Cool MateExamine vs We can read her e-mails
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Examine
Top 2,000 (common)B1verb
We can read her e-mails
Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Most common: Examine
| Examine | We can read her e-mails | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪɡˈzæmɪn/","/ɪɡˈzæmɪnz/","/ɪɡˈzæmɪnd/","/ɪɡˈzæmɪnɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪɡˈzæmɪn/","/ɪɡˈzæmɪnz/","/ɪɡˈzæmɪnd/","/ɪɡˈzæmɪnɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //wiː kən riːd hɜːr ˈiːmeɪlz//🇺🇸 //wi kən rid hɜr ˈimeɪlz// |
| Meaning | to look at something carefully to learn more about it | To look at and understand written messages sent electronically. |
| Example | The doctor will examine your health thoroughly during the check-up. | We can read her e-mails to find out more about the project. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| CEFR level | B1 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | 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… | read an e-mail, read the message, read through e-mails, read e-mails daily, read your inbox |
| Antonyms | ignore, overlook, neglect | - |
| Common mistakes | 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. | Confused with 'read' as past tense, using 'readed' instead of 'read'., Misunderstanding 'e-mails' as a single entity instead of plural., Using 'her e-mail' when referring to multiple messages instead of 'her e-mails'. |
| Usage notes | 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. | Often used in everyday conversation. Consider the privacy of the person when discussing their emails; it's not appropriate to read them without permission. |
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Frequently asked questions: Examine vs We can read her e-mails
What's the difference between Examine and We can read her e-mails?
Examine: to look at something carefully to learn more about it We can read her e-mails: To look at and understand written messages sent electronically.
Which is more common: Examine and We can read her e-mails?
Examine is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Examine: The doctor will examine your health thoroughly during the check-up. We can read her e-mails: We can read her e-mails to find out more about the project.
Can I use Examine and We can read her e-mails interchangeably?
Not always. Examine and We can read her e-mails 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.