He now works a construction job: Grammar?

It's poifectly correct, Fansy. What is it about that sentence that troubles you?

It's the grammar that troubles me. Does it imply that similarly we can say He works a teaching job? or He works a lawer job?

It's not perfectly correct in BrE. It sounds weird to me.



So that is a very good question. I'd avoid that construct like the plague.

I hate it, but I hear it all the time. Closely related, "He works construction." Mostly, I hear the usage from the same people who describe working on a car or truck as "mechanicing", so maybe not such good sources.

I can't see how the grammar is any problem, Fansy, for such a construction is perfectly grammatical.

He works constructing. --> grammatical but not at all common

He works construction. --> grammatical and pretty common

He works two jobs. --> grammatical and quite common



We certainly could, in the sense that the structure is fully grammatical. Perhaps the consideration is that we don't use this as much for work situations that are seen as more permanent/stable.

You have to distinguish between grammatical and idiomatic, McTag.

Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

is hardly idiomatic for any dialect of English, but it is grammatical.

An oft repeated bit of nonsense, Roger. Every native speaker of a language knows the grammar of their language.

A little object lesson in language.

You seem to be suggesting that "people who describe working on a car or truck as "mechanicing" are doing something wrong/inappropriate with the English language. Please explain how this would be so.

Because "mechanic" is an occupation.

We don't talk about "fishermaning".

There are many things we don't say, that by following the rules of English, we could say, McTag.

"doctor" is an occupation, as is "nurse" and "engineer"

Exact phrase Google "mechanicing"

About 5,360 results

That's certainly respectable for a relatively new addition to the language.

But we're getting away from the original question. For NaE, it is quite common. How it fits, actually fits, in BrE is another question.

An unlovely, awkward-sounding, unnecessary neologism, one might also say.
I would, anyway.

"unlovely" sounds odd to my ear, McTag but that's not a valid reason for you to shun its use, nor does it prevent me from using it in the future if a situation arises where I, and the operative word is want to use it.

Shakespeare was renowned for neologisms.

Try this?

He now works as a "___" in the construction industry.

In Chicago, there was solidarity in diversity, as Latinos were joined by immigrants of: Polish, Irish, Asian and African descent. Jerry Jablonski, age 30, said he had moved to Chicago from Poland six years ago, by first flying to Mexico and then crossing the border. He now works aa a mason in the construction industry.

Work the grammar equation out by speaking it out loud as it is first written. Correct English is becoming scarce these days and if you use this tool - then you can find out why those sentences do sound weird.

Good day, DKNichol.

That wasn't Fansy's writing. Fansy is an ESL/EFL who just wanted to know if the grammar was alright. It is.

Your change doesn't say the same thing as the original.

Would you have a problem with,

He now works two jobs. ?

The Sentence is correct "He now works a construction job". I would like to like to add something about construction. Wherever you see the construction sites you must have to follow the signs which are placed there to restrict you and give you the warning to protect yourself here

The Sentence is correct "He now works a construction job". I would like to add something about construction. Wherever you see the construction sites you must have to follow the signs which are placed there to restrict you and give you the warning to protect yourself here

He works in construction.

His job is now in construction.