examex‧am /ɪɡˈzæm/ ●●● S1 noun [countable] 
At the end of each level, there’s an exam. How did you do in your exams?► see thesaurus at test2American English the paper on which the questions for an exam are written: Do not open your exams until I tell you.3American English a set of medical tests: an eye examCOLLOCATIONSverbstake/do an exam (also sit an exam British English)· We have to take exams at the end of each year.pass an exam (=succeed in it)· Did you pass your final exam?fail an exam· If you fail the exam, you can retake it.do well/badly in an exam British English, do well/badly on an exam American English:· Maria always did well in her exams at school.study for an exam (also revise for an exam British English)· She has to study for her exams.sail though an exam (=pass it easily)· Don’t worry - I’m sure you’ll sail through all your exams.scrape through an exam (=only just pass it)· He managed to scrape through the exam and stay on the course.flunk an exam American English informal (=fail it)· I flunked all my first year exams.cheat in an exam British English, cheat on an exam American English:· She was caught cheating in the exam.retake an exam (also resit an exam British English) (=take it again because you did not do well the first time)· If you don’t do well, you’ll have to resit the exam in January.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + exama chemistry/French etc exam· I knew I wouldn’t pass the German exam.a written exam· There is a written exam at the end of the course.an oral exam (=in which you answer questions by speaking)· I have my French oral exams next week.a mock exam British English (=one that you do to practise for the real exams)· He did well in the mock exams.a practical exam (=in which you have to make or do things)· There’s a practical exam as well as a written one.a final exam (=at the end of a course)· The students take their final exams in June.the end of year/term exam British English:· I knew I had to do well in the end of year exams.high school exams· Greg got good grades in all of his high school exams.an entrance exam (=in order to enter a school or university)· Jane passed the entrance exam but decided not to go.a professional exam (=to qualify in a profession, for example to be an accountant)· Once you’ve passed your professional exams, you can start to build up your experience.the bar exam (=in order to become a lawyer)· He is studying for the bar exam.board exams American English (=in order to become a nurse or doctor)· He failed his board exams in psychiatry.exam + NOUNexam results· The school achieves consistently good exam results.an exam paper· I’ve still got dozens of exam papers to mark.an exam question· Read the exam questions carefully before writing your answers.exam revision British English:· I have to do my exam revision this weekend.exam practice· Schools say they have to spend too much time doing exam practice.an exam essay/script (=that someone has written during an exam)· I’ve brought in some old exam scripts for us to look at.exam technique (=good ways to succeed in exams)· Mr Frasier gave us some useful tips on exam technique.exam marks· Pupils were divided into classes with a similar range of ability, based on their previous exam marks.COMMON ERRORS ► Don’t say ‘make an exam’. Say take an exam or do an exam.
WORD ORIGINexam
Origin:
1800-1900 examinationEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- a chemistry exam
- Final exams will be just before Christmas.
- He's upstairs, revising for an exam.
- How did you do in your exams?
- In Japan, entrance exams are very important, and many children go to extra classes to prepare for them.
- Students are not allowed to talk during the examination.
- We have a biology exam tomorrow, and I haven't done any work for it yet.
- At one point, Fred cheated on an exam.
- How did you manage to fail all those exams?
- Proving that I could do it, and do it well, was finally my sole motivation when I began my exams.
- She says many things other than exam results make a good school.
- Study past exam papers, noting the exam format, the choice of questions, and the all-important time limit.
- The exam covered the material they had read; they were allowed to use their notes.
- The task force recommends physical exams every one to three years, essentially duplicating the screenings for the younger group.
- We were then given a simple exam which consisted of crossing out stupid answers in order to leave the least stupid one.
THESAURUS
a set of questions or practical activities, which are intended to find out how much someone knows about a subject or skill: · I have a chemistry test tomorrow.· Did Lauren pass her driving test?
(also examination formal) an important test that you do at the end of a course of study or class or at the end of the school year: · He’s upstairs, revising for an exam.· When do you get your exam results?· There’s a written examination at the end of the course.
American English a quick test that a teacher gives to a class, usually to check that students are learning the things they should be learning: · We have a math quiz every Monday.· a pop quiz (=a quiz given by a teacher without any warning)
British English the last exams that you take at the end of a British university course: · During my finals I was revising till 3 o'clock in the morning most days.
American English an important test that you take at the end of a particular class in high school or college: · The English final was pretty hard.
American English an important test that you take in the middle of a term, covering what you have learned in a particular class in high school or college: · He did badly in the midterm.
(also oral British English) an exam in which you answer questions by speaking, instead of writing, for example to test how good you are at speaking a foreign language: · Nicky got an A in her Spanish oral.· You can either take an oral exam or do a 25 page essay.
British English an exam that tests your ability to do or make things, rather than your ability to write about them: · The chemistry practical is on Monday.
British English informal tests that you take as practice before the official examinations: · She did well in the mocks.
British English a set of printed questions used as an examination in a particular subject, or the answers people write: · The history paper was really difficult.· The papers are marked by the other teachers.
