Used and loved by millions

Since I tried Ludwig back in 2017, I have been constantly using it in both editing and translation. Ever since, I suggest it to my translators at ProSciEditing.

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak quote

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

MitStanfordHarvardAustralian Nationa UniversityNanyangOxford

been much work on

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "been much work on" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be an incomplete expression and would typically require additional context or restructuring to be clear and grammatically correct. Example: "There has been much work on the project lately."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

It's doubtful anyone has ever seen the president singing along, like legions of fans, when Mr. Springsteen belts out: "But lately there ain't been much work, on account of the economy".

News & Media

The New York Times

There was the River (1980): "I got a job working construction, for the Johnstown Company/ But lately there ain't been much work, on account of the economy" and My Hometown (1984): "They're closing down the textile mill across the railroad tracks/ Foreman says these jobs are going boys and they ain't coming back".

News & Media

The Guardian

Like this, from "The River": I got a job working construction for the Johnstown Company But lately there ain't been much work, on account of the economy Springsteen is equally adept at voicing disparity — the devastating chasm between those who have and those who merely look on from afar.

News & Media

The New Yorker

There has been much work on this subject.

there has been much work on the existence and optimality conditions (see [3]).

There has been much work on this subject (cf. [3 8]).

Show more...

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

In the past years, there was much work on the study of problem of periodic solutions for some second ordinary differential equations with singularities of repulsive type [7 20].

In iron oxyhydroxides these studies have focused on surface or adsorbed species, but there has also been much work concentrating on paramagnetic energy storage materials, where spectra have been acquired for NMR active nuclei in the bulk.

Over the past 15 years there has been much work worldwide on Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ) textured templates for deposition of HTS.

There is anecdote and sometimes there is country specific data, but, as far as we could see, there hasn't been much work done on that.

News & Media

BBC

Ford is a longtime Springsteen fan, and the characters in a song like "The River" ("I got a job working construction / for the Johnstown Company / But lately there ain't been much work / on account of the economy") are basically the people in Ford's earlier stories.

News & Media

Vice
Show more...

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When indicating extensive effort in formal writing, replace "been much work on" with grammatically correct alternatives like "extensive work has been done on" or "considerable effort has been put into" to enhance clarity and credibility.

Common error

Avoid using "been much work on" as a standalone phrase. This construction typically requires a subject and auxiliary verb (e.g., "There has been much work on...") to form a complete and grammatically sound sentence.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

81%

Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "been much work on" functions as part of a larger statement indicating that effort or activity has been focused on a particular subject or area. As pointed out by Ludwig AI, it requires additional context to be grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "been much work on" is grammatically questionable and rarely appears in formal writing. Ludwig AI identifies it as incorrect in standard written English. While the phrase attempts to convey that considerable effort has been invested in a particular area, it lacks the necessary grammatical structure for clear communication. More appropriate alternatives include "extensive work has been done on" or "considerable effort has been put into", which provide better clarity and credibility, especially in academic and professional contexts. As such, while its usage can be spotted across different contexts (Science, News & Media and Formal & Business), exercising caution is advisable.

FAQs

How can I correctly use the idea of "been much work on" in a sentence?

To express the idea correctly, use a complete sentence structure such as "There has "been much work on" this subject" or "Extensive work has been carried out on this project".

What are some alternatives to "been much work on"?

You can use alternatives like "extensive work has been done on", "considerable effort has been put into", or "significant progress has been made on" depending on the context.

Is "been much work on" grammatically correct?

No, "been much work on" is not grammatically correct as it stands. It needs a subject and auxiliary verb to form a complete sentence. Ludwig AI points out that this phrase is not correct in standard written English.

How does the formality of "been much work on" compare to its alternatives?

"Been much work on" is less formal and grammatically weaker than alternatives like "extensive work has been done on" or "substantial research has been conducted on", which are better suited for academic or professional writing.

ChatGPT power + Grammarly precisionChatGPT power + Grammarly precision
ChatGPT + Grammarly

Editing plus AI, all in one place.

Stop switching between tools. Your AI writing partner for everything—polishing proposals, crafting emails, finding the right tone.

Source & Trust

81%

Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: