on the act of being hired for employment.

contracted to work

Emphasizes a contractual agreement for services.

commissioned to work

Highlights being formally requested or instructed to do something, often in creative fields.

recruited to work

Suggests active solicitation and selection for a role.

assigned to work

Implies being given a task or project within an organization.

tasked with working

Highlights the responsibility given to someone to complete a particular task.

selected to work

Focuses on being chosen from a group for a specific purpose.

chosen to work

Similar to 'selected', but with a slightly more informal tone.

employed to work

Directly indicates being employed for a job or task.

brought in to work

Suggests being invited or brought into a project or organization for a specific purpose.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "been engaged to work"?

You can use phrases like "hired to work", "contracted to work", or "assigned to work" depending on the context.

Why is "been engaged to work" considered awkward?

The phrase "been engaged to work" is less direct and can sound convoluted. Simpler alternatives are more common and easier to understand.

Is "been engaged to work" grammatically incorrect?

While not strictly incorrect, "been engaged to work" is not a standard or preferred construction. Using more common alternatives improves clarity and grammatical flow.

How can I use "hired to work" instead of "been engaged to work"?

Instead of saying 'The company has been engaged to work on this project', say 'The company was hired to work on this project'.