How do you prepare for an exam? Do you study regularly, or leave it all to the last minute? Here are some common words and phrases to talk about studying and taking exams.
Exams
take an exam / sit an exam = do an exam
pass an exam = get a good enough mark to succeed
fail an exam = not pass :((
Studying
take extra lessons / have private tuition / private coaching = pay for a personal teacher to help you with the subject
Before the exam
revise = go over everything you've studied
swot up = an informal synonym for "revise"
cram = try and force as much information into your head as possible
learn by heart / memorise = try to remember facts etc, without necessarily understanding them
test yourself = try to test your knowledge of something so that you really know it, rather than just learning it by heart
During the exam
cheat / copy / use a crib sheet = use dishonest methods to try and pass the exam, such as copying someone else, or hiding notes so you can read them during the exam
get a good / high mark = do well in the exam
get a bad / low mark = do badly in the exam
pass with flying colours = pass with high marks
scrape a pass = only just pass
What sort of student are you?
stellar = a star performer
hard-working = someone who tries
straight A = a student who always gets top marks
plodder = someone who works consistently, but isn't particularly brilliant
mediocre = not bad, average
abysmal = terrible
21 comments on “English studying vocabulary”
Sir,
I am delighted to learn such collection of words. very usefull in day to day conversations. Thanks.
sir
I want to improve my english and learn diffirent words that I usefull to speak with my friend .
particularly to improve my english vocabulary .
hi .I want to improve my english and learn diffrent words that i speak and undrestand english
hi 'this is very important point to have anew vocabulaty but sone time you need some body to help you so i want to
pay for a personal teacher to help you me to studying english and speaking
Hi, My favorite language is english, and I want to improve it and be a good speaker of it.so I think that reading and writing it is not enough we need to speak it with each other
I LOVE ENGLISH SO HWANT IMPROVE MY SKILS SPCAIL IN VOCABULARY
Hi Hassan
You can put a post on the penpals forum to find someone to practise English with!
i like english language so i want to improve in speaking english and using vocablary.
i want to improve my english skills,plz tell me, how can i do this?
i like it so much ,, so helpful
Hi Clare,
I was born in England and I am a student in Kent, my English is terrible however I work at my best. I have just started Year 11(last year at school) and I have just recieved my English results. I was surpriced, i got a 'U' and i was shocked.
Please if you have any methods or ways i can improve my grammer and reading skills, please help me :)
Thank you.
Sinan
Hi Sinan
You could ask your teacher why you got U. Was it for grammar, punctuation, spelling? I saw in your question that you make some spelling mistakes, but it would be useful if you could find out what exactly your teacher marked you down for.
Generally speaking, the more you read, the better your writing becomes, as you expand your vocabulary. But practice is also good too.
I just informed my English teacher today at school and she was shocked when I told her I got a U, she had no idea I had got that grade, however it was a misunderstanding. It wasn't my English that ruined the exam. My note taking and scanning are great (My teacher said). I get very nervous whilst doing tests and I worry to much; that makes me not think possitive. My teacher said she will help my this year, everyday after school and that she will get me this C grade. I will try to overcome my fear of doing tests.
Thank you Clare :) I'm still using this website, it helps me a lot.
OK! I'm glad you had a chat with your teacher and that she's going to help you. I know it's easy to say, but try not to worry too much when you're doing tests.
You can use a notebook to organise your vocabulary notes. Put the new words into themes, rather than writing a list, and look back at your new words regularly. Write example sentences, and practise using new words so you feel more comfortable using them.
Hi Ms Clare ,
Please I need help to improve my English although i'm a teacher of nglish for more than 10 years but i applied for taking the CELTA at the British council in Cairo but they refused me because myEnglish is not near to the native speakers language .so please reply to my message because i need a lot of help
If you have a general question about English, feel free to post it in the Help Me! forum. I answer questions there every day. If you have a specific question or comment about something on one of the pages, feel free to post a comment on the page.
Regarding the CELTA, I'd just like to say it's quite a difficult course, and you definitely need a native-like level of English. Did you get any specific feedback from the course organisers about where you need to improve English? Was it grammar / vocabulary / pronunciation, etc?
clare
plz i want your help because i want to improve my english i want to get more vocabulary
thank you clare.
hi sir
i would like to improve my english. sujjest me how can i do that. another hand im so intrested in american local language i watch every day western movie every day. but in front of another persone i get hesitate. clear my proplem my lord, thanks im just waiting for your next move.
Hello Clare ! First and foremost, thank you so much! I learned English as a foreign language in my hometown and I am teaching it in a national university.However,I have some limitations; particularly in writing and listening.Thus,how can I improve these skills? Many thanks in advance!
Hi David
First of all, congratulations on your success with learning English! It's always good to hear of people who can get over the hurdles and difficulties of learning a foreign language!
For writing / listening skills development, the best way to improve is through practice. Listen as much as you can to as wide a variety of conversations, interviews etc. But you'll also need to expand your vocabulary, which is where reading widely will help. Make sure you know the pronunciation of new words so you can recognise them when you hear them. Reading for vocabulary development will also help your writing skills.
