student asking question

What's the difference between "draw", "doodle" and "illustrate"?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

"Draw", "doodle" and "illustrate" are all synonyms of one another, however, they each have slightly different nuances. To "draw" usually refers to sketching something on paper by making lines and marks with a writing tool. To "doodle" is a bit more informal than "draw" and is often used to refer to a drawing that someone does while their mind is occupied by something else. "Doodling" refers to scribbling or sketching a small picture on paper. The word "illustrate" of these words is the most formal. To "illustrate" most often refers to the process of providing pictures or artwork for a book or a physical document. "Illustration" is usually done on a larger scale than a general "drawing". Ex: She is drawing a self-portrait in her sketchbook. Ex: The boy always doodles on his homework assignments. Ex: This book was illustrated by a well-known artist.

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