Work On/In/With A Team – Preposition Guide (With Examples)

The differences between “work on a team”, “work in a team”, and “work with a team” will be discussed in this article. The use of helpful examples will clarify the differences between the three phrases and allow you to gain a deeper insight into the meanings of all three.

Is It “Work On A Team”, “Work In A Team”, or “Work With A Team”?

“Work on a team” denotes that you are working as a member of the team. “Work in a team” denotes that you contribute in a more minor role. “Work with a team” denotes that you are working in a collaboration with a team that you are not a member of.

All three phrases are grammatically correct, but they all differ in their usage. “Work on a team” indicates that you are a part of the team. “Work in a team” denotes that you are working as a member of the team and can often be used interchangeably with “work on a team”.

However, the slight difference between the two phrases is that in “work in a team”, your contribution to the team is more minor than if you were to say, “work on a team”. In addition, “work with a team” denotes that you are working cooperatively with a team that you currently are not a member of.

What Does “Work On A Team” Mean?

The phrase “work on a team” should be used when you are a member of the team. If you hold a position within the team that you are working, and are able to contribute significantly to it, you can consider yourself to be “working on a team”.

To aid in your understanding of how to use “work on a team” in a sentence, please refer to the following examples:

1. We work on a team to complete this assignment.
2. I work on a team that has people from all disciplines and walks of life.
3. I work on a team for the fulfilment of this project.
4. We work on a team to aid in the promotion of climate change.
5. I work on a team that has members ranging in age from 31 to 73.

What Does “Work In A Team” Mean?

The phrase “work in a team” should be used when you are a member of the team but contribute in a minor way to the team. If you are a part of a team, but your contributions are not large, you can use the term “work in a team”.

To help you gain a better understanding of how to use “work in a team” in a sentence, please refer to the useful examples below:

1. I work in a team of 50 people.
2. We work in a team with 60 other members.
3. I work in a team that focuses on spreading word about the importance of saving the environment.
4. We work in a team that has daily meetings.
5. I work in a team that requires each member’s small contribution to become the great team that it is.

What Does “Work With A Team” Mean?

The phrase “work with a team” should be used when you are not a member of the team but are collaborating with the team in some capacity. You could be a member of a different team but are cooperating with this team for a period of time.

As this phrase may be confusing, we have outlined the following examples to show you how to use “work with a team” in a sentence. Take note of the following examples:

1. I work with a team to support my brand design.
2. We work with a team to build the foundation of our building.
3. I work with a team late into the evening.
4. To complete the assignment, we work with a team that is competent and reliable.
5. I work with a team to get this project done.

Are “Work On A Team”, “Work In A Team”, And “Work With A Team” Interchangeable?

While “work on a team” and “work in a team” can be used interchangeably, all three phrases have subtle differences that have to be taken into account when using them.  

The phrase “work on a team” and “work in a team” can often be used interchangeably, with only a slight difference in connotation. The phrase “work on a team” denotes that you are a member of a team and that you contribute significantly to the team. The phrase “work in a team” denotes that you are a member of a team but that you contribute less significantly to the team. The amount of significance placed on your work is subjective.

The phrase “work with a team”, on the other hand, is used to denote that you are not a member of the team but are working in collaboration with the team.

Is “Work On A Team”, “Work In A Team”, Or “Work With A Team” Used The Most?

The phrase “work in a team” is used most often, followed by the phrase “work with a team” and then the phrase “work on a team”.  

As this graph taken from the Google Ngram Viewer illustrates, the phrase “work in a team”, represented by the red line, is used a lot more often than the phrase “work with a team”, depicted by the green line. The phrase “work with a team” is used more often than the phrase “work on a team”, represented by the blue line, which is the lowest on the graph.

“Work On A Team”, “Work In A Team”, And “Work With A Team” – Usage In The UK And The US

In both British English and American English, the phrases “work in a team” and “work with a team” are used more often than the phrase “work on a team”.

In British English, the graph from Google Ngram Viewer illustrates that the phrase “work in a team” is used a lot more often than the phrase “work with a team”. The phrase “work with a team” is used more often than the phrase “work on a team”.

In American English, as this graph taken from the Google Ngram Viewer illustrates, the phrase “work in a team” and “work with a team” are almost equally used. Both of these phrases are used more often than the phrase “work on a team”.

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