working party
C1Formal, Official, Business, Governmental
Definition
Meaning
A group of people, often with specific expertise, appointed to study, investigate, or report on a particular issue or problem.
A temporary, task-oriented committee formed within an organization, government, or community to address a specific, often complex, matter and produce recommendations or findings.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies a formal mandate, a defined task, and an expectation of a report or recommendations. It is a temporary body, distinct from a permanent committee. The term often carries a sense of officialdom and procedural action.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term 'working party' is significantly more common in British English. In American English, 'task force' is the dominant equivalent for a similar concept, though 'working party' is understood.
Connotations
In British usage, it is a standard, neutral term for an official investigative group. In American usage, it may sound slightly British or formal, where 'task force' often implies a more urgent or action-oriented mandate.
Frequency
High frequency in UK official, corporate, and academic contexts. Low frequency in general US English, where 'task force', 'committee', or 'working group' are preferred.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The [Organization] established/set up a working party on/to [Topic].The working party, chaired by [Person], reported that...A working party was convened to investigate [Issue].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Not typically idiomatic; the term itself is a fixed compound noun.]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The board has formed a working party to review our remote working policies.
Academic
A university working party on curriculum reform will publish its interim findings next month.
Everyday
The residents' association set up a working party to look into parking issues on our street.
Technical
The international standards body convened a technical working party to draft the new protocol.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The council is working-partying on the new proposal. (Extremely rare/non-standard)
American English
- (Not used as a verb)
adjective
British English
- (Not used attributively; it is the noun itself. One might say 'working-party report'.)
American English
- (Not used as an adjective)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The teacher made a working party of students to plan the class trip.
- Our company has a working party looking at ways to save energy.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'party' not for fun, but for 'work'. It's a group that has been given a specific job (to work on a party/issue).
Conceptual Metaphor
PROBLEM-SOLVING IS A COLLABORATIVE JOURNEY (the party travels together to reach a solution).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation as 'рабочая партия' (which means 'labour party', a political entity).
- The correct conceptual equivalents are 'рабочая группа' or 'комиссия'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a plural verb phrase: 'They are working party' (incorrect). It is a singular compound noun: 'The working party is...'.
- Confusing it with a social event where work is done (e.g., a 'working lunch').
Practice
Quiz
In which variety of English is 'working party' the MOST common and natural term for a task-oriented committee?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are similar, but a 'working party' usually implies a smaller, more temporary group with a very specific, focused task, often investigative. A 'committee' can be permanent and have broader, ongoing responsibilities.
'Task force' is the most direct and common equivalent in American English, especially for groups formed to deal with urgent or complex problems.
It is primarily a formal or semi-formal term. In very informal settings, people might simply say 'a group to look at [something]' or 'a project team'.
Typically, no. Its main role is to investigate, deliberate, and recommend. The power to implement decisions usually rests with the body that established the working party (e.g., a board, council, or government minister).