working singly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "working singly" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe someone who is working alone or independently, rather than as part of a group. Example: "While the team usually collaborates on projects, I prefer working singly to focus on my individual tasks."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Even as they do, former church members and neighbors, working singly or in small groups, are aggressively rallying to halt their demise.

The New York Times

In manufacturing industries, the quality of a product depends on the combined effect of multiple input variables working singly or together and therefore attention has been given on process capability indices to shift from single to multivariate domain.

Journal of Manufacturing Systems

The current genetic variation within a species is shaped by these two processes working singly or in combination [ 2, 7, 8].

BMC Evolutionary Biology

If Plk1 or APC/C activities, working singly, were efficient in releasing the links between centrioles the cell could be subject to the risk that when Plk1 activity rises in G2/early mitosis and Emi1 begins to be degraded as early as 20 minutes before nuclear envelope breakdown (Di Fiore and Pines, 2007), centrioles could prematurely separate leading to an incidence of spindle multipolarity.

Biology Open

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Students will work singly or in small groups and utilize as many online, library, and other resources to answer the questions and solve the problems.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Resistance to Bd could include one of three mechanisms, which may work singly or in combination: antimicrobial properties of skin glandular secretions [11], [48], [49], [50], [51]; antimicrobial properties of skin microflora [52], [53], [54], [55], [56], [57]; and/or immune system function [58], but this idea has been controversial [59].

Plosone

The relatively higher potency of the crude extract may be attributed to the presence of various phytochemical constituents that work singly or synergistically, but might be reduced or lost during fractionation.

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

IL-6 is just one of a handful of proinflammatory factors (for example, IL-1β, IL-21, and IL-23) that can work singly and in combination to drive human Th17 development [ 49, 50, 52, 53].

Arthritis Research and Therapy

Such works, singly and combined, make "Red, Black and Green" unlike any other exhibition in the city and give promising evidence of a dynamic collection in formation.

The New York Times - Arts

In the present work, singly exposed active site of copper metal cluster at sub-nanometer level was designed to arrive at the energy minimised configurations, binding energy, electrostatic potential map, frontier molecular orbitals and partial density of states.

Applied Surface Science

Each SiNW can be worked on singly from an electrical contact standpoint.

Nanoscale Research Letters

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "working singly" when you want to emphasize that an action or task is performed by an individual, as opposed to a group or in collaboration. It highlights independence and self-reliance in the working process.

Common error

Avoid using "single" instead of "singly". "Single" describes a state (e.g., a single person), while "singly" describes how an action is performed (i.e., alone). Incorrect: working single. Correct: working singly.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "working singly" functions as a gerund phrase, where "working" acts as a verb-turned-noun, modified by the adverb "singly". It describes the manner in which an action is performed, emphasizing the individual effort. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically sound and suitable for use in writing.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "working singly" is a grammatically correct expression used to emphasize that an action is performed independently, rather than in a group. Ludwig AI validates this. While not overly common, it appears most frequently in scientific and news-related contexts, often in a formal or neutral register. Alternatives such as ""operating alone"" or ""functioning independently"" may be suitable depending on the desired nuance. Remember to distinguish between "singly" and "single" for accurate usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

operating alone

Replaces "working" with "operating", emphasizing the action of functioning independently.

functioning independently

Emphasizes self-reliance in function, rather than focusing on labor.

acting autonomously

Highlights the self-governing nature of the work.

undertaking individually

Shifts focus to personal responsibility for a task.

executing solo

A more informal way to convey working without assistance.

performing by oneself

Highlights the lack of collaboration or assistance.

doing single-handedly

Emphasizes accomplishing a task alone, often with the implication of difficulty.

handling independently

Focuses on managing a task or situation without needing oversight.

going it alone

An idiomatic expression for choosing to work without support.

laboring individually

Emphasizes the effort of working without partners.

FAQs

How to use "working singly" in a sentence?

You can use "working singly" to emphasize that someone is performing a task alone, as opposed to in a group. For example: "Even as they do, former church members and neighbors, working singly or in small groups, are aggressively rallying to halt their demise."

What can I say instead of "working singly"?

You can use alternatives like "operating alone", "functioning independently", or "acting autonomously" depending on the context.

Is "working singly" formal or informal?

"Working singly" can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but it's generally more common in formal or technical writing, such as scientific papers or reports. In casual conversation, phrases like "working alone" might be more common.

What is the difference between "working singly" and "working independently"?

While both phrases convey a similar meaning, "working independently" often implies a degree of self-direction and autonomy in the work, while "working singly" simply highlights that the work is being done by one person without assistance. The nuance lies in the level of control and decision-making involved.