At work means at your job: at your workplace or during working hours. I'm at work means I'm at my job right now. People say it about an office, a shop or a hospital alike: what matters is that the person is working, not which building they're in.
Want to use at work in conversation?
Write a sentence — we'll show the mistakes right away and suggest how to say it more naturally.
The check is taking longer than usual. Your feedback will appear here automatically.
be at work; at work + today/until six; leave something at work; go to work / get to work; hard at work
- I left my laptop charger at work, so I'll have to use my phone tonight.
- She's at work until seven, but she can call you during her lunch break.
- Please don't send me funny videos at work — my boss sits right behind me.
What changed
First versionSorry, I can't talk right now, I'm on work until six.
RevisionSorry, I can't talk right now, I'm at work until six.
On can seem possible because people are on duty or on a shift, but on work isn't English. Work here behaves like school or home: at work, at school, at home. There's no article either, because work here isn't a specific building but an activity. In the correction, on was replaced with at.
Place and direction are different: go to work and get to work mean travelling to your job, while at work means you're already there. British English also has in work, but it isn't about place; it's about whether someone has a job: He's been in work since March means he has been employed since March.
Your turn
I can't talk now — I'm still ___, and my manager is standing right next to me.
Show the answer
at work — The speaker is at their workplace right now, with the manager standing nearby, so it's at work. On work isn't used in English: work, like home and school, goes with at.
A friend calls you during the day. Write to them explaining why you can't answer: say where you are and until what time you're busy.
Sorry I missed your call — I'm at work and I'll be busy until six.
Learn to use new words without mistakes
Write phrases with the words you are learning. LetsWords shows mistakes in usage and grammar, suggests corrections and explains them, and review helps the words stick.