scattered work

USAGE SUMMARY

"scattered work" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to multiple pieces of work or tasks that are not necessarily related to one another. For example: "I've had a lot of scattered work to do this week, including creating a budget report, setting up a new email account, and writing a web article."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

This strategy, made in a recursive way, has shown effectiveness whether in the convergence proofs of some mechanical and kinematical quantities or in computing the percentage error obtained as ratio between the scattered work in Ω∞⧹Ω and the total work, both expressed in terms of generalized quantities.

International Journal of Solids and Structures

Web of Shopping (May be part of Mosaic of Subcultures, Subculture Boundary, Scattered Work, Local Transport Areas).

Huffington Post

His scattered work comprises essays, short stories and prose poetry, noted for their cultural references, but made little impact on Romanian literature.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

The masters of Spain's "golden century" — Velázquez, Zurbarán, Murillo, and Ribera, each represented by great paintings — remained obscure in France until the early eighteen-hundreds, when their influence began to be felt in scattered works by Delacroix, Prud'hon, Millet, and other artists.

The New Yorker

Partly it is the nature of low-paid, scattered agricultural work, which means that labourers are often housed and bused around by the same people who employ them.

The Economist

The Walkmen have gone four years since releasing their much-heralded breakthrough, "Bows + Arrows," and there have been a number of diversions since: a weaker follow-up album, a tossed-off covers record, scattered soundtrack work, a move upstate from New York City.

The New York Times - Arts

I'll be away for most of the next three weeks, partly for business (the BlogHer conference in San Diego next week), partly for the latest leg of the college application tour (yes, the next one is a high school senior this year) and partly to spend some delicious time together as a family, after a summer in which we have been scattered by work.

The New York Times

But when people are scattered, or working for several different employers, simply co-ordinating their joint efforts can be immensely time-consuming.

The Economist

Nico Muhly, "Mothertongue" (Bedroom Community/Brassland). "Scattered Rhymes" (works of O'Regan, Machaut, Bryars, and Dufay), with the Orlando Consort and Paul Hillier conducting the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir (Harmonia Mundi).

The New Yorker

Amid a huge show that ranges over eight centuries of Ghandara statues devoted to depicting the face of Buddha, are scattered the works of a playful and eagerly collected young Pakistani photographer, Rashid Rana.Using computer software to mix his images, Mr Rana creates works that are both ironic and disturbing.

The Economist

It used to be that field linguists like Dr. Childs, a scattered corps working against time to salvage the world's endangered tongues — more than 3,000 at last count — scribbled data in smeared notebooks and stored sounds on cassette tapes, destined to rot in boxes.

The New York Times - Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "scattered work", ensure the context clearly indicates whether you're referring to a variety of tasks, geographically dispersed work, or work that lacks focus.

Common error

Avoid using "scattered work" when you mean to describe tasks that are merely complex or demanding. The phrase specifically suggests distribution or lack of cohesion, not just difficulty.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "scattered work" functions as a noun phrase, typically describing a collection of tasks, projects, or efforts that are distributed, fragmented, or lack a central focus. As Ludwig AI states, it refers to multiple pieces of work that may not be related.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "scattered work" is a grammatically sound noun phrase used to describe tasks that are distributed, fragmented, or lack central focus. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. While not extremely common, it appears across different contexts, particularly in News & Media, Science, and Wiki sources. The phrase's neutral register and clear descriptive function make it a useful tool for articulating situations involving diverse or disconnected work efforts. Consider alternatives like "sporadic tasks" or "fragmented projects" to nuance your meaning further.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

sporadic tasks

Emphasizes the irregular or infrequent nature of the work.

fragmented projects

Highlights the broken-up or disjointed nature of the work.

diverse assignments

Focuses on the variety and range of tasks involved.

distributed workload

Indicates that the work is spread across multiple areas or people.

piecemeal labor

Suggests that the work is done in small, separate portions.

unfocused efforts

Implies that the work lacks a central point or direction.

disjointed activities

Highlights the lack of connection or coherence between the tasks.

miscellaneous duties

Focuses on the varied and often unrelated nature of the tasks.

assorted responsibilities

Indicates a range of different types of tasks or duties.

diffuse operations

Emphasizes the spread-out and decentralized nature of the work.

FAQs

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

You can say, "Due to the company restructure, I've been dealing with a lot of "scattered work" this week."

What can I say instead of "scattered work"?

You can use alternatives like "sporadic tasks", "fragmented projects", or "diverse assignments" depending on the specific context.

Which is the better phrase, "scattered work" or "focused work"?

"Scattered work" describes tasks that lack cohesion or are distributed across different areas, while "focused work" implies concentrated effort on a specific task. The better phrase depends entirely on the situation you're describing.

Does "scattered work" imply a negative or positive situation?

"Scattered work" often implies a less organized or less efficient situation, but it's not inherently negative. It simply describes the nature of the tasks. Its impact can be neutral or, depending on the case, lead to lower productivity.