This verb describes identifying a familiar person or thing.
The idea
Use recognize with the person or thing identified. Recognise is also a British spelling.
Examples
- I recognized the song at once.
- We recognized our neighbor by their voice.
- She did not recognise the building after the renovation.
- Can you recognize this plant from its leaves?
- The child recognised a friend in the crowd.
- They recognized the old photograph immediately.
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Watch out
Do not confuse recognize with remember: you can recognize a face without remembering a name.
Try it yourself
Choose the correct form. I ___ her face, but I cannot remember her name. (recognize / reduce)
Show answer or example answer
recognize
recognize identifies a familiar face in the present.
Choose the correct form. We ___ the bridge in the old picture yesterday. (recognized / recognize)
Show answer or example answer
recognized
recognized puts the identification in the past.
Choose the correct form. Which British spelling is also correct? (recognise / recognice)
Show answer or example answer
recognise
recognise is an accepted British spelling.
Practice round
Answer questions and rebuild English sentences to practise. Your score is shown.
Choose the correct form. I ___ her face, but I cannot remember her name. (recognize / reduce)
Choose the correct form. We ___ the bridge in the old picture yesterday. (recognized / recognize)
Choose the correct form. Which British spelling is also correct? (recognise / recognice)
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Describe something you recognized recently.