The correct phrase is “working on a project”
Wrong
“I am working in a project.”
Correct
“I am working on a project.”
In English, we usually use “on” with projects, tasks, reports, presentations, proposals, plans, and systems when we mean we are actively contributing to them. A project is treated like a piece of work you are developing or moving forward, so the natural phrase is “work on a project”.
Why Arabic speakers make this mistake
Arabic speakers often translate from phrases where the idea is closer to “in a project” or “inside a project team”. In Arabic, the preposition can focus on being part of the project or the project environment. In English, the focus is usually the activity and progress, so we say “working on a project”. You can still say “I work in project management” when you mean your field or department, but for a specific project, use “on”.
How to use it in real professional situations
Meeting update
“I’m currently working on a project to improve the customer onboarding process.”
Email or message
“Hi Sara, I’m working on the project timeline and will share the first draft by tomorrow.”
Job interview
“In my current role, I’m working on a digital transformation project with the operations team.”
Manager check-in
“We are working on the project budget, but we still need final approval from finance.”
Client call
“Our team is working on your project requirements and we’ll confirm the scope this week.”
Why does this matter in a professional context?
Saying “I’m working in a project” is understandable, so people will usually know what you mean. However, it can sound translated from Arabic and may make your English feel less polished, especially in meetings, interviews, and client conversations. Saying “I’m working on a project” signals that you are comfortable with professional English phrases. It makes your update sound more natural, confident, and precise, which helps when you are describing responsibilities, progress, and impact.
Ready-to-use project phrases
“I’m working on a project to improve customer experience.”
Use this to describe the purpose of your project.
“We’re working on the final version of the proposal.”
Use this when your team is developing or completing a document.
“I’ve been working on this project for three months.”
Use this to talk about duration or experience.
“I’m working on the technical side of the project.”
Use this to explain your specific responsibility.
“Our team is working on several project deliverables this week.”
Use this in status updates when discussing tasks or outputs.
“I worked on a similar project in my previous role.”
Use this in interviews to connect your past experience to the role.
What to say instead
What many Arabic speakers say
“I’m working in a project for a new banking app.”
It sounds like a direct translation and “in” is not the usual preposition for contributing to a project.
What to say instead
“I’m working on a project for a new banking app.”
“Working on a project” is the natural English phrase for doing project-related work.
Other phrases to double-check
- •Say “responsible for the project”, not “responsible about the project”.
- •Say “involved in the project” when you mean you are part of it.
- •Say “working on a task”, not “working in a task”.
- •Say “participating in a project” when you mean formally taking part.
- •Say “assigned to a project” when your company has placed you on it.
- •Say “managing a project”, not “managing on a project”.
Frequently asked questions
Is “working in a project” correct English?▾
Why do Arabic speakers say “working in a project”?▾
What is the difference between “working on a project” and “working in project management”?▾
How can I remember whether to use “on” or “in”?▾
Practise project updates until they sound natural
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