IELTS Vocabulary: Schools and Education Institutions
- Nov 30, 2015
- 4 min read
Educational Institutions
kindergarten = pre-school education
primary school
secondary school
college = further education
higher education = university education = tertiary education
post-graduate school = university for students studying beyond degree level
School Subjects
maths
language
literature
science
physics
biology
chemistry
natural science
geography
religious studies
history
information technology (IT)
physical education (PE)
cookery = domestic / food science
handicrafts
art
music
Vocabulary Exercises: School Subjects
One of the reasons that I didn’t like ……………… was because of the lab work which sometimes involved dissection.
I’ve always enjoyed learning about how chemicals react with one another so I decided to choose …………. as one of my main subjects.
When I was a child, we practiced ………………… three times a week which was fine in summer but was freezing during the winter when you have to football or hockey outside.
My teacher encouraged us to take part in ……………………… in order to develop skills beyond what is taught in scheduled lessons.
I used to find complicated calculations difficult as well as algebra but when we got a new ………… teacher, it all become much easier to understand.
One of my favourite subjects was …………………… because you had a chance to get out of the classroom and learn more about the environment.
Teachers were really strict on ……………… in exams. The exam invigilators won’t even let you have your bag in the exam room.
Poetry should be taught more in ………………. lessons in order to help students develop a deeper understanding of their language and culture.
I always loved studying maps. We spent a lot of time in our ……………. lessons tracing the borders of countries and learn the capital cities of different countries.
My worst subject at school was …………… because I was completely tone deaf.
Answers
biology
chemistry
physical education
extra curricular activities
math’s
natural science
cheating
literature
geography
music
Useful Language & Collocations
lab work = laboratory experiments
dissection = cutting up animals for scientific research
scheduled lessons = lessons which are planned and written into a school curriculum
algebra = formulas and equations in mathematics
to give out or assign homework / to do or complete homework
to complete high school / to graduate high school
to do, to participate or to take part in school activities or sport
tracing = copying, outlining in pencil
tone deaf = without an ear for music = unable to appreciate or hear different music and notes
Types of Schools – Same-Sex & Co-Ed Schools
Watch this video to learn the advantages or single-sex schools and the plus points of mixed schools. This video contains ideas and vocabulary to help you express your ideas clearly.
University Vocabulary
University Courses
BA / BSc = Bachelor of Arts Degree / Bachelor of Science Degree
MA / MSc = Masters of Arts / Masters of Science
PhD = Doctorate
Other Courses
Certificate = a lower level qualification often offered at colleges rather than universites. This is also the word used the for documentation received for completing any type of course or degree (she received her certificate for her BA degree).
Diploma
Online Course
Distance Learning Course
Vocational course = a course which teaches you skills for a specific job, for example engineering.
Non-vocational course = a course which is not related to a job but to a general subject instead, such as Biology.
Useful Verbs & Nouns for University
to graduate from a university = complete a degree course / to finish university
to enroll on a degree course = put your name down for a degree course
to major in physics = to choose physics as your main subject at university
to attend a lecture = to go to listen to a speaker at university often with a large audience in a lecture theatre
to attend a tutorial = to go to a meeting with a professor usually in small group held in his/her office
deliver a lecture = to give a talk or presentation
to lecture in media studies = to talk about media studies or to teach media studies at university
the faculty of business = a department specialising in business at university
to read history = to study history
to do or complete coursework = doing project work or assignments as part of your course
undergraduate (n) = someone currently doing their first degree
graduate (n) = someone who has completed a degree course
note-taking = being able to take notes in a lecture while the lecturer is talking
keeping up with the work load = being able to maintain the level of studying required
fall behind with studies = fail to keep pace with the school / university work
University Work
presentations
lectures
tutorials
thesis
dissertation
hypothesis
assignment
project work
research
Vocabulary Exercises: Universities
Complete the following sentences are university education using no more than one word.
People who have ……….. from university stand a better chance of finding a good job.
I hope to enroll ………. a degree in law next year in the UK.
There is a lot of competition to get a ……………….. but without it I won’t be able to afford the universities fees.
One of the keys to successful ……………. is knowing where to look for information and how to judge which information is most current and relevant. Knowing the best sources of materials is essential.
Answers
graduated
on / in
scholarship
research
Other Useful Vocabulary for Education
literate = to be able to read and write
illiterate = unable to read and write
the literacy rate = the percentage of people in a country or region able to read and write
comprehensive education = a well-rounded, broad education covering a variety of subjects
scholarship = an award of either free or supported education for high achievers
student loan = money taken by a student to pay for their education which they must pay back after graduating
pay off a student loan = to repay money borrowed for university education
intensive course = a course which runs over a short period of time but contains a lot of information and training
play truant / truancy = not attending school / being absent from school without permission
gap year = to take a year out between high school and university
Vocabulary Exercises: Useful Education Vocabulary
Complete the sentences using no more than two words.
The rate of …………… is higher in developed countries than in under developed countries.
Schools should offer a ………………… which includes subjects relating to all minority groups.
The rise in university fees has led to a large proportion of students taking out ………………… which can often be difficult to pay back.
Students who take a …………… often find it difficult to get back into their studies again.
Rather than the government offering free university education for all people, they should, instead, ensure that a certain number of gifted individuals receive a ……………….
Answers
literacy
comprehensive education
student loans
gap year
scholarship
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