What is the past tense of "work"?

The past simple of "work" is "worked". I work in an office five days a week.

What is the past participle of "work"?

The past participle of "work" is "worked". Use it after have/has/had: "I have worked".

What is a common mistake with "work"?

Wrong: "I work in the office yesterday.". Correct: "I worked in the office yesterday.". Past tense needs 'worked', not 'work'.

How do you pronounce "work"?

/wɜːrk/ — One syllable: /wɜːrk/ rhymes with 'clerk' and 'shirt'.

Conjugation of "Work" — All Forms, Examples, and Usage

Q: Is "work" regular or irregular?

"Work" is a regular English verb. Both past simple and past participle are formed by adding -ed.

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All 12 Tenses of "Work"

Quick reference table — every tense form of "work" with the first-person example and a link to the grammar guide for that tense.

Tense	Example (I)	Quick rule
Simple Present	`I work`	Used for habits, facts, routines, and permanent situations. Full rule →
Simple Past	`I worked`	Used for completed actions at a specific time in the past. Full rule →
Simple Future	`I will work`	Used for predictions, decisions made at the moment, and promises. Full rule →
Present Continuous	`I am working`	Used for actions happening right now or temporary situations. Full rule →
Past Continuous	`I was working`	Used for actions in progress at a specific moment in the past. Full rule →
Future Continuous	`I will be working`	Used for actions that will be in progress at a specific future time. Full rule →
Present Perfect	`I have worked`	Used for past actions with present relevance, life experiences, or unfinished situations. Full rule →
Past Perfect	`I had worked`	Used for an action that was completed before another past action. Full rule →
Future Perfect	`I will have worked`	Used for an action that will be completed before a specific future time. Full rule →
Present Perfect Continuous	`I have been working`	Used for actions that started in the past and continue now, with focus on duration. Full rule →
Past Perfect Continuous	`I had been working`	Used for ongoing actions in the past that continued up to another past moment. Full rule →
Future Perfect Continuous	`I will have been working`	Used for actions that will have been ongoing up until a specific future time. Full rule →

Past Tense of "Work" — Worked

The past simple of "work" is "worked" — formed by adding "-ed". Use it for actions that were completed at a specific time in the past, such as "yesterday", "last week", or "in 2020". For the full grammar of this tense, see our simple past tense guide.

Past Participle of "Work" — Worked

The past participle of "work" is "worked" — the same form as the past simple, since "work" is a regular verb. Use it after "have/has/had" for perfect tenses ("I have worked") and after "be" for passive voice ("It was worked").

Is "Work" Regular or Irregular?

"Work" is a regular English verb. Its past simple and past participle are both formed by adding "-ed" to give "worked". The 3rd-person singular present is "works" and the gerund/present participle is "working".

Conjugation pattern: regular -ed

How to Pronounce "Work" and Its Forms

Work: /wɜːrk/ — Stress pattern: O

One syllable: /wɜːrk/ rhymes with 'clerk' and 'shirt'.

Common mispronunciation of "work"

/wɑːrk/ (American pronunciation is acceptable)

How to Use "Work" — Common Grammar Patterns

Use 'work for' to show your employer, 'work as' for your role.

S + work (infinitive)
S + works (3rd person singular)
S + worked (past tense)

Example Sentences with "Work" in Different Tenses

Simple Present: I work in an office five days a week. A1

Common Collocations with "Work"

work hard — She works hard every day.
work at a company — I work at a tech company.
work on something — We are working on a solution.
work together — Let's work together on this project.
work well — This solution works well for us.

When to Use "Work" vs Similar Verbs

Smart synonyms — when to use each one

labor — physical or hard work
earn — emphasizing the financial reward
be employed — formal or official status

Common Mistakes with "Work"

Wrong: He work in the office.
Correct: He works in the office.
Add "s" for third-person singular.
Wrong: I am work on the project.
Correct: I am working on the project. / I work on the project.
Use present participle (working), not base form, with "am".
Wrong: They worked hard yesterday.
Correct: They worked hard yesterday.
This is correct! Past tense is "worked".

Origin and Etymology of "Work"

From Old English werc, related to German Werk.

Conjugation Tables for "Work"

Negative Forms

Simple present: I do not work · He does not work
Simple past: I did not work · She did not work
Present perfect: I have not worked · He has not worked

Question Forms

Simple present: Do you work? · Does he work?
Simple past: Did you work?
Present perfect: Have you worked?

Passive Voice (where applicable)

Simple present passive: It is worked
Simple past passive: It was worked
Present perfect passive: It has been worked

Frequently Asked Questions About "Work"

Is "work" regular or irregular?: "work" is a regular verb. Add -ed for past simple and past participle: "worked".
What is the past tense of "work"?: The simple past of "work" is "worked".
When do I use simple present vs present continuous with "work"?: Use simple present for habits, facts, and routines: "I work every day." Use present continuous for actions happening right now: "I am working right now."
What's a common mistake with "work"?: Add "s" for third-person singular. Wrong: "He work in the office." Correct: "He works in the office."