Literary vs Written

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

Literary

Top 2,000 (common) B2 adjective

Written

Top 2,000 (common) B1 adjective

	Literary	Written
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ˈlɪtərəri/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈlɪtəreri/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˈrɪtn/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈrɪtn/"]/
Meaning	Related to books and writing.	Something that is created with words on paper or a screen.
Example	**literary criticism/theory**	The written report needs to be submitted by Friday.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR level	B2	B1
Part of speech	adjective	adjective
Collocations	literary analysis, literary device, literary critic, literary work, literary genre	written record, written permission, written communication, written agreement, written expression
Antonyms	nonliterary, nonfictional, scientific	spoken, oral
Common mistakes	Confused with 'literal' vs 'literary'., Using 'literary' to describe non-writing related subjects., Incorrectly using 'literary' as a verb.	Confused with 'wrote' (past tense of write)., Using 'written' without specifying what is written., Confusing adjective use (e.g., saying 'I have written work' instead of 'I have a written work').
Usage notes	Used when discussing books, poetry, and writing styles. It is appropriate in both casual and academic settings but may be too formal in everyday conversation.	Use 'written' when referring to documents, letters, or anything expressed in writing. It's more formal than 'wrote' and not appropriate for casual spoken contexts.

See it in real clips

Sherlock › S1 E1

You haven't written a word, have you?

Agatha Christies Poirot › S1 E1

they had "Bolivia" written all over them, didn't they?

Sherlock › S1 E1

You haven't written a word, have you?

Agatha Christies Poirot › S1 E1

they had "Bolivia" written all over them, didn't they?

Written

Frequently asked questions: Literary vs Written

What's the difference between Literary and Written?

Literary: Related to books and writing. Written: Something that is created with words on paper or a screen.

Which is more advanced: Literary and Written?

Literary is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.

Are Literary and Written the same CEFR level?

Literary: B2, Written: B1 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Literary and Written?

Literary: adjective, Written: adjective.

Can you show an example of each?

Literary: **literary criticism/theory** Written: The written report needs to be submitted by Friday.

Can I use Literary and Written interchangeably?

Not always. Literary and Written 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.