Check vs Could look at his lungs

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

Check

Top 1,000 (very common)A1verb

Could look at his lungs

Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Most common: Check
 CheckCould look at his lungs
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/tʃek/","/tʃeks/","/tʃekt/","/ˈtʃekɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/tʃek/","/tʃeks/","/tʃekt/","/ˈtʃekɪŋ/"]/🇬🇧 //kəd lʊk æt hɪz lʌŋz//🇺🇸 //kʊd lʊk æt hɪz lʌŋz//
MeaningTo look at something to see if it's correct or okay.To examine or check his lungs in detail.
ExamplePlease check your answers before submitting the test.The doctor suggested we could look at his lungs during the check-up.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Beyond 10,000 (less common)
CEFR levelA1-
Part of speechverb
Collocationsalways, daily, periodically, had better, must, need to, against, for, with, be worth checking, check to see if, check to see whether, always, daily, periodically, had better, must, need to, against, for, with, be worth checking, check to see if, check to see whether, simply, mentally, offlook at, check lungs, examine lungs, lungs health, lung examination
Antonymsignore, disregard-
Common mistakesConfused with 'cheque' in British English., Using 'check' as a noun without proper context., Incorrectly conjugating 'check' in the past tense.Using 'look' instead of 'look at' without preposition., Misunderstanding the context; it's not casual slang., Confusing 'lungs' with 'lungses', which is incorrect.
Usage notesUsed in various contexts such as checking information, verifying facts, or inspecting items. Avoid using in very formal writing; instead, opt for 'verify' or 'inspect.'Typically used in medical contexts, when discussing health or diagnoses. It's more appropriate in serious discussions rather than casual conversation.

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Check
Could look at his lungs

Frequently asked questions: Check vs Could look at his lungs

What's the difference between Check and Could look at his lungs?

Check: To look at something to see if it's correct or okay. Could look at his lungs: To examine or check his lungs in detail.

Which is more common: Check and Could look at his lungs?

Check is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Check: Please check your answers before submitting the test. Could look at his lungs: The doctor suggested we could look at his lungs during the check-up.

Can I use Check and Could look at his lungs interchangeably?

Not always. Check and Could look at his lungs 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.

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