School and Education: English Vocabulary List

a part of a book that is intended to be used for learning a specific subject

"This is lesson one."

"The textbook included a comprehensive lesson on the causes and effects of the Industrial Revolution."

each of the two periods into which a year at schools or universities is divided

"The new semester starts in September."

"I plan to study abroad for the entire fall semester on a university exchange."

someone who is or was in the same class as you at school or college

"My classmate is friendly."

"I sat next to my classmate during the lesson."

a book or electronic resource that gives a list of words in alphabetical order and explains their meanings, or gives the equivalent words in a different language

"Look up this word."

"A bilingual dictionary provides translations and definitions for words between two languages"

a way of testing how much someone knows about a subject

"The exam was difficult."

"Students studied hard for the exam."

something that a person spends time doing, particularly to accomplish a certain purpose

"This activity is fun."

"The teacher planned an activity that helped everyone work together."

to find an answer or solution to a question or problem

"We need to solve this problem."

"The engineer worked late into the night to solve the technical problem that had delayed the project."

a letter or number given by a teacher to show how a student is performing in class, school, etc.

"She received a high grade on the test."

"Achieving a passing grade requires diligent effort and consistent attendance."

a careful and systematic study of a subject to discover new facts or information about it

"He is doing research on cancer cures."

"Groundbreaking research often requires years of dedication and interdisciplinary collaboration."

a brief account or statement, that gives only the main points of something, without mentioning the details

"He wrote a short summary."

"Please read the summary before class so you understand the main points."

a large board with a smooth white surface that we can write on, especially used for teaching or presentations

"The whiteboard is clean."

"The teacher wrote the lesson on the whiteboard before the discussion started."

a restaurant, typically in colleges, hospitals, etc. where you choose and pay for your meal before carrying it to a table

"We ate lunch in the cafeteria."

"The cafeteria was crowded because many students arrived there at noon."

a series of written or printed names or items, typically one below the other

"Make a shopping list."

"She wrote a list of homework tasks before leaving school."

a high-school or university student who is in their first year of education

"The freshman joined our class."

"The freshman asked many questions during the first week of school."

a student at a high school or university in their second year of education

"The sophomore gave a good answer."

"My cousin is a sophomore at university and studies economics."

a series of lessons or lectures on a particular subject

"I'm taking a photography course now."

"This intensive course offers a comprehensive overview of modern economic theory."

a branch or an area of knowledge that we study at a school, college, or university

"Math is a hard subject."

"Her favorite subject in university was ancient history, focusing on the Roman Empire and its influence."

a person's performance or capability in comparison to others

"The level is too high."

"She reached a new level in the game."

the main subject or course that a student studies at a university or college

"Her major is computer science."

"Her major is computer science and she must complete forty credits in her department."

a person we do a particular activity with, such as playing a game

"My partner helped me study."

"His business partner handled the marketing and sales while he focused on product development and customer support for their small startup company."

an examination that consists of a set of questions, exercises, or activities to measure someone’s knowledge, skill, or ability

"The test was difficult."

"The teacher gave us a longer test before the holiday break."

the act of repeatedly doing something to become better at doing it

"Practice makes you better."

"She needs regular practice to improve her speaking skills."

a question that can be answered by mathematics or logical thinking

"Solve the problem."

"The math teacher assigned a challenging problem that required students to apply several different theorems."

a particular task involving careful study of a subject, done by school or college students

"Our project is almost finished."

"We worked on the project all week to meet the deadline."

a piece of writing about a particular subject on a website, in a newspaper, magazine, or other publication

"Read the article."

"The journalist published an insightful article detailing the complex socio-economic factors at play."

one side or both sides of a sheet of paper in a newspaper, magazine, book, etc.

"Turn the page now."

"He carefully turned the fragile page of the ancient manuscript."

a row of people or things behind each other or next to each other

"A line of ants."

"Please form a single line at the ticket counter to purchase your admission."

a short piece of writing that helps us remember something

"Write a note."

"She left a quick note on the kitchen counter to remind him about the appointment."

to get the necessary grades in an exam, test, course, etc.

"He needs to pass the driving test."

"He studied for weeks to pass his driving test on the first attempt because he needed his license for work."

to be unsuccessful in an examination or course

"I will not fail."

"Despite intense preparation, many students still fear they might fail their final examinations."

(of people) being somewhere particular

"Everyone is present."

"All of the students were present in class today except for John who is on vacation with his family."

(of people) not present in a place

"She is absent today."

"The absent student missed an important quiz and had to ask the teacher for permission to take a makeup test the following week."

a student who is in the year before the last year of college or high school

"The junior class is planning the prom."

"The junior will graduate next year and is already looking at graduate schools for her major."

to pay full attention to someone or something specific

"Focus on your breathing."

"You need to focus on your studies if you want to pass the final exam next week."

a student who has one more year to graduate from a university or high school

"The senior applies for graduation."

"The senior applies for graduation and only needs three more credits to complete his degree."

a flat and hard tool made of wood, plastic, paper, etc. that is designed for specific purposes

"Write on the board."

"The teacher wrote the math problem on the board and asked the students to solve it themselves."

a picture that was made using pens, pencils, or crayons instead of paint

"He made a quick drawing."

"A silverpoint drawing is created with a thin silver rod on a specially prepared abrasive ground"