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I couldn't find an answer to this question by searching the archive. If it's duplicate please let me know, and I'll remove it.

I was wondeing if "work" (noun) is plural or singular? for example, I want to speak about the "previous work" (meaning previous published papers):

Is it correct to say:

I provide a high-level overview of the previous work, including "their" limitations.

Or I should say:

I provide a high-level overview of the previous work, including "its" limitations.

I also appreciate any suggestion for a more elegant way of saying that there are "niche" in the previous papers, that I'm going to highlight.

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2 Answers2

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Work can be either singular or plural, and in your context, either is possible - but the pronoun must agree, in either case.

So you can either use

  • I provide a high-level overview of the previous work, including its limitations.

or

  • I provide a high-level overview of the previous works, including their limitations.

In the first case, you refer to the entire body of previous work, whereas in the second, you refer to multiple instances of previous works. The difference is subtle, though, and my initial point stands - I'd say that you can use either, as long as the pronoun is consistent.

jimsug
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    When "work" is plural, it usually refers to the activity of working, not the products. That's why you say "works" in the second sentence when you refer to multiple products. – Barmar May 01 '14 at 15:52
  • Is it true that, when we are talking about the product, and it is not a work of art or something, only previous research product, using singular "work" is correct? E.g. Several other work have focused on... – user25004 Oct 02 '15 at 15:08
  • @user25004 nope. If it's more than one, it's works. You can ask a new question, if you have one. – jimsug Oct 02 '15 at 15:10
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    http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/english/work_2 says work is not countable except when it means a book, piece of music, painting, etc. – user25004 Oct 02 '15 at 15:16
  • @user25004 If you have a question, ask it as a question. Comments are not the place to ask new questions, and despite the title, this question wasn't about works - it was about the pronoun that should be used with it. However, you should fully read all of the definitions there, and on other several dictionaries, and consider asking your question on [ell.se] – jimsug Oct 02 '15 at 15:23
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    @jimsung I find my issue relevant enough to this question not to start a duplicate. The issue is that based on the dictionary, your response "Work can be either singular or plural, and in your context, either is possible" seems unconvincing to me. That is why I am asking here, either to get convinced or to convince. Also I think the pronoun used in the question, is to give a concrete indication and highlight of plural or singular form of the noun. The topic summarizes the general underlying question being asked. – user25004 Oct 02 '15 at 15:54
  • @user25004 you checked some other dictionaries as I suggested, right? There's a reason that I did, so that you know that you managed to cite one of the few definitions that attempts to make this distinction? The reason I'm asking you to ask another question is because the answer to your – jimsug Oct 02 '15 at 16:05
  • question is that just because a noun is uncountable, doesn't mean it can never be pluralised. Uncountable does not mean always singular. – jimsug Oct 02 '15 at 16:06
  • This answer is at best misleading. In 'I provide a high-level overview of the previous work, including its limitations.' the usage is almost certainly mass not singular count. – Edwin Ashworth Oct 02 '15 at 16:08
  • @EdwinAshworth That assumes we're talking about count. We're not. We're talking about nominal plurality. Where in the question does the OP ask about countable/uncountable nouns? If that had been the question, the answer would have addressed it. As it was, I did not find it necessary to delve into a subject that would have only caused more confusion. In any case, the answer was much more related to their use of the pronoun than the plurality of the noun. – jimsug Oct 02 '15 at 16:09
  • Your answer is inadequate. 'Work can be either singular or plural' should read 'The lexeme work can be either singular or plural (as 'works') or uncount (taking singular agreement) ...'. – Edwin Ashworth Oct 02 '15 at 16:12
  • Then exercise your democratic right, downvote it, write a better answer, and then it will get voted up. I don't really believe that every answer to every question must be an exhaustive treatise on every aspect of the issue concerned. But, if you do, by all means, write another, better answer. – jimsug Oct 02 '15 at 16:14
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    The question is really a strong candidate for close-voting on ELU. I just don't like to see inadequate answers given apparent endorsement: it misleads people. @user25004 is right to challenge. – Edwin Ashworth Oct 02 '15 at 16:17
  • Okay, then, exercise your democratic right, vote to close the question. If you believe this question is close-worthy, then you should absolutely close it. I really don't mind, because my answer helped the person it was meant to, and at the time, no-one said that I should expand on it - and I don't think it was necessary. – jimsug Oct 02 '15 at 16:19
  • @Edwin Your objection the usage is almost certainly mass not singular count - does you refer to the entire body of previous work not convey that? Or should I have steeped it in obfuscating language? If I had instead said what you said, would the meaning have been clearer? And you're saying the challenge is valid; do you agree that uncountable means always singular, then? You've said this is answered elsewhere; those answers don't mention your distinction between count and mass - will you voice your concern there? – jimsug Oct 02 '15 at 16:22
  • His work is always shoddy. [noncount usage; takes a singular verb] // He took a day off work last week. [noncount usage_no verb involved in PP] // The 'Farewell to the Piano' is believed by some to be Beethoven's last work. [count usage_singular, taking singular verb] // Some of Beethoven's early works sound a little like Mozart's. [count usage_plural, taking plural verb] – Edwin Ashworth Oct 02 '15 at 16:29
  • Again, I ask: Is the countability of the noun in question here? Would it be a substantially different question if they had asked about the word duck/s instead of work/s? I'm afraid user25004 has led you down the garden path. And I'm not sure what the purpose of your last comment was - is it meant as an edit, or as a new answer? – jimsug Oct 02 '15 at 16:34
  • @jimsug I think the goal of a Q/A community like here, is to share knowledge, not to tell everyone else what to do. If you could share knowledge or defend your answer, please go ahead and do it. It is much more useful than filling up here with non-constructive comments one after each other. – user25004 Oct 02 '15 at 16:47
  • @user25004 I'm defending my answer. It's constructive, because you have confused this question for a different one, but can't, or won't, see it. Is this question really about "work", or is it about "its/their"? If you feel that the answer truly does not answer the question, then you can flag it as not an answer, and when you have earned enough reputation, downvote the answer. Or you can write another answer to it. I stand by my answer - it served its purpose, and answered the question that was asked. If you feel these comments are unconstructive, you can flag them as such. – jimsug Oct 03 '15 at 00:34
  • @user25004 but remember that I was the one who encouraged you to ask a new question, because I saw from the start that you had a different question. I may be the one making the comments, but you are the cause. – jimsug Oct 03 '15 at 00:35
  • @user25004 From my experience, works refers to works of art, literature, etc, but I also remember using it in a religious sense meaning deeds. In some of the older translations of the Bible, it is used in this sense. – Karlomanio Oct 15 '18 at 16:22
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Work is used for both singular and plural.It cannot be used as works for its plural form.guys don't confuse yourself, it's crystal clear Works only can be used in the third person singular form Ex; he works in a bank.

Ashraff
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