Longman Language Activatora test of your knowledge or skill a set of spoken or written questions or practical activities, which are intended to find out how much someone knows about a subject or skill: · Several students were caught cheating on the test.· The committee is calling for national tests for American schoolchildren.spelling/reading/biology etc test: · I have a chemistry test tomorrow.driving/driver's test: · Did Lauren pass her driving test?test on: · Listen carefully, because there will be a test on this next week.
also examination formal an important test that you do at the end of a course of study or at the end of the school year: · Students are not allowed to talk during the examination.· He's upstairs, revising for an exam. in an exam British /on an exam American: · How did you do in your exams?entrance exam (=an exam you must pass to enter a school or university): · In Japan, entrance exams are very important, and many children go to extra classes to prepare for them.history/French/biology etc exam: · We have a biology exam tomorrow, and I haven't done any work for it yet.final/mid-term exam American (=exams taken at the end or the middle of a particular class): · Final exams will be just before Christmas.
American a quick test that a teacher gives to a class, usually to check that students are learning the things they should be learning: · We have a history quiz every Monday.pop quiz (=a quiz that is not expected by the students): · He likes giving pop quizzes, to see if the kids are remembering anything.
also oral British an exam in which you answer questions by speaking, instead of writing, for example to test how good you are at speaking a foreign language: · You can either take an oral exam or do a 25 page essay.· Nicky got an A in her Spanish oral.
British an exam that tests your ability to do or make things, rather than your ability to write about them, for example in subjects such as chemistry or cooking: · We've got our chemistry practical tomorrow morning.
British the last exams that you take at the end of a British university course: · During my finals I was revising till 3 o'clock in the morning most days.
American the test you take at the end of a particular class, or the test you take in the middle of that class: · This class will require two papers, a midterm, and a final.
especially British a method used to find out how good a student is at a particular subject, for example by giving them written work, tests, or exams: · Assessment is by means of a written exam at the end of the course.continuous assessment (=assessment throughout a student's course of study, instead of only at the end): · Most schools nowadays prefer to use continuous assessment, because it gives a fairer picture of how the student has done during the whole year.
the system of using exams and tests to find out how good someone is at a particular subject: · The government plans to introduce compulsory testing in junior schools from the age of 7.· I believe that some sort of testing is always necessary in order to motivate students.
to give students a test or exam to make someone do a test: · Schools are required to give students national standardized tests.give sb a test on: · The French teacher gave us a test on irregular verbs, and I got 100%.
to ask someone written or spoken questions to find out what they know about a subject: · New students are tested in math and reading, and placed in the appropriate class.test somebody on something: · Tomorrow you'll be tested on the main events of the Civil War.
British to choose the questions that are in a test or exam: · Next lesson I'm setting you all a test to see how much you've learned.· Whoever set the exam didn't seem to know the material very well.
formal to ask someone questions in an exam in order to find out what they know about a particular subject: · To save time, students will be examined in groups of three.examine somebody on something: · Students will be examined on all aspects of Russian literature and history.
WORD SETSabsenteeism, nounacademic, adjectiveacademy, nounadult education, nounalma mater, nounassessment, nounassessor, nounassignment, nounaudiovisual, adjectiveAV, binder, nounbiology, nounblackboard, nounbursary, nounbusiness studies, nounCAL, nounCALL, nouncareer counselor, nouncareers officer, nouncase study, nounCDT, nouncert., certificate, nouncertificated, adjectivechalkboard, nouncharm school, nounchemistry set, nouncivics, nounclass, nounclassicist, nounclassmate, nouncloze test, nouncoach, nouncoeducation, nouncollege, nouncollegiate, adjectivecommon room, nouncomprehension, nouncomprehensive, adjectivecomputer-literate, adjectivecomputer science, nouncontinuing education, nouncorrespondence course, nouncoursebook, nouncoursework, nouncrash course, nouncredit, nouncrib, verbcross, nouncurriculum, nounD, noundiploma, noundirect method, nounDirector of Studies, noundissect, verbdistance learning, noundistinction, noundo, verbdropout, noundyslexia, nounedify, verbedifying, adjectiveeducate, verbeducational, adjectiveeducationalist, nouneducator, nounEFL, nounELT, nounESL, nounESOL, nounESP, nounessay, nounevening class, nounexam, nounexamination, nounexamine, verbexercise, nounexercise book, nounexternal, adjectiveextracurricular, adjectiveF, fail, nounfellowship, nounfield, nounfield day, nounfield trip, nounfieldwork, nounflashcard, nounflip chart, nounflunk, verbfree period, nounfresher, nounfreshman, nounfurther education, nounglobe, noungoverness, noungrade, verbgraded, adjectivegrade point