Cool MateLick vs Sample vs Taste vs Touch
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Lick
Top 2,000 (common)
Sample
Top 1,000 (very common)B1noun
Taste
Top 1,000 (very common)A2noun
Touch
Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb
| Lick | Sample | Taste | Touch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //lɪk//🇺🇸 //lɪk// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈsɑːmpl/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈsæmpl/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/teɪst/"]/🇺🇸 /["/teɪst/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/tʌtʃ/","/ˈtʌtʃɪz/","/tʌtʃt/","/ˈtʌtʃɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/tʌtʃ/","/ˈtʌtʃɪz/","/tʌtʃt/","/ˈtʌtʃɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | To touch or move something with your tongue. | A small part of something used to show what the whole is like. | The flavor you feel when you eat or drink something. | To make physical contact with something. |
| Example | The child began to lick the ice cream quickly. | He provided a sample of the product for us to test. | The taste of chocolate is my favorite flavor. | Please do not touch the artwork in the gallery. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | B1 | A2 | A2 |
| Part of speech | noun | noun | verb | |
| Collocations | lick the spoon, lick someone's face, lick clean, lick the envelope | large, small, total, draw, select, comprise something, consist of something, size, survey, group, sample from, sample of, blood, faecal/fecal, serum, collect, obtain, take, contain, show, sample of, free, book, sample of | delicious, fresh, nice, have, leave, affect, buds, brief, little, small, get, have, taste, taste of, a taste of things to come, brief, little, small, get, have, taste, taste of, a taste of things to come, excellent, exquisite, fine, reflect, show, exercise, in … taste, with taste, taste in, an arbiter of taste, in the best possible taste, in the worst possible taste, catholic, eclectic, varied, have, like, share, lie, run, change, for somebody’s taste, to taste, to your taste, a man/woman of … tastes, a matter of (personal) taste, a wide range/variety of tastes | (not) actually, not even, not quite, want to, (not) dare (to), reach out, over, up, etc. to, on, with, (be) careful not to touch something, close enough to touch somebody/something, deeply |
| Antonyms | leave, dry | whole, entirety | dislike, aversion, indifference | ignore, avoid, detach |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'like' in pronunciation, Using 'lick' as a noun only, Incorrect tense usage (e.g., 'licked' instead of 'lick') | Confusing 'sample' with 'exemplar' - they have different meanings., Using 'sampled' incorrectly as a verb form in past tense., Mixing up 'sample' as a noun and a verb. | Confusing 'taste' as a noun and a verb; needs context., Using 'taste' without an object; e.g., 'I taste' rather than 'I taste the soup'., Saying 'taste good' instead of 'tastes good'. | Confusing 'touch' with 'feel' in different contexts., Using 'touch' when describing emotional effects (e.g., 'That touched me') without context., Incorrectly conjugating 'touch' in past tense. |
| Usage notes | Often used in both literal and figurative contexts. In informal settings, it might refer to doing something quickly. | Used in scientific, business, and educational contexts when referring to testing or showing examples. Avoid in casual conversations unless discussing products or experiences. | Use 'taste' when talking about how food or drink feels to your mouth. It's appropriate in both formal and informal contexts, like reviews and everyday conversations. | Use 'touch' when referring to making contact with someone or something. Avoid in formal settings when discussing relationships; instead, consider 'influence' or 'affect'. |
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Frequently asked questions: Lick vs Sample vs Taste vs Touch
What's the difference between Lick, Sample, Taste, and Touch?
Lick: To touch or move something with your tongue. Sample: A small part of something used to show what the whole is like. Taste: The flavor you feel when you eat or drink something. Touch: To make physical contact with something.
Which is more advanced: Lick, Sample, Taste, and Touch?
Sample is the highest level, at B1, on the CEFR scale.
Can you show an example of each?
Lick: The child began to lick the ice cream quickly. Sample: He provided a sample of the product for us to test. Taste: The taste of chocolate is my favorite flavor. Touch: Please do not touch the artwork in the gallery.
Can I use Lick, Sample, Taste, and Touch interchangeably?
Not always. Lick, Sample, Taste, and Touch 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.