Education and Learning Vocabulary in English
Do more with this exercise
Talk about school, university and studying with 26 useful words. Read each short meaning and the example, listen, and then practise in the exercises. These words help you describe your studies, your exams and the way you learn.
Studying at university
degreeA university qualification you get after years of study.
She has a degree in biology.
subjectAn area of study, such as maths or history.
My favourite subject at school was history.
courseA series of lessons about one subject.
I have been taking a course in design since September.
lectureA talk to a large group of students.
The lecture lasted two hours, and I was very tired.
lecturerA teacher at a university.
Our lecturer gives us a lot of reading.
campusThe land and buildings of a university.
Many students live on campus in their first year.
scholarshipMoney that helps you pay for your studies.
He won a scholarship, so he did not pay for his studies.
semesterHalf of the school or university year.
The first semester starts in September.
Work and results
assignmentA piece of work a teacher asks you to do.
I have finished my assignment, but I have not sent it yet.
deadlineThe last day or time to finish something.
The deadline is Friday, so I must hurry.
essayA piece of writing about one topic.
She wrote a long essay about her country.
examA formal test of what you know.
I have an exam tomorrow, so I am studying tonight.
gradeA letter or number that shows how good your work is.
He got a good grade because he had worked hard.
certificateA paper that shows you finished a course.
After the course, I received a certificate.
feedbackComments that tell you what is good or bad in your work.
The teacher’s feedback helped me to write better.
researchCareful study to find new information.
She is doing research on sleep and memory.
Learning actions
reviseStudy again before a test.
I always revise for one week before an exam.
memoriseLearn something so well that you remember it exactly.
It is hard to memorise so many new words.
passSucceed in an exam or test.
I hope I pass the exam this time.
failNot succeed in an exam or test.
Many students fail this exam the first time.
graduateFinish your studies at a university and get a degree.
She will graduate next June.
attendGo to a class, lesson or meeting.
I attend English classes every Tuesday.
enrolJoin a course or school in a formal way.
I want to enrol in a music course.
improveBecome better, or make something better.
I want to improve my writing.
concentrateGive all your attention to one thing.
It is difficult to concentrate when it is noisy.
drop outLeave a course before you finish it.
He had to drop out of university because he needed money.
Audio uses a synthetic voice.
Practice exercises
Match the word and meaning
Match each English word with its meaning.
Choose a word on the left, then its match on the right.
Choose the right word
Choose the best answer for each question.
7.Which word means the last day to hand in your work?
8.Which word means money that helps you pay for university?
9.Maria studied biology for four years. What does she have now?
10.Who teaches students at a university?
11.Which verb means to study again before a test?
12.Tom did not study, and the exam was very hard. What happened?
13.Which word means comments about your work?
14.You want to join a course officially. What do you do?
Complete the sentence
Type the missing word.
Talk about education and learning in English
Education vocabulary helps you in many real situations. You can describe your studies, ask about a course or talk about your plans for the future. Words such as degree, subject and lecture are very common in conversations about university life.
Some words are close to Spanish, but their use in English can be different. For example, you pass an exam, not approve it, and you attend a class, not assist to it. Learn each word with its example sentence and notice the verbs that go with it.
Many students find the first weeks of a new course difficult. Everything is new, and they have not got used to the timetable yet. After a few weeks, they get used to the lectures and the deadlines, and studying feels easier. We say be used to with a noun: I am used to early mornings, but I am not used to long lectures yet.
Try the exercises, then write your own sentences. Say how many exams you have had, what your favourite subject was and what you want to improve. Using the words about your own life is the best way to remember them.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a degree and a course?
A degree is a qualification from a university, and it usually takes several years. A course is a series of lessons about one subject, and it can be short or long.
Does revise mean the same as review?
In British English, revise means to study again before a test. In American English, people usually say review or study for this.
Do I say pass an exam or approve an exam?
Say pass an exam. The verb approve does not have this meaning in English.
What is the difference between a mark and a grade?
Both show how good your work is. Mark is more common in British English, and grade is more common in American English, but people understand both.
Answer key
1. degree
Answer: A university qualification you get after years of study.
degree — A university qualification you get after years of study.
2. lecture
Answer: A talk to a large group of students.
lecture — A talk to a large group of students.
3. scholarship
Answer: Money that helps you pay for your studies.
scholarship — Money that helps you pay for your studies.
4. deadline
Answer: The last day or time to finish something.
deadline — The last day or time to finish something.
5. revise
Answer: Study again before a test.
revise — Study again before a test.
6. drop out
Answer: Leave a course before you finish it.
drop out — Leave a course before you finish it.
7. Which word means the last day to hand in your work?
Answer: deadline
deadline is the answer: The last day or time to finish something.
8. Which word means money that helps you pay for university?
Answer: scholarship
scholarship is the answer: Money that helps you pay for your studies.
9. Maria studied biology for four years. What does she have now?
Answer: a degree
degree is the answer: A university qualification you get after years of study.
10. Who teaches students at a university?
Answer: a lecturer
lecturer is the answer: A teacher at a university.
11. Which verb means to study again before a test?
Answer: revise
revise is the answer: Study again before a test.
12. Tom did not study, and the exam was very hard. What happened?
Answer: He failed.
He failed. Fail means not succeed in an exam or test.
13. Which word means comments about your work?
Answer: feedback
feedback is the answer: Comments that tell you what is good or bad in your work.
14. You want to join a course officially. What do you do?
Answer: enrol
enrol is the answer: Join a course or school in a formal way.
15. I have an ___ on Monday, so I must study this weekend.
Answer: exam
The complete sentence is I have an exam on Monday, so I must study this weekend.
16. She wrote a long ___ about her country for her history class.
Answer: essay
The complete sentence is She wrote a long essay about her country for her history class.
17. I always ___ for one week before an exam.
Answer: revise
The complete sentence is I always revise for one week before an exam.
18. He studied hard, so he ___ the exam.
Answer: passed
The complete sentence is He studied hard, so he passed the exam.
19. She will ___ from university next June and look for a job.
Answer: graduate
The complete sentence is She will graduate from university next June and look for a job.
20. I could not ___ in class because it was very noisy.
Answer: concentrate
The complete sentence is I could not concentrate in class because it was very noisy.
21. I got a good ___ for my essay: an A.
Answer: grade
The complete sentence is I got a good grade for my essay: an A.
22. The ___ is on Friday, so I need to finish my work today.
Answer: deadline
The complete sentence is The deadline is on Friday, so I need to finish my work today.
23. I am not used to long ___ yet. They last two hours.
Answer: lectures
The complete sentence is I am not used to long lectures yet. They last two hours.