community work

USAGE SUMMARY

'community work' is a correct phrase in written English.
You can use it to refer to volunteer work that benefits a local community. For example, "Sandra spends much of her spare time doing community work, such as helping to clean up the local park."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Work covers neighbourhood empowerment, volunteering, community work and local governance.

The Guardian

Do some community work?

Independent

Which explains all your community work..

The Guardian

"I wanted to do more community work.

The Guardian

It's community work through property owning.

The Guardian

When necessary they can impose fines and community work.

The Economist

He vowed to continue his community work in Harlem.

The New York Times

Interests Community work, reading and spending time with family.

The Guardian

She has a background in activism and community work.

The Guardian

What kind of community work is being found?

The Guardian - Opinion

The faultline between social work and community work is debatable.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "community work" to broadly encompass efforts that benefit a specific area or group of people; for more formal contexts, consider using "public service" or "civic engagement".

Common error

Don't leave "community work" undefined. Instead of saying "He does a lot of community work", specify what kind of activities he's involved in, such as "He volunteers at the local soup kitchen and mentors underprivileged youth as part of his community work".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "community work" primarily functions as a noun phrase, often serving as the object of a verb or the subject of a sentence. It refers to activities intended to benefit a local community. As shown by Ludwig, the phrase is used across different contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

23%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "community work" is a widely used noun phrase denoting activities that benefit a local community. As Ludwig AI confirms, its usage is grammatically correct and spans across various contexts, from news and media to scientific research. While interchangeable with terms like "volunteer service" or "public service", it carries a distinct emphasis on localized efforts. When using this phrase, ensure clarity by specifying the type of activities involved and the target community. This practice not only avoids vagueness but also enhances the impact of your communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

voluntary efforts

Replaces "work" with "efforts", stressing the voluntary nature.

volunteer service

Replaces "work" with "service", focusing on the act of volunteering.

helping the community

A more direct and simple way of expressing the same idea.

charitable activities

Highlights the charitable aspect of the work.

public service

Emphasizes serving the public good.

local outreach

Highlights the local aspect of the community involvement.

civic engagement

Focuses on active participation in the community's affairs.

social action

Implies taking action to address social issues.

grassroots initiatives

Focuses on community-led projects and activities.

neighborhood improvement projects

Specifies the type of work as projects aimed at improving a neighborhood.

FAQs

How can I use "community work" in a sentence?

You can use "community work" to describe activities that benefit a local area or group, such as, "She dedicates her weekends to "community work", volunteering at the local homeless shelter".

What's the difference between "community work" and "volunteer work"?

"Community work" specifically emphasizes benefiting a geographic community, while "volunteer work" is broader and can include any unpaid activity, even if it's not tied to a specific location. Consider alternatives such as "volunteer service" or "voluntary efforts".

What are some examples of "community work"?

"Community work" can include a wide range of activities such as cleaning up parks, tutoring children, helping at food banks, or organizing neighborhood events. Similar options can be "public service" or "civic engagement".

Which is correct, "community work" or "community service"?

Both "community work" and "community service" are correct and often used interchangeably. However, "community service" sometimes refers specifically to court-ordered unpaid work. Alternative options could be "helping the community".