Education

What 'education' covers: Education is part of the theme Social organization. You need vocabulary to talk about studying, school and university life, exams and learning habits — and to give your opinion about them.

The words below are common English B vocabulary. Treat the list as a glossary: learn each term with its meaning and a synonym, then reuse them in the reading and writing sections.

education

the process of teaching and learning, especially at school or university

subject

an area you study, such as maths, history or biology

to revise

to study again what you have already learned, especially before a test

to take notes

to write down the key points while you read or listen

to pass / to fail an exam

to succeed in / to not succeed in an exam

to get good marks (grades)

to score well in your work and tests

timetable

a plan that shows when you do each lesson or task

to enrol (in)

to officially join a course, school or university

degree

a qualification you earn by completing a course at university

scholarship

money given to a student to help pay for their studies

to learn by heart

to memorise something exactly, word for word

to concentrate

to give all your attention to one thing

deadline

the date or time by which a task must be finished

Why this matters: This vocabulary turns up in every skill — a reading text about school life, a listening interview about study habits, a Paper 1 blog, or your oral. Reusing precise topic words is how you score Criterion A (Language).

Have something to say: Examiners reward developed ideas, not just vocabulary. Around education, the common debates are: which university degree to choose, the pressure of exams, and using technology like tablets and laptops in class. Take a position and back it up.

Link your ideas: Connectors lift your answer from a list into an argument: moreover (to add), however (to contrast), therefore (to conclude), although (to concede). Use at least two or three in any written answer.

Read like Paper 2: Here is a short blog post — the kind of text Paper 2 (Reading) gives you. Read it once just for the general idea; don't worry about every word. Then we'll work through one exam question together.

A study room for the final year: Last month, a few of us in the final year asked the school for a quiet study room. Before that, we had nowhere calm to revise between one lesson and the next.

The idea worked really well. We started studying in small groups at break time, and we passed more tests because we helped one another. I realised that at home I wasted a lot of time on my phone, but in the room I could concentrate much better. The room is now full every day, and the head teacher wants to open a second one. It hasn't been a magic solution, but we have learned to organise our time and to study more effectively.

to revise

to study again before a test

break time

the short pause between or during lessons

to concentrate

to give all your attention to one thing

to organise your time

to plan when you do each task

effectively

in a way that produces good results

Reading technique: For an "according to the text" question, find the exact line that proves your answer — don't rely on memory or general knowledge.

The task: Your school is running a study-skills week. Write a blog post for other students: describe how you study and give advice for studying more effectively.

Use an informal, friendly register. Write 250–400 words.

Why it scores: This answer hits all three Paper 1 criteria — here's what earns each one:

How listening is tested: Paper 2 also tests listening: you hear short clips, each played twice, and you never see the words. Read the questions first, listen for the key idea, then answer.

Here we'll use a transcript so you can practise the technique on the page. Read the questions, then find the answer in the speaker's words.

Transcript — how Daniel studies: Hi, I'm Daniel and I'm in my final year. To get good marks, I make a timetable every Sunday and I revise a little every day. I take notes by hand because that way I concentrate better. When I'm bad at a subject, I study in a group with my friends. For me, the most important thing is not to leave everything until the last day.

Listening technique: Read the questions before the clip plays. Each question usually points to one short part of the recording — listen for the words around it, not the whole thing.