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She has work but he doesn’t have a job.
means
Count Noun
“Job” is a count noun so it needs an article:
He has a job
Non-Count Noun
“Work” is a non-count noun so it does not have an article:
She has work.
Parallel Phrases
Both of these phrases are the same.
Note that one noun (job) has the indefinite article “a” but the other one (work) does not.
Common Mistakes
He has job.
She has a work.
We don’t say the above sentences because the grammar is wrong.
Count Nouns and Non-Count Nouns
Things which can be counted:
dogs, cats, people, jobs, bottles
a dog, a cat, a person, a job, a bottle
Things which can not be counted:
milk, sugar, liquid, rice, work
some milk, some sugar, some liquid, some rice, some work
Confusion
Sometimes people get confused because we say:
Can I have a beer please?
Can I have a coffee please?
Can I have a water please?
These phrases actually mean:
Can I have a glass of beer, please?
Can I have a cup of coffee, please?
Can I have a glass of beer, please?
The Difference between Work and a Job
Although they mean the same thing, in practice, we use “work” differently.
Look at these examples:
Job
When did you start your job?
This means:
“On what date did you start working for this employer in this particular job?”
You could answer:
I started my job in March 2015 so I have been working in that job for about two and a half years.
Work
When do you start work?
This means:
At what time do you start work on any particular day?
You might answer:
I start work at seven thirty in the morning and I work until about three or four pm in the afternoon.
Going to Work
We generally say:
I go to work at seven.
We don’t say:
I go to job
We generally say:
What time do you start work?
What time do you go to work?
What days do you work?
But we say:
I have a job.
Question
Do you have a job?
Tell us about it in the comments section below:
“Work” and “employment” are general non-count nouns.
Read about how they are used at this link:
Work and Employment
Job is s specific count noun.
Links
Links to More Lessons: Vocabulary