homework

USAGE SUMMARY

"homework" is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it to refer to work that is assigned to students to be done outside of school. For example, "My daughter spends two hours every evening completing her homework."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"It's about looking at the cost-effectiveness of an intervention [that academy governors must opt to pay for] – a breakfast club, say, which gives some children the only chance they may get to do their homework – which may not at first glance appear to be cost-effective".

The Guardian

I have to get in to do my homework.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

After explaining that he had not been able to talk to the press last term because he was too busy with his homework, Tielemans continued: "The two little dips in form that I endured – one last season and then again in the early part of this season – have helped me grow up.

The Guardian - Sport

So the Financial Times's splash is headlined Cameron builds on Right to Buy in effort to regain the edge from Miliband and its leading article, unimpressed with Labour's financial pledges, is headlined Miliband's belated vow to do his fiscal homework.

The Guardian

I sang it at his wedding: 'At 5.35 I start to relax, finish my homework, close my Filofax…' I didn't have a Filofax".

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Both just for general interest rather than homework.

The Guardian

"If you have three hours of online homework a week and you want to wait and do it all in one night then that is your choice.

The Guardian

Do your homework about the local area and culture.

The Guardian

They had done their homework and it was all neatly stitched together round archive inserts that illustrated how different Fleet Street, and life, was 30 and more years ago.

The Guardian

Now I'll be smelly and Tilly will have nothing to do but her homework.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

This does not count as homework to me.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To improve communication, provide specific details about the "homework" assignment. For instance, specify the subject, type, and length of the assigned work (e.g., "The English homework is a 500-word essay").

Common error

Avoid using "homework" as a general term for all studying. "Homework" refers to assigned tasks; general studying should be described as "studying" or "reviewing the material".

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "homework" is as a noun, referring to schoolwork assigned to a student to be done outside of the classroom. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

36%

Formal & Business

32%

Science

32%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "homework" functions as a noun referring to school assignments completed outside of class. Ludwig AI validates its correctness and broad usability. Its usage spans diverse contexts, including news, formal documents, and scientific literature, as shown by Ludwig's examples. The register remains neutral, suitable for both casual and formal communication. When writing, it's best to use "homework" specifically for assigned tasks, avoiding its use as a generic term for studying. Related terms include "school assignments" and "preparatory work", offering alternative ways to convey similar meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

school assignments

Focuses specifically on assignments given in a school setting.

coursework

Refers to all the work required for a course, including assignments and projects.

study tasks

Highlights the studying aspect of assigned work.

assigned tasks

Emphasizes the assignment aspect, applicable in both academic and professional contexts.

home study

Emphasizes studying at home.

preparatory work

Stresses the preparation aspect, often used in a professional or research context.

lesson preparation

Focuses on preparing for a lesson, often from a teacher's perspective.

assigned readings

Specifies that the assigned tasks involve reading.

advance preparation

Highlights doing something in advance.

project tasks

Emphasizes tasks related to a specific project.

FAQs

How do I properly use "homework" in a sentence?

Use "homework" to refer to schoolwork assigned to be completed outside of class. For example, "I need to finish my "math homework"" or "Did you do your "reading homework"?".

What are some alternatives to the word "homework"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "school assignments", "study tasks", or "assigned tasks". For preparatory work outside of school, "preparatory work" is a suitable alternative.

Is it correct to say "homeworks" as a plural?

While "homework" is generally used as an uncountable noun, it's more common to refer to multiple assignments as "homework assignments" or simply "assignments". Using "homeworks" is grammatically unusual.

What's the difference between "homework" and "coursework"?

"Homework" usually refers to individual assignments given regularly, while "coursework" encompasses all the work required for a course, including essays, projects, and exams. Coursework is a broader term.