Cool MateInvestigate vs Looked into
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Investigate
Top 2,000 (common)B1verb
Looked into
Top 2,000 (common)
| Investigate | Looked into | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪt/","/ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪts/","/ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪtɪd/","/ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪtɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪt/","/ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪts/","/ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪtɪd/","/ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪtɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //lʊkt ˈɪntuː//🇺🇸 //lʊkt ˈɪntu// |
| Meaning | To look into something closely to find out more information. | To investigate or check something. |
| Example | The police will investigate the crime scene for new evidence. | The manager looked into the employee's complaint. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B1 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | carefully, closely, in detail, ask somebody to, be called in to, decide to, for, carefully, closely, in detail, ask somebody to, be called in to, decide to, for | look into a problem, look into options, look into issues, look into solutions, look into complaints |
| Antonyms | ignore, overlook, disregard | - |
| Common mistakes | Confusing with 'invest' which relates to money or resources., Using as an intransitive verb; it requires an object (e.g., 'investigate the issue')., Mixing up with synonyms like 'examine' without understanding the context. | 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 notes | Commonly used in formal contexts, especially in journalism, research, or law enforcement. It may not be seen as appropriate in casual conversations. | Use 'looked into' when referring to checking details or investigating something. It's suitable for both formal and informal contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: Investigate vs Looked into
What's the difference between Investigate and Looked into?
Investigate: To look into something closely to find out more information. Looked into: To investigate or check something.
Can you show an example of each?
Investigate: The police will investigate the crime scene for new evidence. Looked into: The manager looked into the employee's complaint.
Can I use Investigate and Looked into interchangeably?
Not always. Investigate 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.