English studying vocabulary

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

by: Szigetfalvi Andi