B2 FIRST · VOCABULARY · TOPIC VOCABULARY
Education and learning
Words like take an exam, revise, get a degree and tuition.
Finn says
Education is one of the most common exam topics: school, university, learning languages and online courses. Learn the words in groups, with the words they go with, and try to use two or three of them next time you practise Speaking or Writing.
Studying and exams
take / sit an exam
do an exam
I'm taking my B2 exam in June.
pass / fail an exam
get / not get the mark you need
She passed all her exams.
revise
study again before an exam
I need to revise for my history exam.
make progress
get better
You're making great progress.
learn by heart
learn so you can remember exactly
We had to learn the poem by heart.
get good / bad marks
receive good / bad results
He always gets good marks in maths.
School and university
a subject
what you study, like history or biology
My favourite subject is chemistry.
a degree
what you get when you finish university
She's got a degree in economics.
a lecture / a lecturer
a university talk / the person who gives it
The lecture starts at nine.
tuition fees
money you pay to study
University tuition fees are very high in some countries.
drop out
leave school or university before finishing
He dropped out of university after a year.
an online course
a course you follow on the internet
I'm doing an online course in photography.
Make it better
The same idea, first in basic English, then in the kind of language that gets a higher mark.
- Basic: I studied again before the exam.Better: I revised for the exam.One exact verb.
- Basic: I am getting better at English.Better: I'm making progress with my English.A very useful collocation.
- Basic: He left university and didn't finish.Better: He dropped out of university.A natural phrasal verb.
- Basic: I did the exam and I got it.Better: I took the exam and passed.The correct verbs for exams.
Finn's exam tip
Be careful: pass an exam means you succeeded. If you just mean 'do' the exam, say take or sit an exam. 'I passed my exam yesterday but I don't know the result' is a very common mistake!
Quick check
Choose the best answer.
🇪🇸 Guía en español: Los 40 phrasal verbs más útiles para el B2 First →
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