Bake vs Cook

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

	Bake	Cook
Meaning	To cook food using heat in an oven.	To prepare food by heating it.
CEFR level	B1	A1
Part of speech	verb	verb
Usage notes	Used when talking about preparing bread, cookies, or cakes. Not typically used for cooking food on a stove. Common in both casual and formal conversations.	Use 'cook' when talking about making meals. It's common in everyday conversation. Avoid using it in very formal writing unless discussing culinary skills.

Frequently asked questions: Bake vs Cook

What's the difference between "Bake" and "Cook"?

"Bake" means: To cook food using heat in an oven. "Cook" means: To prepare food by heating it.

When should I use "Bake" and "Cook"?

They can all be used in everyday English.

Are "Bake" and "Cook" the same CEFR level?

"Bake" is at B1, "Cook" is at A1 on the CEFR scale.