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Let's say a teacher is going to have their student to write a few example sentences with a certain word in their notebook. Would they say write or write down to tell the students to do that. For example:
Now I want you to write a few example sentences in the present continuous.
Now I want you to write down a few example sentences in the present continuous.
Can both be used in the context? If so, is there any difference in meaning between them?
There is a big difference between write and write down.
Write speaks about composing something: a sentence, a book, a phrase, a poem.
Write down means to put something into writing, to apply writing onto a piece of paper or some other material.
If the students are asked to "write" a few sentences this may either may to compose them and then write them down or to just write down what the teacher will be telling them. However, if they are asked to "write down" a few sentences then the sentence already exist and should simply be placed into writing.
