Commonly confused
Write up vs Write down
“Write up” and “Write down” look alike but pull in different directions. Here is what each one means, with examples — and the difference that learners most often miss.
The key difference
Write up means write a full or formal account of something. Write down means record information on paper so it can be remembered.
write up
- 1
Write a full or formal account of something
“He wrote up his notes as a report.”
write down
- 1
Record information on paper so it can be remembered
“Write down what she said.”
Stop mixing them up
Sink In turns confusable pairs like this into quick contrast drills, so the right particle becomes automatic.