Purchase vs. buy

[Deya]

Test No. incompl/advan-32 "Letter Writing (4)", question 9

Our first day was spent in the local shops ......... all the things that we believed we had brought with us.

(a) finding
(b) looking
(c) purchasing
(d) searching

Test No. incompl/advan-32 "Letter Writing (4)", answer 9

Our first day was spent in the local shops purchasing all the things that we believed we had brought with us.

Correct answer: (c) purchasing

Your answer was: correct
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What is the difference between to purchase and to buy?

[Alan]

Hi Deya,

Purchase is the more formal word of the two - both mean you get something by paying for it.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story A day in the life of a stately home owner