Cool MateLook at it vs Notice
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Look at it
Top 2,000 (common)
Notice
Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb
Most common: Notice
| Look at it | Notice | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //lʊk æt ɪt//🇺🇸 //lʊk æt ɪt// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈnəʊtɪs/","/ˈnəʊtɪsɪz/","/ˈnəʊtɪst/","/ˈnəʊtɪsɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈnəʊtɪs/","/ˈnəʊtɪsɪz/","/ˈnəʊtɪst/","/ˈnəʊtɪsɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | To pay attention to something visually. | to see or pay attention to something |
| Example | Please, look at it carefully before you decide. | I didn't notice the time passing while I was reading. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | A2 |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | look at it closely, look at it again, look at it differently, look at it in detail, look at it right now | not even, not really, barely, fail to, not appear to, not seem to, can’t help but notice something, can’t help noticing something, the first thing I, he, etc. noticed, not even, not really, barely, fail to, not appear to, not seem to, can’t help but notice something, can’t help noticing something, the first thing I, he, etc. noticed |
| Antonyms | - | ignore, overlook |
| Common mistakes | Confuse with 'look for it' which means to search instead of observe., Use 'look at it' instead of 'look at this' when referring to something nearby. | 'Notice' is sometimes confused with 'notify' — 'to notify' means to inform someone., Learners may use 'noticing' incorrectly as a noun; the correct noun is 'notice'., Some learners forget to use 'notice' in the simple past form 'noticed' when talking about past events. |
| Usage notes | Use 'look at it' in everyday conversation for noticing or directing someone's attention. Avoid in formal writing. | Use 'notice' when you become aware of something. It's appropriate in both spoken and written English, but more formal contexts might use 'observe' instead. |
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Frequently asked questions: Look at it vs Notice
What's the difference between Look at it and Notice?
Look at it: To pay attention to something visually. Notice: to see or pay attention to something
Which is more common: Look at it and Notice?
Notice is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Look at it: Please, look at it carefully before you decide. Notice: I didn't notice the time passing while I was reading.
Can I use Look at it and Notice interchangeably?
Not always. Look at it and Notice 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.