Analyze vs Examine vs Investigate vs Review vs Study

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Analyze

Top 2,000 (common) B1

Examine

Top 2,000 (common) B1 verb

Investigate

Top 2,000 (common) B1 verb

Review

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 noun

Study

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 noun

	Analyze	Examine	Investigate	Review	Study
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //əˈnælaɪz// 🇺🇸 //əˈnæl.aɪz//	🇬🇧 /["/ɪɡˈzæmɪn/","/ɪɡˈzæmɪnz/","/ɪɡˈzæmɪnd/","/ɪɡˈzæmɪnɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ɪɡˈzæmɪn/","/ɪɡˈzæmɪnz/","/ɪɡˈzæmɪnd/","/ɪɡˈzæmɪnɪŋ/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪt/","/ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪts/","/ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪtɪd/","/ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪtɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪt/","/ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪts/","/ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪtɪd/","/ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪtɪŋ/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/rɪˈvjuː/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/rɪˈvjuː/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˈstʌdi/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈstʌdi/"]/
Meaning	To look at something closely to understand it better	to look at something carefully to learn more about it	To look into something closely to find out more information.	To look at something again to check or evaluate it.	To learn about something by reading, practicing, or working.
Example	The teacher asked us to analyze the poem's themes.	The doctor will examine your health thoroughly during the check-up.	The police will investigate the crime scene for new evidence.	I wrote a review of the new restaurant that just opened.	I need to do my study for math class.
Register	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	B1	B1	B1	A2	A1
Part of speech		verb	verb	noun	noun
Collocations	analyze data, analyze results, analyze a problem, analyze trends, analyze information	carefully, closely, in detail, aim to, attempt to, be designed to, for, let us examine…, carefully, closely, in detail, aim to, attempt to, be designed to, for, let us examine…	carefully, closely, in detail, ask somebody to, be called in to, decide to, for, carefully, closely, in detail, ask somebody to, be called in to, decide to, for	enthusiastic, excellent, favourable/​favorable, do, write, give something, appear, copy, article, do, class, session, materials, review for, careful, complete, comprehensive, ask for, call for, seek, take place, cover something, deal with something, board, body, committee, under review, up for review, review by	full-time, part-time, graduate, course, programme/​program, take up, group, programme/​program, leave, study for, an area of study, a field of study, further, begin, undertake, continue, area, business, cultural, do, lecture in, teach, department, course, programme/​program, current, new, present, commission, fund, support, take place, aim at something, aim to do something, group, session, according to a/​the study, in a/​the study, under study, an area of study, a field of study, the author of a/​the study
Antonyms	ignore, overlook	ignore, overlook, neglect	ignore, overlook, disregard	ignore, overlook	ignore, neglect, overlook
Common mistakes	Confused with 'analyses' in plural form., Using 'analyze' as a noun instead of 'analysis'., Mixing up 'analyze' with 'evaluate' or 'assess'.	Confused with 'inspect' — 'examine' is broader than just checking for flaws., Misusing the tense — should use 'examined' for past actions, not 'examine'., Incorrect prepositions — do not say 'examine to' but 'examine for' in some contexts.	Confusing with 'invest' which relates to money or resources., Using as an intransitive verb; it requires an object (e.g., 'investigate the issue')., Mixing up with synonyms like 'examine' without understanding the context.	Using 'review' as a noun and verb without context (needs clear subject or object)., Confusing 'review' with 'revise' (review is for checking, revise is for changing)., Saying 'make a review' instead of 'write a review.'	'Study' is often confused with 'study for'; learners may incorrectly say 'study the exam'., Learners might forget to use 'study' with an object, saying 'I study' instead of 'I study math'., Misusing prepositions, saying 'study at school' instead of 'study in school'.
Usage notes	Used in academic and professional contexts. Avoid in casual conversation unless relevant to the discussion.	Use 'examine' in formal contexts like academic writing or professional discussions. It may sound out of place in casual conversations, where 'look at' might be preferred.	Commonly used in formal contexts, especially in journalism, research, or law enforcement. It may not be seen as appropriate in casual conversations.	Use 'review' in both formal and informal contexts, like schoolwork or feedback on a product. Avoid using it in casual conversation unless discussing specific topics.	Used in academic and everyday contexts. Avoid using in highly informal situations where simpler words could suffice.

Frequently asked questions: Analyze vs Examine vs Investigate vs Review vs Study

What's the difference between Analyze, Examine, Investigate, Review, and Study?

Analyze: To look at something closely to understand it better Examine: to look at something carefully to learn more about it Investigate: To look into something closely to find out more information. Review: To look at something again to check or evaluate it. Study: To learn about something by reading, practicing, or working.

Are Analyze, Examine, Investigate, Review, and Study the same CEFR level?

Analyze: B1, Examine: B1, Investigate: B1, Review: A2, Study: A1 on the CEFR scale.

Can you show an example of each?

Analyze: The teacher asked us to analyze the poem's themes. Examine: The doctor will examine your health thoroughly during the check-up. Investigate: The police will investigate the crime scene for new evidence. Review: I wrote a review of the new restaurant that just opened. Study: I need to do my study for math class.

Can I use Analyze, Examine, Investigate, Review, and Study interchangeably?

Not always. Analyze, Examine, Investigate, Review, and Study are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.