he not working

USAGE SUMMARY

'he not working' is not correct.
The correct usage is 'he is not working'. Example: He is not working today due to illness.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Perhaps he wouldn't be so certain were he not working with such a sensitively managed scheme as the RSCN's.

The Guardian - Travel

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

When he's not working he's doing his art.

Huffington Post

Those days he was not working".

The Guardian

He's not working hard.

The New York Times - Sports

"He was not working for any organization".

The New York Times

"But he's not working for the store".

The New Yorker

He is not working illegally, nor claiming benefits or housing.

The Guardian

I mean, he's not working at a mine".

The New York Times

"He was not working alone".

Science Magazine

He is not working off a script.

Forbes

He's not working at Burger King (yet).

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing someone's employment status, use the grammatically correct form "he is not working" or alternative phrases such as "he is unemployed".

Common error

Avoid using ungrammatical contractions like "he not working". Instead, use the full form "he is not working" or other correct alternatives to ensure clarity and professionalism.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he not working" functions as a shortened, non-standard form of a statement indicating someone's lack of employment. Ludwig AI highlights that this is grammatically incorrect, and standard English requires "he is not working".

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "he not working" is grammatically incorrect in standard English, as noted by Ludwig AI. While it might appear in informal contexts or certain dialects, it's advisable to use the grammatically correct "he is not working" or other alternatives such as "he is unemployed" for clarity and professionalism. The sources show that this phrase appears in varied contexts but authoritative writing demands correct grammar. When in doubt, always opt for the grammatically sound option.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

He is unemployed

Replaces the original phrase with a more direct and grammatically correct term for being without a job.

He is out of work

Uses a common idiom to express that someone does not currently have a job.

He isn't employed

Offers a formal and negative statement about someone's employment status.

He's between jobs

Indicates a temporary state of unemployment, suggesting a transition from one job to another.

He's currently not working

Adds emphasis on the present time, highlighting the temporary nature of not having a job.

He is on leave

Suggests a temporary absence from work, such as for vacation or medical reasons.

He is taking a break from work

Implies a voluntary and temporary pause in one's career or job.

He's resting

Suggests that he is temporarily taking time off to recover or recharge.

He is job-seeking

Indicates that someone is actively searching for employment opportunities.

He's not holding down a job

Conveys the idea that someone is unable to keep or maintain employment.

FAQs

What's the grammatically correct way to say "he not working"?

The grammatically correct way to express this idea is "he is not working". You can also use alternatives like "he is unemployed" or "he is out of work".

What can I say instead of "he not working"?

You can use alternatives like "he is unemployed", "he is out of work", or "he is between jobs" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "he not working"?

While "he not working" is grammatically incorrect in standard English, it might be found in informal contexts or certain dialects. However, it's generally best to use the grammatically correct "he is not working" for clarity and professionalism.

What's the difference between "he is not working" and "he isn't working"?

There is no significant difference in meaning between "he is not working" and "he isn't working". The latter is simply a contraction of "he is not working" and is more casual.