The mistake and the correct version
Wrong
“Today I work on the client report.”
Correct
“Today I worked on the client report.”
Use “Today I worked on” when you are talking about a task you did earlier today. Even though the word “today” refers to the present day, the action may already be finished or partly completed, so English usually uses the past tense for a daily update.
Why Arabic speakers make this mistake
In Arabic, it is common to describe today’s work using a structure that feels close to the present, especially because the word “today” is still part of the current day. When Arabic speakers translate the idea directly into English, “Today I work on” can feel logical. In English, however, the verb tense depends on whether the action is happening now, happened earlier, or is a general routine.
Correct examples in real professional situations
Professional context
“Today I worked on the API integration and tested the main payment flow.”
Professional context
“Hi Sara, today I worked on the updated presentation and shared the first draft with the sales team.”
Professional context
“In my current role, I often manage reporting tasks. For example, today I worked on a weekly performance dashboard for senior management.”
Professional context
“Today I worked on resolving two customer issues and preparing tomorrow’s client notes.”
Professional context
“Today I worked with the operations team to review the implementation timeline.”
Why does this matter in a professional context?
In a busy workplace, small grammar mistakes can make your update sound less precise. If you say “Today I work on the report” when you mean work you already did, the listener may wonder if you are still doing it now, if it is your regular job, or if you are describing a completed task. The correct form, “Today I worked on”, signals that you can give clear progress updates. This is especially useful in meetings, interviews, performance reviews, and written messages where people need to understand exactly what you have done.
Ready-to-use phrases for daily work updates
“Today I worked on...”
“Today I worked on improving...”
“Today I worked with the team on...”
“I spent today working on...”
“So far today, I have worked on...”
“I am currently working on...”
What many Arabic speakers say vs what to say instead
What many Arabic speakers say
“”
What to say instead
“”
Other phrases to double-check
- •Yesterday I work on or yesterday I worked on
- •I am working on it or I work on it
- •I finished it or I have finished it
- •I did a meeting or I had a meeting
- •I discussed about the project or I discussed the project
- •I sent for you the file or I sent you the file