took any work

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "took any work" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to express the idea of accepting or engaging in work, but it lacks clarity and proper grammatical structure. Example: "He took any work that was offered to him during the summer."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

My father took any work he could find to help us survive — from fighting wildfires to digging ditches.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

You don't take any work home with you.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

As a jobbing actor or musician you have to take any work you can get".

Independent

As an aside, do not take any work placement that involves being a waiter.

The Guardian - Money

When it became clear that the market was not in my favor, I opened my mind to taking any work.

The Guardian - Money

Although the job is intense and requires a lot of concentration, train drivers never take any work home with them.

The Guardian

"Work" depicts in Cubist style a man in a brown suit with a sign hanging from his neck that reads "Will Take Any Work".

The New York Times - Arts

The effect diminishes over time, but is still statistically significant 15 years later.After a period of unemployment, the temptation to take any work at all can be strong.

The Economist

Renault later partly confirmed the announcement, but said that the 400 new jobs in France would not take any work away from Slovenia.

Independent

She felt she had to take any work she could – which was 25 hours a week housekeeping at a local hotel.

The Guardian - Opinion

"I think it doesn't take any work at all for images of 2000 to become visible again in black discourse" if Mrs. Clinton "takes the nomination away from Obama".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Replace "took any work" with more standard phrases like "accepted any work" or "took on any work" to improve clarity and grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using "took any work" as it sounds unnatural. Instead, clarify the type of work accepted, such as "accepted any job offered" or "undertook whatever task was available".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "took any work" functions as a verb phrase, indicating the action of accepting employment. However, Ludwig AI suggests the phrase is not grammatically correct in standard written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "took any work" is understandable, it is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. Ludwig AI indicates the phrase is awkward and less precise than alternatives like "accepted any work" or "took on any work". Its usage is relatively rare, mainly appearing in news articles and informal contexts. For clarity and grammatical accuracy, it's best to use the suggested alternatives in formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

accepted any job

Focuses on the acceptance of a job, implying a formal employment agreement, and offers a more standard phrasing.

took on any assignment

Implies the acceptance of a specific task or project, often within a professional context.

undertook any task

A more formal way of saying "took on", suggesting a commitment to complete a specific duty.

did any kind of work

Highlights the variety of work accepted, implying a willingness to perform different tasks.

engaged in any labor

Emphasizes physical or manual work and sounds slightly archaic or formal.

pursued any employment

Focuses on the active search for and acceptance of employment opportunities.

obtained any position

Implies successfully securing a job or role, often after a competitive process.

secured any contract

Highlights the act of obtaining a formal agreement for specific work.

embraced any opportunity

Suggests a positive and willing acceptance of diverse work experiences.

grabbed any chance

Emphasizes quick acceptance of available work, often in urgent situations.

FAQs

What are some better ways to say "took any work"?

You can use phrases like "accepted any work", "took on any work", or "undertook any task" depending on the context.

Is "took any work" grammatically correct?

The phrase "took any work" is not considered standard English. It's generally better to use more precise and grammatically sound alternatives.

When is it appropriate to use "took any work"?

While not recommended, you might see "took any work" used informally. However, in formal writing, it is always better to opt for more precise language.

What's the difference between "took any work" and "accepted any work"?

"Accepted any work" is a more formal and grammatically correct way of saying someone agreed to do whatever job was available. "Took any work", while understandable, is less polished and may sound awkward to some readers.