did you work

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "did you work" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when inquiring about someone's employment or activities during a specific time period. Example: "Did you work on the project last week?"

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Where did you work?

The Economist

Did you work hard?

Independent

What projects did you work on?

Independent

How did you work out the issue?

The New York Times

How did you work your way up?

Independent

How long did you work on this?

The New York Times

How did you work through it?

The New York Times

How long did you work on it?

The New York Times - Magazine

Which companies did you work for?

The Guardian - Opinion

Did you work on that song?

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

What do you work?

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When asking about past employment, specify a time frame to provide context, such as "Did you work here last year?"

Common error

Ensure the tense is consistent when asking about work. Mixing past and present tenses can create confusion. For example, avoid asking "Did you work and are you still employed?"; instead, ask two separate questions.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "did you work" functions as an interrogative clause, used to ask about someone's past work experience or activities. As Ludwig AI explains, it's a grammatically correct way to initiate a question.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Academia

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "did you work" is a common and grammatically sound way to inquire about someone's past employment or activities. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness. Its usage spans various contexts, from news and media to professional settings. When using the phrase, ensure the tense is consistent, and consider specifying a time frame to provide clarity. Alternatives like "were you employed" or "what was your role" can offer different nuances. It is a versatile phrase suitable for many scenarios.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were you employed

Focuses specifically on the state of being employed, rather than general work activities.

where have you been working

Inquires about current or recent work locations.

what was your role

Similar to 'what was your job', but slightly broader, encompassing various kinds of roles.

what was your job

Asks directly about the specific role or position held.

what were your responsibilities

Focuses on the duties and tasks associated with a particular role.

were you involved in

Asks about participation in a specific event, project or task.

what projects did you undertake

Shifts the focus to specific projects completed rather than general work.

what experience do you have

Broadly asks about relevant work experience.

how did you accomplish that task

Inquires about the method used to complete a specific task, emphasizing the process.

how did you handle that

Focuses on the approach taken to manage a specific situation or problem.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "did you work" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, you might ask "Were you previously employed?", or "What was your previous occupation?" depending on the context.

Is it better to ask "did you work" or "have you worked"?

The choice depends on the context. "Did you work" usually refers to a specific time frame in the past, while "have you worked" is more general and asks about any past work experience.

What's the difference between "did you work on" and "did you work in"?

"Did you work on" implies involvement in a specific project or task, while "did you work in" usually refers to an industry, department, or field.

What can I say instead of "did you work" to inquire about volunteer experience?

You can ask "did you volunteer", or "have you done any volunteer work?" to specifically inquire about unpaid roles.