working on leave

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "working on leave" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used to describe a situation where someone is performing work-related tasks while officially on leave from their job, but the phrasing is awkward and unclear. Example: "Even though I was on leave, I found myself working on leave to finish the project before the deadline."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

It was on the grounds that we had made overpayments to scientists working on leave from universities and working at TÜBİTAK.

Science Magazine

Compared to those who were retired, survivors who were currently not working (on leave, student, unemployed) or doing unpaid work (volunteer, household duties) had about twice the odds of reporting physical aspects of daily living and sexuality needs as those who were retired.

BMC Cancer

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

They have clearly been working on leaving a lot more deliveries but sometimes you can think so much about your game that you make basic mistakes.

BBC

In addition to Torvalds and Stallman, SCO told the U.S. District Court in Utah it would issue subpoenas to Transmeta, a chip-design company that employs Torvalds; the Open Source Development Lab, where Torvalds currently works, on leave from Transmeta; software maker Novell ; and Digeo, maker of Linux-based TV set-top boxes.

Forbes

But details are still being worked on, leaving potential participants sceptical of its merits.

The Economist

Borrowing from the architect Shigeru Ban, the store uses cardboard tubes to frame artists' work, on left.

The New York Times

My stage five is reminding myself that I have three young boys and I need to get to work on leaving them a legacy we can all be proud of.

The Guardian

These tools allowed examiners to create an exact copy of a piece of digital media to work on, leaving the original disk intact for verification.

Wikipedia

This also works on Left 4 Dead 1.

WikiHow

I've been holding on to my job for dear life; on sick-leave and working, on sick-leave and working eventually I had to give it up.

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

What has ex-Yahooer and Delicious founder Joshua Schachter been working on since leaving Yahoo last June?

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To clearly convey the idea of engaging in work-related activities while on leave, consider using more explicit phrases such as "working remotely while on leave" or "performing tasks during leave".

Common error

Ensure clarity by specifying the nature and extent of work being done during the leave period. This avoids misinterpretations about your availability and commitment.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "working on leave" functions as a descriptive phrase. It attempts to describe the state of someone who is on a leave of absence but is still involved in work activities. As noted by Ludwig AI, the phrase is not standard and could be improved for clarity.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "working on leave" is used to describe a situation where an individual engages in work activities while officially on a leave of absence. However, as pointed out by Ludwig AI, the phrase is not considered standard English and may sound awkward or unclear. It appears infrequently, primarily in science and news contexts. For clearer communication, consider alternative phrases such as "working remotely while on leave" or "performing tasks during leave". While the phrase isn't grammatically incorrect, it's best to aim for precision and professionalism in formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

working during leave

Rephrases the action to emphasize the timing of work in relation to the leave period.

working while on leave

Emphasizes the concurrent nature of working and being on leave.

undertaking work during leave

More formal, highlighting the initiation and completion of tasks.

performing duties on leave

Suggests that specific tasks are being executed even while away.

handling responsibilities during absence

Shifts focus to managing obligations while not being present.

attending to tasks while on leave

Emphasizes the care and attention given to assignments during a break.

engaged in work-related activities on leave

A broader phrasing encompassing all work-related involvement during time off.

carrying out work during a break

Highlights the continuation of work in spite of a scheduled pause.

remaining active on projects during leave

Suggests ongoing participation and involvement in particular projects.

addressing work matters while on leave

Indicates dealing with concerns and issues related to work during a period of absence.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "working on leave" to sound more professional?

Consider using phrases like "working remotely while on leave" or "performing tasks during leave" for clearer communication.

Is "working on leave" grammatically correct?

While the phrase isn't inherently incorrect, it's awkward and may cause confusion. It's better to use more precise phrasing such as "working during leave".

What does it mean to be "working on leave"?

It generally implies that someone is performing work-related tasks while officially on a leave of absence from their job, but it lacks clarity. The user is essentially doing work they are not obligated to do.

What's a more precise alternative to "working on leave"?

Depending on the context, alternatives could include "working while on leave", indicating concurrent activities, or "performing duties on leave", specifying task execution.