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on/at/with my computer

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CarloSsS

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Aug 8, 2010
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Can all of these sentences mean "I used my computer to do some work last night" without further context.

I worked on my computer last night.
I worked at my computer last night.
I worked with my computer last night.
 

Mr_Ben

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I worked at my computer last night. I think this is the clearest.
I worked with my computer last night. This is still pretty clear.

I worked on my computer last night. This is clear only in context because the reader listener can parse the sentence two ways:

  • I [worked on] my computer. --I repaired it.
  • I worked [on my computer]. --I used my computer to do some work

Realistically though, these phrases all work and will rarely be misunderstood. I would say "I did some work on my computer last night," and that has the same ambiguity as the third sentence above. Sometimes you just rely on your reader/listener to have some common sense ("What do I look like, a hacker?"), but it doesn't always work.
 

SoothingDave

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I would say "worked on" is the most common. Yes, it is potentially ambiguous.
 
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