split the work

USAGE SUMMARY

"split the work" is a perfectly acceptable phrase to use in written English.
It is generally used when asking someone to divide a task or job among several people. For example, "We need to get this project finished by the end of the week. Let's split the work and assign tasks to each of us."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

21 human-written examples

How did you split the work? A. Let's just say I type with two index fingers.

The New York Times

That was the first show that I split the work load with another character designer.

The New York Times - Magazine

Since 1997, Newport News and General Dynamics have evenly split the work on submarines.

The New York Times

They also seemed fairly coordinated within their teams and had split the work into well defined front- and back-ends.

The Guardian

The friends split the work: Rynd takes care of the art and the bands, Sparry oversees the bar and the d.j.s, and Taylor does the cooking.

The New Yorker

Fortunately, a nephew snatched the scroll from the funeral pyre that day in 1650, but not before flames split the work in two.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

39 human-written examples

To test whether the observed changes in the labour composition may explain the observed job polarization, we split the working population into 22 cells (gender (2 groups), educational attainment (3 groups), age groups for natives (3 groups), and 4 groups of immigrants depending on their gender and whether they belong to OECD countries or not).

SERIEs

Originally they were held on a single day, with several conductors splitting the work.

The New York Times - Arts

Theirs is an unusual arrangement: instead of paying him, Ms. Pindell splits the work with Mr. Mike.

The New York Times

The corporation's Newport News shipbuilding unit is the only company that builds the Navy's aircraft carriers, and it splits the work on nuclear submarines with General Dynamics.

The New York Times

Intel also said it had nearly completed a technology that could improve individual chips' performance by 30percentt by splitting the work among different parts of a chip.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "split the work", clearly define each person's responsibilities to avoid confusion and ensure all aspects of the task are covered. Provide a checklist.

Common error

Avoid assuming everyone understands their role when you "split the work". Clearly define each person's area of responsibility to prevent duplicated effort or tasks falling through the cracks.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "split the work" functions as a verb phrase, indicating the action of dividing a task or project into smaller, manageable parts for multiple individuals to handle. Ludwig examples show this division occurring in diverse contexts, from design to submarine construction.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Science

21%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

2%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "split the work" is a common and grammatically correct expression used to describe the division of tasks among individuals, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It's widely used across various contexts, particularly in news and media, science, and wiki sources. While generally neutral in register, it's adaptable to both professional and informal communication. When employing this phrase, clearly defining individual responsibilities is crucial to avoid confusion. Alternative phrases like "divide the labor" or "share the workload" can be used for variety. The prevalence and consistent usage of "split the work" across authoritative sources affirm its reliability and effectiveness in English communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

divide the labor

Changes "work" to "labor", implying a more structured or formal division.

share the duties

Replaces "work" with "duties", suggesting a focus on obligations or responsibilities.

share the workload

Focuses on the amount of work each person handles, emphasizing equitable distribution.

distribute the tasks

Replaces "split" with "distribute" and "work" with "tasks", highlighting the assignment of individual duties.

divide the responsibilities

Focuses on dividing specific duties and accountabilities.

allocate responsibilities

Shifts the focus to assigning specific duties, rather than dividing a single job.

break up the assignment

Emphasizes dividing a single, large assignment into smaller parts.

delegate duties

Implies a hierarchical structure where someone is assigning tasks to others.

portion out the effort

Emphasizes dividing the overall exertion required for a task.

collaborate on the project

Highlights teamwork and mutual effort rather than a strict division of labor.

FAQs

How can I use "split the work" in a sentence?

You can use "split the work" to suggest dividing a task among multiple people, such as: "Let's split the work on this project to meet the deadline" or "They split the work evenly to ensure fairness".

What are some alternatives to "split the work"?

Alternatives to "split the work" include "divide the labor", "share the workload", or "distribute the tasks".

Is it better to "split the work" or "delegate tasks"?

The best option depends on the context. "Split the work" implies a more equal distribution of a single task, while "delegate tasks" suggests assigning different responsibilities to different people, often in a hierarchical setting.

What does it mean to "split the work" evenly?

To "split the work" evenly means to divide the tasks or responsibilities in a way that each person has a fair and equitable share of the overall effort.