A2 noun 2 min read

재택 근무

Working from home using a computer and the internet instead of traveling to an office.

jaetaek geunmu

Explanation at your level:

You work at home. You use a computer. You do not go to the office. It is easy and fun!

Telecommuting means working from your house. You use the internet to talk to your boss. Many people like this because they stay home.

Telecommuting is a popular way to work. Instead of driving to an office, you work from your living room or a home office. It helps people have a better work-life balance.

When you telecommute, you bypass the daily commute entirely. It is a common professional arrangement in the tech industry. It requires discipline and good communication skills to be successful.

Telecommuting represents a paradigm shift in the modern workforce. By decoupling work from a specific physical location, companies have accessed global talent pools, though it challenges traditional team-building dynamics.

The etymological roots of telecommuting reflect the technological optimism of the 20th century. It has evolved from a niche environmental strategy into a cornerstone of contemporary labor economics, fundamentally altering the social contract between employer and employee.

Word in 30 Seconds

  • Working from home.
  • Uses technology.
  • Saves travel time.
  • Modern professional term.

Hey there! Telecommuting is a fancy way of saying you work from home. Instead of sitting in traffic or taking the bus to an office, you use your laptop and internet to get your tasks done.

It is all about flexibility. Many people love it because it saves time and money. You can be just as productive in your pajamas as you are in a suit!

The word telecommuting was coined in the 1970s by Jack Nilles, a physicist who wanted to reduce traffic congestion. He combined tele- (meaning 'at a distance') with commuting.

It was a revolutionary idea back then! Before the internet was everywhere, people thought it was impossible. Now, it is a normal part of life for millions of people worldwide.

You will hear this in business meetings or casual chats. Common phrases include remote work or work-from-home. It is a neutral, professional term.

Use it when talking about company policies or your personal work setup. It sounds slightly more formal than just saying 'working from home.'

1. Clock in: To start your workday. Example: 'I clock in at 9 AM from my desk.' 2. Off the grid: Being unreachable. Example: 'I was off the grid during my lunch break.' 3. Burn the midnight oil: Working late. Example: 'I was burning the midnight oil on my home project.' 4. Call it a day: Finishing work. Example: 'Let's call it a day.' 5. In the loop: Staying informed. Example: 'Email keeps me in the loop while telecommuting.'

This is an uncountable noun. You don't usually say 'a telecommuting.' Instead, use 'telecommuting' as a general concept.

Pronunciation: tel-uh-kuh-myoo-ting. The stress is on the 'myoo' syllable. It rhymes with 'computing' or 'recruiting.'

Fun Fact

Created by Jack Nilles in 1973.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ˌtel.ɪ.kəˈmjuː.tɪŋ/

Clear 'tel' sound.

US /ˌtel.ə.kəˈmjuː.t̬ɪŋ/

Soft 't' sounds.

Common Errors

  • Misplacing stress
  • Pronouncing 'tele' as 'telly'
  • Dropping the 'g'

Rhymes With

computing recruiting commuting refuting disputing

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

Easy to read

Writing 2/5

Easy to write

Speaking 2/5

Easy to say

Listening 2/5

Easy to hear

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

Work Home Computer

Learn Next

Remote Hybrid Productivity

Advanced

Decentralization Infrastructure

Grammar to Know

Gerunds

I enjoy telecommuting.

Uncountable Nouns

Telecommuting is fun.

Present Continuous

I am telecommuting.

Examples by Level

1

I like telecommuting.

I enjoy working from home.

Gerund usage.

1

She is telecommuting today.

2

Telecommuting saves time.

3

Is telecommuting hard?

4

They prefer telecommuting.

5

He started telecommuting.

6

We enjoy telecommuting.

7

Telecommuting is common.

8

I am telecommuting now.

1

Telecommuting allows for more flexibility.

2

Many companies now offer telecommuting.

3

I find telecommuting very productive.

4

Telecommuting reduces traffic.

5

She manages her team via telecommuting.

6

Telecommuting is a great benefit.

7

He enjoys the freedom of telecommuting.

8

Telecommuting changed my life.

1

The firm adopted a full-time telecommuting policy.

2

Telecommuting requires excellent self-discipline.

3

Despite the benefits, telecommuting can feel isolating.

4

We use Zoom for our telecommuting meetings.

5

Telecommuting has improved my work-life balance.

6

Many employees advocate for telecommuting rights.

7

Telecommuting is no longer an exception.

8

She balances childcare with telecommuting.

1

The transition to telecommuting was seamless for our department.

2

Telecommuting facilitates a more diverse hiring process.

3

Corporate culture often struggles to adapt to telecommuting.

4

Productivity metrics often rise with telecommuting.

5

Telecommuting is a catalyst for digital transformation.

6

The infrastructure for telecommuting is robust.

7

He argued that telecommuting fosters autonomy.

8

Telecommuting is the new standard in our sector.

1

The ubiquity of telecommuting has irrevocably altered urban planning.

2

Telecommuting serves as a buffer against regional economic stagnation.

3

The sociological implications of telecommuting are profound.

