Cool MateFollow vs Monitor
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Follow
Top 1,000 (very common)A1verb
Monitor
Top 2,000 (common)B2noun
Most common: Follow
| Follow | Monitor | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈfɒləʊ/","/ˈfɒləʊz/","/ˈfɒləʊd/","/ˈfɒləʊɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈfɑːləʊ/","/ˈfɑːləʊz/","/ˈfɑːləʊd/","/ˈfɑːləʊɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈmɒnɪtə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈmɑːnɪtər/"]/ |
| Meaning | To go after someone or something or do what they do. | A screen used to see pictures or text from a computer. |
| Example | I will follow you to the store. | The teacher will monitor the students' progress throughout the semester. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | B2 |
| Part of speech | verb | noun |
| Collocations | closely, reluctantly, dutifully, beckon somebody to, beckon to somebody to, being followed, follow close behind (somebody), follow right behind (somebody), closely, quickly, shortly, (be) followed by something, follow in the wake of something, closely, quickly, shortly, (be) followed by something, follow in the wake of something, carefully, to the letter, dutifully, faithfully, blindly, slavishly, be expected to, be likely to, follow in somebody’s footsteps, follow in the tradition of somebody/something, follow suit, not necessarily, logically, naturally, (on) from, not quite, be easy to, be difficult to, be hard to | colour/color, digital, CCTV, on a/the monitor, baby, foetal/fetal, heart, detect something, display something, show something, hooked up to a monitor, UN, ceasefire, election, UN, ceasefire, election |
| Antonyms | lead, precede, guide | ignore, neglect |
| Common mistakes | Confusing 'follow' with 'lead' — they have opposite meanings., Using 'follow' without an object (e.g., 'I will follow' should specify who or what)., Mistakenly using 'follows' in the past tense instead of 'followed'. | Confused with 'minotor', a common misspelling., Using 'monitor' as a verb without an object, e.g., 'I will monitor' instead of 'I will monitor the situation.' |
| Usage notes | Use 'follow' when discussing tracking someone physically or conceptually (like ideas or trends). For social media, 'follow' often describes subscribing to someone's updates. Avoid using it in overly formal contexts. | Use 'monitor' when referring to computer screens or when talking about observing something continuously. More formal contexts may use it to describe supervision or tracking. |
Frequently asked questions: Follow vs Monitor
What's the difference between Follow and Monitor?
Follow: To go after someone or something or do what they do. Monitor: A screen used to see pictures or text from a computer.
Which is more common: Follow and Monitor?
Follow is the most common in everyday English.
Are Follow and Monitor the same CEFR level?
Follow: A1, Monitor: B2 on the CEFR scale.
Can I use Follow and Monitor interchangeably?
Not always. Follow and Monitor 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.