write
A1Neutral. Used across all registers from informal speech to formal and technical contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To form letters, words, or symbols on a surface, typically with a pen, pencil, or keyboard, to record or communicate information.
To compose and set down text, such as a book, article, or letter; to create a musical work or computer program; to be the author of something.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies the creation of a permanent or semi-permanent record. In computing, it means to record data on a storage medium. Can be used ditransitively (e.g., 'write someone a letter').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor spelling differences in derivatives (e.g., BrE 'writing', AmE also 'writing'; BrE 'writable', AmE also 'writable'). The verb forms are identical.
Connotations
Generally identical. The phrasal verb 'write to someone' is standard in BrE, while AmE often accepts 'write someone' (e.g., 'I'll write him tomorrow').
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
SV (intransitive: She writes every day.)SVO (transitive: He writes novels.)SVOO (ditransitive: I wrote her a note.)SVOA (complex transitive: She wrote her name carefully.)SVO that-clause (He wrote that he was coming.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “write off (dismiss/a car)”
- “write up (produce a report)”
- “write down (record)”
- “write in (send a letter/add to a text)”
- “the writing is on the wall”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
To draft contracts, write reports, write off assets, write a proposal.
Academic
To write a dissertation, write a paper, write up findings, write a critique.
Everyday
To write a shopping list, write a birthday card, write a text message.
Technical
To write code, write to disk, write a driver, write-protect a file.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Please write your address in the box provided.
- She writes for a living, contributing to several national newspapers.
- He wrote to the council to complain about the parking.
American English
- Could you write your name on this line?
- She writes software for a major tech company.
- He wrote his senator about the proposed legislation.
adverb
British English
- N/A (No standard adverbial form. Use 'in writing').
American English
- N/A (No standard adverbial form. Use 'in writing').
adjective
British English
- The write permission for the file was disabled.
- A write-off vehicle is not safe to drive.
American English
- Make sure the disk is not write-protected.
- After the flood, the car was a total write-off.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Children learn to write at school.
- I write emails to my friend.
- Please write your name here.
- She is writing a novel in her spare time.
- He wrote an interesting article about climate change.
- Did you write down the phone number?
- The journalist was writing up her findings from the investigation.
- He had written several critically acclaimed plays by the age of thirty.
- The contract must be written in clear, unambiguous language.
- The composer wrote the symphony during a period of intense personal reflection.
- The data is written directly to the solid-state drive for maximum speed.
- Her ability to write persuasively on complex topics made her a sought-after columnist.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a bright light: You need light (sounds like 'rite' in 'write') to see what you are writing.
Conceptual Metaphor
WRITING IS CONSTRUCTION (building an argument), WRITING IS WEAVING (weaving a narrative), WRITING IS JOURNEYING (the writer takes the reader on a journey).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Confusing 'write' with 'paint' or 'draw' (Russian 'писать' can mean both).
- Overusing 'write' for all forms of composition; Russian 'сочинять' is more specific for creative writing.
- Incorrect preposition: Using 'write about' vs. 'write on' vs. 'write of' has nuanced differences.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect past participle: 'writed' instead of 'written'.
- Misspelling as 'wright'.
- Confusing 'write' (verb) with 'right' (adjective/adverb/noun).
- Omitting the object when needed: 'I wrote to him' (BrE) vs. 'I wrote him' (AmE).
Practice
Quiz
In British English, which sentence is the most grammatically standard?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, its principal parts are: write (present) - wrote (past) - written (past participle).
'Write' is general. 'Write down' specifically means to make a note or record of something so you don't forget it.
Yes, intransitively: 'She writes for a living.' It can also be used with a prepositional phrase: 'Write in pen.' 'Write about your holidays.'
It means to cancel an asset's book value, recognising it as a loss (e.g., a bad debt or a damaged vehicle).
Collections
Part of a collection
Education
A2 · 50 words · School, studying and learning vocabulary.