harder work

USAGE SUMMARY

"harder work" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a particular effort that is more difficult or demanding than something else. For example, "The students were expected to put in harder work in order to pass the course."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

That's harder work.

The New York Times

Really, it's harder work resisting it.

Independent

I think it's harder work".

The Guardian - Film

He tells about it-it's harder work.

The New Yorker

It's harder work but I like that.

Independent

"He's demanding harder work at practice.

The New York Times - Sports

It's actually harder work for me.

The Guardian - Film

That is because it deters enterprise and harder work.

The Guardian - Opinion

At £2 a copy it's been harder work than usual.

The Guardian

We'll work harder, work smarter and pick better players".

The Guardian - Sport

Experimental observations show that higher cutting forces are required for machining harder work material.

Measurement

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "harder work" when comparing the difficulty or intensity of one task or activity relative to another. This clarifies the degree of effort required.

Common error

Avoid using "harder work" when simply describing work that is generally difficult without comparing it to something else. In such cases, "difficult work" or "challenging work" may be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "harder work" is as a noun phrase, typically serving as the object of a verb or the subject of a clause. It refers to an activity or task that requires more effort or is more difficult compared to something else. Ludwig provides numerous examples illustrating this usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Academia

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "harder work" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase that functions as a noun phrase, expressing a comparative level of difficulty or intensity. As demonstrated by Ludwig, it is commonly found in news, science, and business contexts, making it versatile across various forms of writing. Remember to use "harder work" when making a direct comparison of efforts, differentiating it from simply describing difficult work. By understanding its function and purpose, you can effectively incorporate "harder work" into your writing, ensuring clarity and precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

more difficult work

Highlights the overall difficulty.

increased effort

Highlights the amount of energy exerted.

more challenging workload

Specifies the amount of work and its level of difficulty.

more taxing effort

Focuses on the draining nature of the work.

more strenuous labor

Focuses on the physical demand of the work.

tougher assignment

Highlights the difficulty of a specific task.

greater exertion

Similar to increased effort but can also relate to physical strain.

intensified labor

Focuses on the degree of work.

more rigorous activity

Highlights how accurate and careful must be the activity done.

more demanding task

Emphasizes the challenging nature of the work.

FAQs

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

You can use "harder work" to compare the difficulty or effort required for different tasks. For instance, "Completing the second project required "harder work" than the first".

What's a good alternative to "harder work"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "more strenuous labor", "increased effort", or "more demanding task" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it always appropriate to use "harder work"?

While grammatically correct, "harder work" is best used when explicitly comparing the effort needed for different activities. Otherwise, a phrase like "difficult work" might be more suitable.

How does "harder work" differ from "working hard"?

"Harder work" is a noun phrase that refers to the activity itself being more difficult. "Working hard" is a verb phrase that describes the act of putting in a lot of effort, regardless of the inherent difficulty of the task.