Regular verb
The verb to work
work → worked → worked
A1Meaning: to do a job; to function correctly · Type: regular · Frequency: Top 10 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they work·he/she/it works - Past Simple:
worked(regular, with -ed) - Past participle:
worked - -ing form:
working
Conjugation of the verb to work
Present Simple
| I | work |
| You | work |
| He / She / It | works |
| We | work |
| You (pl.) | work |
| They | work |
Past Simple
| I | worked |
| You | worked |
| He / She / It | worked |
| We | worked |
| You (pl.) | worked |
| They | worked |
All the forms of the verb to work
Present Simple
Full pagework / works
“I work in Paris.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are working
“I am working in the garden right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pageworked
“I worked late yesterday.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were working
“I was working in the garden when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has worked
“I have already worked in the garden.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad worked
“She had already worked in the garden when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill work
“I will work in the garden tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to work
“I'm going to work in the garden this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould work
“I would work in the garden if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to work
1. Working (doing a job)
- I work in Paris.
2. Working (for a machine)
For a machine or an idea, work means to function correctly.
- It doesn't work!
3. Work out
Work out means to do sport, or to find the answer to a problem.
- I work out every morning.
A common mistake
1. She works like a teacher ❌
To give someone's job, use as: She works as a teacher. Like a teacher means “in the same way as a teacher”, but she is not a teacher.
Going further
Conjugating to work is a key skill in the English contest
Every year, the Big Challenge tests the key English verbs. Register your students so they can check their level in a real contest.
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Practise on PLAYYou can conjugate to work. Now say it out loud.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of work?+
The Past Simple of work is worked. It is a regular verb: work + -ed = worked. The past participle is also worked: My dad worked in a bank for ten years.
Is it work for or work at?+
Use work for + the company or the person you work for: She works for a big airline. Use work at + the place or building: He works at the hospital. Both can be correct; the choice depends on what you want to say.
What does work out mean?+
Work out has three common meanings. It means to do sport or exercise: I work out three times a week. It means to find the answer to a problem: Let's work it out together. It also means to end well: Don't worry, it all worked out fine.
What is a workaholic?+
A workaholic is a person who works all the time and can't stop: My uncle is a workaholic. He even works at weekends. The ending -aholic means a person who can't stop doing something.
What does working from home mean?+
Working from home (often written WFH) means you do your job at home, not in an office: My mum works from home on Fridays. It became very common in 2020. Remote work is a wider term: you can work from anywhere.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/work
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.