please work on

USAGE SUMMARY

"please work on" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it when you are asking someone to focus on working on a particular task. For example, "Please work on the project proposal and submit it by Friday."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

So good luck to "Lammily", though I'd advise her creator to give the poor thing a more fetching name (Leslie? Leonie? Lionel!), and please work on the outfits.

The Guardian - Opinion

If there are human subjects or animal subjects involved in the project, please work on your human or animal protocol ASAP.

Columbia University

Asking for a sales force call on the matter on Dec. 11, Mr. Shulman wrote: "We need to move this paper and have to explore all angles possible.... we need to do this as quickly as possible.... please work on this priority".

The New York Times

But please work on your communication skills, however ironic that may seem.

TechCrunch

Could someone please work on that because we can be really shitty when we have to be.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Preferably a hardback, it works best and looks "antiqued" Fill your spellbook with fake (or real, depending on your preferences) spells such as, "Water please work your magic on me, from all private pools, to seven seas, the ocean is fine, greater than mine, until the night us creatures shall bind".

WikiHow

To us (the oldies on campus): Please work -- you will be so thankful for the experience, and so will your future employers.

HuffPost

"After some pleasing work on the gallops this week, Ruby has decided to ride On His Own," Mullins said. .

BBC

"Can you please go work on the TSA now?" the student added.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The Herbaria is pleased to work on many collaborative projects with other institutions around the world thanks to generous funding from entities such as the National Science Foundation and The Mellon Foundation.

Harvard University

And then others -- David Kass, who's the president of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, an association that I have been pleased to work on for many years; and Al Lenhardt, who is the head of the National Crime Prevention Council; and Amy Singer, who's the director of Program Planning for Phoenix House.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "please work on", clearly specify the task or area that requires attention to avoid ambiguity. For instance, "Please work on the budget report" is more effective than simply "Please work on this".

Common error

Avoid using "please work on" repeatedly in a series of instructions, as it can sound repetitive and less genuine. Instead, vary your language with alternatives such as "focus on", "address", or direct imperatives for a more engaging tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "please work on" functions as a polite directive or request. It is used to encourage or instruct someone to dedicate their efforts to a specific task or issue. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Academia

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "please work on" is a grammatically sound phrase used to politely request or instruct someone to focus on a specific task. As affirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase is suitable for various contexts, although it is more common in news media and academic settings. When using the phrase, clarity is key – always specify what needs to be worked on. To avoid sounding repetitive, consider alternatives such as "kindly focus on" or "could you address". While versatile, remember to tailor your language to the specific context and audience to maintain an engaging and genuine tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

kindly focus on

This alternative is more formal and emphasizes politeness.

could you address

This alternative is a polite way to ask someone to deal with a specific issue.

would you mind working on

This alternative is a more indirect and polite request.

I ask that you work on

This alternative is a more formal way of making a request.

I urge you to work on

This alternative emphasizes the importance of the task.

I request you to focus on

This alternative is a more formal and direct request.

give attention to

This alternative shifts the focus to allocating attention to the task.

concentrate efforts on

This alternative suggests directing a concentrated effort towards something.

dedicate time to

This alternative focuses on allocating time for a task.

prioritize

This alternative is a direct and concise way to ask someone to make something a priority.

FAQs

How to use "please work on" in a sentence?

You can use "please work on" to politely request someone to focus on a task. For example, "Please work on the presentation slides before the meeting".

What can I say instead of "please work on"?

You can use alternatives like "kindly focus on", "could you address", or "would you mind working on" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "please work on" or "please working on"?

"Please work on" is correct. "Please working on" is grammatically incorrect.

What's the difference between "please work on" and "work on"?

Adding "please" makes the request more polite. "Please work on" is a polite request, while "work on" is a direct instruction.