Check vs Looked into

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

Check

Top 1,000 (very common)A1verb

Looked into

Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Check
 CheckLooked into
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/tʃek/","/tʃeks/","/tʃekt/","/ˈtʃekɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/tʃek/","/tʃeks/","/tʃekt/","/ˈtʃekɪŋ/"]/🇬🇧 //lʊkt ˈɪntuː//🇺🇸 //lʊkt ˈɪntu//
MeaningTo look at something to see if it's correct or okay.To investigate or check something.
ExamplePlease check your answers before submitting the test.The manager looked into the employee's complaint.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Top 2,000 (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 into a problem, look into options, look into issues, look into solutions, look into complaints
Antonymsignore, disregard-
Common mistakesConfused with 'cheque' in British English., Using 'check' as a noun without proper context., Incorrectly conjugating 'check' in the past tense.Confusing 'look into' with 'look at', 'Look into' is sometimes incorrectly used with non-count nouns, Mixing up the tenses, e.g., saying 'look into' instead of 'looked into' for past actions
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.'Use 'looked into' when referring to checking details or investigating something. It's suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

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Check
Looked into

Frequently asked questions: Check vs Looked into

What's the difference between Check and Looked into?

Check: To look at something to see if it's correct or okay. Looked into: To investigate or check something.

Which is more common: Check and Looked into?

Check is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Check: Please check your answers before submitting the test. Looked into: The manager looked into the employee's complaint.

Can I use Check and Looked into interchangeably?

Not always. Check and Looked into 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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