Cool MateQuestionnaire vs Survey
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Questionnaire
Top 5,000 (fairly common)B2noun
Survey
Top 2,000 (common)A2noun
Most common: Survey
| Questionnaire | Survey | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˌkwestʃəˈneə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˌkwestʃəˈner/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈsɜːveɪ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈsɜːrveɪ/"]/ |
| Meaning | A list of questions to gather information. | A way to ask many people questions to get information. |
| Example | The researcher handed out the questionnaire to all participants before the study began. | The survey revealed interesting facts about consumer behavior. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 5,000 (fairly common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | A2 |
| Part of speech | noun | noun |
| Collocations | brief, short, simple, design, develop, prepare, questionnaire about, questionnaire concerning, questionnaire on | comprehensive, detailed, extensive, administer, carry out, conduct, cover something, deal with something, examine something, data, results, method, according to a/the survey, in a/the survey, survey into, the findings of a/the survey, the results of a/the survey, full, aerial, archaeological, carry out, do, make, full, aerial, archaeological, carry out, do, make, comprehensive, detailed, extensive, administer, carry out, conduct, cover something, deal with something, examine something, data, results, method, according to a/the survey, in a/the survey, survey into, the findings of a/the survey, the results of a/the survey |
| Antonyms | answer sheet, response form, solution | ignore, neglect |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'survey', thinking they mean the same thing., Using 'questionnaire' as a verb (it's only a noun)., Incorrectly pluralizing as 'questionnaires' when referring to a single document. | Confused with 'serve' due to similar spelling., Using 'surveys' as a verb instead of a noun., Mixing up the meaning with 'sightseeing.' |
| Usage notes | Used in surveys, research, and feedback forms. More formal than 'survey'. Avoid in casual conversations. | Used in both academic and business contexts, often appropriate for data collection. Avoid in casual conversations. |
Frequently asked questions: Questionnaire vs Survey
What's the difference between Questionnaire and Survey?
Questionnaire: A list of questions to gather information. Survey: A way to ask many people questions to get information.
Which is more common: Questionnaire and Survey?
Survey is the most common in everyday English.
Are Questionnaire and Survey the same CEFR level?
Questionnaire: B2, Survey: A2 on the CEFR scale.
Can I use Questionnaire and Survey interchangeably?
Not always. Questionnaire and Survey 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.