Topic vocabulary in contrast |
| take (v) |
to perform an action |
I decided to take the exam, even though I knew I was going to fail. |
| pass (v) |
to be successful in an examination or test, by achieving a satisfactory standard |
Do you think you'll pass? |
| read (v) |
to look at and understand words in a letter, book, newspaper, etc |
I read a few chapters every night. |
| study (v) |
to do work such as reading and homework |
You need to study hard if you want to pass. |
| test (n) |
a set of written or spoken questions that is used for finding out how much someone knows about a subject |
Did you get a good mark in your physics test? |
| exam (n) |
an important test of your knowledge, especially one that you take at school or university |
I'm taking the exam in June. |
| primary (adj) |
relating to the education of children between the ages of about five and eleven |
I really didn't want to leave my primary school. |
| secondary (adj) |
relating to the education of children between the ages of 11 and 16 or 18 |
Once Ian went to secondary school, he really developed a lot of self-confidence. |
| high [school] (adj) |
in the UK, a school for children between the ages of 11 and 18; in the US, a school for children between the ages of 14 and 18 |
I hated high school because everyone was worried about being popular. |
| colleague (n) |
someone who works in the same organisation or department as you |
Friends and colleagues will remember him with affection. |
| classmate (n) |
someone who is in your class at school |
I get on well with all my classmates. |
| prefect(n) |
in some schools in the UK, an older student who controls the activities of younger students and helps them to obey the rules |
At our school, the headmaster chooses the prefects at the start of each academic year. |
| pupil (n) |
someone who goes to school or who has lessons in a particular subject |
All the pupils stood up as the head teacher entered the room. |
| student (n) |
someone who goes to a university, college or school |
Jennifer is one of my best students. |
| qualifications (n) |
something such as a degree or a diploma that you get when you successfully finish a course of study |
Simon left school with no qualifications. |
| qualities (n) |
positive features of a person's character |
What qualities do you most admire in others? |
| count (v) |
to calculate how many people or things there are in a group |
All the votes have been counted. |
| measure (v) |
to find the exact size, amount, speed or rate of something |
We measured from the back of the house to the fence. |
| degree(n) |
a course of study at a university, or the qualification that you get after completing the course |
She's doing a degree at Exeter University. |
| certificate (n) |
an official document that proves that you have passed an examination or have successfully completed a course |
Doctors often put their certificates up in their offices to show that they are qualified. |
| results (n) |
the mark that a student gets in an examination |
You should get your exam results next week. |
| speak (v) |
to be able to talk in a particular language |
Do you speak Chinese? |
| talk (v) |
to speak, or to have a conversation: |
Can their baby talk yet? |
| lesson (n) |
a period of time in which students are taught about a subject in school |
Don't forget to bring your books to Monday's lesson. |
| subject (n) |
something that you learn or teach in a school, for example English, mathematics or biology |
I prefer science subjects, like physics and biology, to arts subjects. |
| achieve (v) |
to succeed in doing or having something |
We have achieved what we set out to do. |
| reach (v) |
to get to a particular point in time, or to a particular stage in a process |
The children have reached the age when they want more privacy. |
| task (n) |
something that you have to do, often something that is difficult or unpleasant |
Ken began the difficult task of organising the information. |
| effort (n) |
physical or mental energy needed to do something |
Writing a book takes a lot of time and effort. |
| know (v) |
to be familiar with someone or something, for example because you have met someone before or been to a place before |
Do you know Terry Davis? |
| recognise (v) |
to know someone or something because you have seen, heard or met them before |
I recognised the house from your description. |
| teach (v) |
to help students to learn something in a school, college or university by giving lessons |
She teaches children with learning difficulties. |
| learn (v) |
to gain knowledge or experience of something, for example by being taught |
What did you learn at school today? |