4

Telecommuting mitigates the carbon footprint of daily transit.

5

We are scrutinizing the long-term effects of telecommuting.

6

Telecommuting necessitates a shift in management philosophy.

7

The telecommuting model is inherently scalable.

8

Telecommuting challenges the traditional office-centric hierarchy.

Common Collocations

offer telecommuting
start telecommuting
telecommuting policy
full-time telecommuting
telecommuting arrangement
support telecommuting
telecommuting tools
increase telecommuting
telecommuting benefits
allow telecommuting

Idioms & Expressions

"Work from home"

Working remotely

I work from home.

neutral

"Clock in"

Begin work

I clock in at 8.

casual

"Log on"

Start computer work

I log on to the server.

neutral

"Off the clock"

Not working

I'm off the clock now.

casual

"Stay in the loop"

Keep informed

Email helps me stay in the loop.

neutral

"Burn the midnight oil"

Work very late

I'm burning the midnight oil.

idiomatic

Easily Confused

재택 근무 vs Remote work

They mean the same

None, just preference

I do remote work.

재택 근무 vs Telework

Very similar

Telework is more government-focused

The agency telework policy.

재택 근무 vs Hybrid work

Both involve home

Hybrid is part home, part office

I have a hybrid schedule.

재택 근무 vs Freelance

Both are often home

Freelance is about contract status

I am a freelance writer.

Sentence Patterns

A1

Subject + telecommutes + from + location

She telecommutes from home.

A2

The company + offers + telecommuting

The company offers telecommuting.

B1

I + prefer + telecommuting + to + commuting

I prefer telecommuting to commuting.

B2

Telecommuting + has + changed + how + we + work

Telecommuting has changed how we work.

C1

The + adoption + of + telecommuting + is + rising

The adoption of telecommuting is rising.

Word Family

Nouns

telecommuter A person who telecommutes

Verbs

telecommute To work remotely

Adjectives

telecommutable Able to be done remotely

Related

remote Synonym

How to Use It

frequency

8

Formality Scale

Telework (Formal) Telecommuting (Neutral) WFH (Casual)

Common Mistakes

telecommuteing telecommuting
Spelling error, remove the 'e'.
a telecommuting telecommuting
It is uncountable.
telecommute work telecommuting
Redundant phrase.
I am telecommute I am telecommuting
Use present continuous.
at telecommuting in telecommuting
Wrong preposition.

Tips

💡

Break it down

Tele + Commute.

💡

Use in emails

Mention it to your boss.

🌍

Modern trend

It reflects modern work.

💡

Uncountable

No 'a' or 's'.

💡

Stress the middle

Tel-uh-kuh-MYOO-ting.

💡

Spelling

One 'e' after the 't'.

💡

Origin

Jack Nilles 1973.

💡

Flashcards

Use it with 'WFH'.

💡

Rhyme

Rhymes with computing.

💡

Register

Use in professional settings.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Tele (distance) + Commute (travel)

Visual Association

A person sitting at a desk at home with a laptop.

Word Web

Internet Laptop Office Home

Challenge

Describe your home office.

Word Origin

English

Original meaning: Work from a distance

Cultural Context

None

Very common in the US/UK after 2020.

The Office (TV show) Various tech blogs

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Job interviews

  • Do you offer telecommuting?
  • What is your telecommuting policy?

Office talk

  • I'm telecommuting today.
  • Are you telecommuting tomorrow?

HR policies

  • Read the telecommuting agreement.
  • Sign the telecommuting form.

Tech industry

  • We are a telecommuting-first company.

Conversation Starters

"Do you prefer telecommuting or the office?"

"What are the pros of telecommuting?"

"How do you stay focused while telecommuting?"

"Does your company allow telecommuting?"

"Is telecommuting the future of work?"

Journal Prompts

Describe your ideal home office.

What are the biggest challenges of telecommuting?

How has telecommuting changed your life?

Write a letter to your boss asking for telecommuting.

Frequently Asked Questions

8 questions

Yes, they are synonyms.

Yes, 'I telecommute' is correct.

It is professional and neutral.

No, it is one word.

The 1970s.

Yes, very common.

Yes, but 'I am telecommuting' is better.

It functions as both.

Test Yourself

fill blank A1

I like ___ from home.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: telecommuting

Telecommuting fits the context.

multiple choice A2

What is telecommuting?

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: Working at home

Definition match.

true false B1

Telecommuting is a countable noun.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: False

It is uncountable.

match pairs B1

Word

Meaning

All matched!

Acronym match.

sentence order B2

Tap words below to build the sentence
Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:

Correct syntax.

fill blank B2

Our company has a new ___ policy.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: telecommuting

Contextual fit.

multiple choice C1

Which is an antonym?

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: On-site

On-site is the opposite.

true false C1

Telecommuting was coined in the 1800s.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: False

It was the 1970s.

sentence order C2

Tap words below to build the sentence
Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:

Sentence structure.

fill blank C2

Telecommuting ___ the need for transit.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: mitigates

Mitigates is the best verb.

Score: /10

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