Cool MateNotice vs Recognize
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Notice
Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb
Recognize
Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb
| Notice | Recognize | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈnəʊtɪs/","/ˈnəʊtɪsɪz/","/ˈnəʊtɪst/","/ˈnəʊtɪsɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈnəʊtɪs/","/ˈnəʊtɪsɪz/","/ˈnəʊtɪst/","/ˈnəʊtɪsɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈrekəɡnaɪz/","/ˈrekəɡnaɪzɪz/","/ˈrekəɡnaɪzd/","/ˈrekəɡnaɪzɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈrekəɡnaɪz/","/ˈrekəɡnaɪzɪz/","/ˈrekəɡnaɪzd/","/ˈrekəɡnaɪzɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | to see or pay attention to something | to see or know someone or something again |
| Example | I didn't notice the time passing while I was reading. | I can recognize her voice even when she is not in the room. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | A2 |
| Part of speech | verb | verb |
| Collocations | 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 | immediately, instantly, correctly, learn to, be easy to, as, by, from, clearly, fully, belatedly, must, need to, begin to, as, be commonly recognized, be generally recognized, be universally recognized, clearly, federally, formally, agree to, refuse to, as, be legally recognized, a refusal to recognize something |
| Antonyms | ignore, overlook | ignore, overlook, miss |
| Common mistakes | '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. | Confusing 'recognize' with 'realize', Using 'recognize' without an object (e.g., 'I recognize' instead of 'I recognize her'), Mixing up tenses, like saying 'recognized' instead of 'recognize' in present situations |
| Usage notes | 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. | Use 'recognize' when acknowledging something you already know. It's appropriate for everyday conversations but avoid in situations requiring formal language, like legal documents. |
Frequently asked questions: Notice vs Recognize
What's the difference between Notice and Recognize?
Notice: to see or pay attention to something Recognize: to see or know someone or something again
Are Notice and Recognize the same CEFR level?
Notice: A2, Recognize: A2 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Notice and Recognize?
Notice: verb, Recognize: verb.
Can you show an example of each?
Notice: I didn't notice the time passing while I was reading. Recognize: I can recognize her voice even when she is not in the room.
Can I use Notice and Recognize interchangeably?
Not always. Notice and Recognize 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.