Cool MateLook at that vs Notice
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Look at that
Top 2,000 (common)
Notice
Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb
Most common: Notice
| Look at that | Notice | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //lʊk æt ðæt//🇺🇸 //lʊk æt ðæt// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈnəʊtɪs/","/ˈnəʊtɪsɪz/","/ˈnəʊtɪst/","/ˈnəʊtɪsɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈnəʊtɪs/","/ˈnəʊtɪsɪz/","/ˈnəʊtɪst/","/ˈnəʊtɪsɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | See that thing. | to see or pay attention to something |
| Example | Wow, **look at that** beautiful painting! | I didn't notice the time passing while I was reading. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | A2 |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | look at that view, look at that picture, look at that problem | not even, not really, barely, fail to, not appear to, not seem to, can’t help but notice something, can’t help noticing something, the first thing I, he, etc. noticed, not even, not really, barely, fail to, not appear to, not seem to, can’t help but notice something, can’t help noticing something, the first thing I, he, etc. noticed |
| Antonyms | ignore that, overlook that, disregard that | ignore, overlook |
| Common mistakes | Saying 'look at that' when it's not necessary to draw attention., Using it in overly formal situations., Confusing it with similar phrases like 'check this out' which is more informal. | 'Notice' is sometimes confused with 'notify' — 'to notify' means to inform someone., Learners may use 'noticing' incorrectly as a noun; the correct noun is 'notice'., Some learners forget to use 'notice' in the simple past form 'noticed' when talking about past events. |
| Usage notes | Used to draw attention to something. Suitable in casual conversations or when pointing out something interesting. | Use 'notice' when you become aware of something. It's appropriate in both spoken and written English, but more formal contexts might use 'observe' instead. |
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Frequently asked questions: Look at that vs Notice
What's the difference between Look at that and Notice?
Look at that: See that thing. Notice: to see or pay attention to something
Which is more common: Look at that and Notice?
Notice is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Look at that: Wow, **look at that** beautiful painting! Notice: I didn't notice the time passing while I was reading.
Can I use Look at that and Notice interchangeably?
Not always. Look at that and Notice 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.