Using phrasal verbs vs one-word verbs
Do you perform or carry out an analysis?
Both ‘perform an analysis’ and ‘carry out an analysis’ are possible, though ‘perform an analysis’ is more frequent, as shown by Writefull’s Language Search:
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Do you conduct or carry out an experiment?
Both ‘conduct an experiment’ and ‘carry out an experiment’ are possible, though ‘conduct an experiment’ is more frequent, as shown by Writefull’s Language Search:
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Do you exclude or rule out the possibility?
Both ‘exclude the possibility’ and ‘rule out the possibility’ are possible, though ‘rule out the possibility’ is more frequent, as shown by Writefull’s Language Search:
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Do you carry out or perform a study?
Both ‘carry out a study’ and ‘perform a study’ are possible, though ‘carry out a study’ is more frequent, as shown by Writefull’s Language Search:
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Do you carry out or conduct a test?
Both ‘carry out a test’ and ‘conduct a test’ are possible, though ‘conduct a test’ is more frequent, as shown by Writefull’s Language Search:
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What’s the difference between ‘carry out’ and ‘perform’?
To ‘carry out’ and ‘perform’ mean the same thing, i.e. to put something into action. You can use them interchangeably in your academic text.
For example:
The authors carried out intra-group comparisons. The authors performed intra-group comparisons.
Read our blog post on how to choose between a phrasal verb and a single verb.
Want to compare other phrases’ frequencies? Download Writefull to use Language Search and more academic writing features.
What’s the difference between ‘carry out’ and ‘conduct’?
To ‘carry out’ and ‘conduct’ mean the same thing, i.e. to put into execution. You can use them interchangeably in your academic text.
For example:
They carried out tests to assess the hydrological connections between streams.They conducted tests to assess the hydrological connections between streams.
Read our blog post on how to choose between a phrasal verb and a single verb.
Want to compare other phrases’ frequencies? Download Writefull to use Language Search and more academic writing features.
What’s the difference between ‘rule out’ and ‘dismiss’ or ‘discard’?
To ‘rule out’ and ‘dismiss’ or ‘discard’ mean the same thing, i.e. to reject something as a possibility. You can use them interchangeably in your academic text.
For example:Scholars ruled out the possibility of internal tendencies in evolution. Scholars dismissed/discarded the possibility of internal tendencies in evolution.
Read our blog post on how to choose between a phrasal verb and a single verb.
Want to compare other phrases’ frequencies? Download Writefull to use Language Search and more academic writing features.
What’s the difference between ‘make up’ and ‘constitute’?
To ‘make up’ and ’constitute’ mean the same thing, i.e. to form the whole of something. You can use them interchangeably in your academic text.
For example:Agricultural exports make up more than two-thirds of the country’s global sales. Agricultural exports constitute more than two-thirds of the country’s global sales.
Read our blog post on how to choose between a phrasal verb and a single verb.
Want to compare other phrases’ frequencies? Download Writefull to use Language Search and more academic writing features.
What’s the difference between ‘set up’ and ‘design’?
In many cases, to ‘set up’ and ‘design’ mean the same thing, i.e. to put together or establish. You can use them interchangeably in your academic text.
For example:The system was set up to compare health outcomes across surgeries. The system was designed to compare health outcomes across surgeries.
To ‘set up’ can also refer to the installation of devices, for example, ‘to set up a lab equipment’.
Read our blog post on how to choose between a phrasal verb and a single verb.
Want to compare other phrases’ frequencies? Download Writefull to use Language Search and more academic writing features.