came to work

USAGE SUMMARY

"came to work" is a correct and usable term in written English.
It can be used to describe someone arriving at their place of employment to begin their work for the day. For example: "John arrived at the office bright and early, having come to work."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

We came to work.

The New York Times

"Then April came to work.

The New Yorker

We came to work thrilled".

The New Yorker

They came to work, not play.

The New York Times - Magazine

I came to work the next morning.

The New York Times

Still, Wilson Ortega, 34, came to work.

The New York Times

"Everyone came to work," she said.

The New York Times

I knew ushers who came to work in BMWs".

The New York Times - Books

"He came to work every day," he said.

The New York Times

"We just came to work," one former employee said.

The New York Times

Chamberlin came to work in public television almost by chance.

Princeton University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "came to work" to clearly and simply indicate someone's arrival at their job location with the intention of performing their duties. This phrase is suitable for various contexts, from formal news reports to casual conversations.

Common error

Avoid using "come to work" when referring to a past event. "Come" is present tense; use "came" for past actions, such as describing someone's actions yesterday or last week.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "came to work" functions as a verb phrase indicating the action of arriving at one's workplace to begin performing job-related duties. It generally describes a completed action in the past.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Academia

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "came to work" is a common and grammatically correct phrase used to describe the act of arriving at one's job. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and provides numerous examples across different sources, primarily in news and media. When writing, ensure the correct tense is used, avoiding "come to work" when referring to past events. Consider alternatives such as ""arrived at work"" or "reported for duty" for varied expression. Remember the phrase is neutral in register, lending itself to both formal reports and day-to-day conversation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

arrived at work

Focuses on the act of arriving at the workplace, emphasizing the location.

started working

Highlights the beginning of the work activity, rather than the arrival.

began their shift

Highlights the start of a defined period of work.

reported for duty

Implies a sense of obligation or formal requirement to be present.

clocked in

Emphasizes the act of registering one's arrival at the workplace, often electronically.

resumed work

Indicates a return to work after an absence or break.

showed up for work

More informal and emphasizes presence, sometimes against expectations.

entered the workplace

Focuses on the physical act of entering the location of work.

commenced employment

A more formal way of stating that someone has started working at a location.

joined the workforce

Highlights the act of becoming part of the working population or a specific team.

FAQs

How can I use "came to work" in a sentence?

You can use "came to work" to describe someone's arrival at their job. For example, "Despite the heavy snow, she "came to work" early."

What is a formal alternative to "came to work"?

In a more formal setting, you might use phrases like "reported for duty" or "commenced employment" depending on the specific context.

Is there a difference between "came to work" and "went to work"?

"Came to work" implies the perspective of someone already at the workplace or focusing on the arrival. "Went to work" simply indicates the act of traveling to one's job.

What can I say instead of "I came to work today"?

Alternatives include "I "arrived at work" today", "I reported for duty today", or "I "started working" today" depending on the nuance you want to convey.