Cool MateExperiment vs Investigation
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Experiment
Investigation
| Experiment | Investigation | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪkˈsperɪmənt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪkˈsperɪmənt/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪnˌvestɪˈɡeɪʃn/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪnˌvestɪˈɡeɪʃn/"]/ |
| Meaning | A test to find out something new. | Looking into something to find out more about it. |
| Example | The scientist conducted an experiment to test her hypothesis. | The police launched an investigation into the missing person's case. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | B2 |
| Part of speech | noun | noun |
| Collocations | animal, field, laboratory, carry out, conduct, do, confirm something, demonstrate something, find something, by experiment, during an/the experiment, in an/the experiment, animal, field, laboratory, carry out, conduct, do, confirm something, demonstrate something, find something, by experiment, during an/the experiment, in an/the experiment | careful, close, detailed, carry out, conduct, pursue, demonstrate something, reveal something, show something, on investigation, under investigation, investigation into, the subject of an investigation, careful, close, detailed, carry out, conduct, pursue, demonstrate something, reveal something, show something, on investigation, under investigation, investigation into, the subject of an investigation |
| Antonyms | certainty, fact | disregard, neglect, overlook |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'experience' which refers to knowledge gained over time., Using 'experiments' as a verb instead of the noun form., Saying 'experimenting of' instead of 'experimenting with'. | Confused with 'invest' which means to put money into something., Using 'investigation' as a verb instead of a noun., Mixing up 'investigation' with 'inspector', which refers to a person. |
| Usage notes | Used in scientific contexts but can also refer to trying new ideas in everyday life. More formal in academic writing. | Use 'investigation' in formal contexts, like police work or research. Avoid in casual conversations. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Experiment vs Investigation
What's the difference between Experiment and Investigation?
Experiment: A test to find out something new. Investigation: Looking into something to find out more about it.
Which is more common: Experiment and Investigation?
Experiment is the most common in everyday English.
Which is more advanced: Experiment and Investigation?
Investigation is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.
Are Experiment and Investigation the same CEFR level?
Experiment: A2, Investigation: B2 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Experiment and Investigation?
Experiment: noun, Investigation: noun.
Can you show an example of each?
Experiment: The scientist conducted an experiment to test her hypothesis. Investigation: The police launched an investigation into the missing person's case.
Can I use Experiment and Investigation interchangeably?
Not always. Experiment and Investigation 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.