average, noungrind, nounheuristic, adjectivehistory, nounimmersion, nounineducable, adjectiveinfirmary, nounintake, nounintelligence quotient, nouninterdisciplinary, adjectiveintroductory, adjectiveinvigilate, verbIQ, nounjanitor, nounlearning curve, nounlesson, nounletter, nounletter, verbliberal arts, nounlibrarian, nounlibrary, nounlife science, nounmainstream, adjectivemasterclass, nounmatron, nounmedia studies, nounmnemonic, nounmoderate, verbmoderator, nounmodular, adjectivemodule, nounmultiple choice, adjectivenight school, nounnumerate, adjectiveopen house, nounoral, nounoverqualified, adjectivepapier mâché, nounpass, verbpass, nounpastoral, adjectivepedagogical, adjectivepedagogue, nounpedagogy, nounphonics, nounphrasebook, nounphysical education, nounpicture book, nounplacement, nounplaytime, nounpoli sci, nounpolitical science, nounpolitics, nounprincipal, nounprize day, nounproblem, nounproctor, nounprogrammed learning, nounprotégé, nounquad, nounqualification, nounqualify, verbquick, adjectiverector, nounre-educate, verbrefectory, nounreference, nounreference library, nounrequirement, nounresearch, nounresearch, verbresit, verbresource, nounresult, nounresume, nounretake, verbretake, nounreunion, nounreview, verbrevise, verbrevision, nounrole-play, nounrote, nounscholar, nounscholarship, nounscholastic, adjectiveschool, nounscience, nounscript, nounself-taught, adjectiveset, verbspeciality, nounspelling bee, nounstandard, adjectivestate school, nounstudent body, nounstudent government, nounstudent loan, nounstudent teaching, nounstudent union, nounstudy, verbstudy hall, nounsub, nounsummer holidays, nounsummer vacation, nounsuperintendent, nounteacher, nounteaching, nountechie, nounterm, nounterm paper, nounTESL, nounTESOL, nountext, nountextbook, nountick, nountick, verbtimetable, nountimetable, verbtranscript, nountrimester, nountruancy, nountuition, nountutor, nountutor, verbunderclassman, noununit, noununseen, nounvisual aid, nounvocational, adjectivewhiteboard, nounworkbook, nounworksheet, nounX, nounyearbook, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYverbs I’ve only got three weeks left to study for my exams.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
(also sit an exam British English)· We have to take exams at the end of each year.
(=succeed in it)· Did you pass your final exam?
· If you fail the exam, you can retake it.
British English, do well/badly on an exam American English:· Maria always did well in her exams at school.
(also revise for an exam British English)· She has to study for her exams.
(=pass it easily)· Don’t worry - I’m sure you’ll sail through all your exams.
(=only just pass it)· He managed to scrape through the exam and stay on the course.
American English informal (=fail it)· I flunked all my first year exams.
British English, cheat on an exam American English:· She was caught cheating in the exam.
(also resit an exam British English) (=take it again because you did not do well the first time)· If you don’t do well, you’ll have to resit the exam in January.
ADJECTIVES/NOUN + exam· I knew I wouldn’t pass the German exam.
· There is a written exam at the end of the course.
(=in which you answer questions by speaking)· I have my French oral exams next week.
British English (=one that you do to practise for the real exams)· He did well in the mock exams.
(=in which you have to make or do things)· There’s a practical exam as well as a written one.
(=at the end of a course)· The students take their final exams in June.
British English:· I knew I had to do well in the end of year exams.
· Greg got good grades in all of his high school exams.
(=in order to enter a school or university)· Jane passed the entrance exam but decided not to go.
(=to qualify in a profession, for example to be an accountant)· Once you’ve passed your professional exams, you can start to build up your experience.
(=in order to become a lawyer)· He is studying for the bar exam.
American English (=in order to become a nurse or doctor)· He failed his board exams in psychiatry.
exam + NOUN· The school achieves consistently good exam results.
· I’ve still got dozens of exam papers to mark.
· Read the exam questions carefully before writing your answers.
British English:· I have to do my exam revision this weekend.
· Schools say they have to spend too much time doing exam practice.
(=that someone has written during an exam)· I’ve brought in some old exam scripts for us to look at.
(=good ways to succeed in exams)· Mr Frasier gave us some useful tips on exam technique.
· Pupils were divided into classes with a similar range of ability, based on their previous exam marks.
COMMON ERRORS ► Don’t say ‘make an exam’. Say take an exam or do an exam.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES· Quite a few of the students suffered from exam nerves.
· You have to answer twenty exam questions.
I’ve only got three weeks left to study for my exams.· Hundreds of riot police on Nov. 2 clashed with students in Dhaka protesting against recent legislation to curb cheating in final exams.· Thousands of students are diligently filling out final exams with Number 2 pencils.· On top of this, I face my final exams at the end of the year.· This week, final exams or not, she is in no mood to tolerate poor practices.· Mr Foecke has claimed he scored passes in 13 out of 13 final exam papers.· Staying up for a week during final exams is nothing compared to months of interrupted sleep with an infant.· The usual summer crush of final exams was supplanted by the trappings of grief.· There will, I promise you, be a final exam.
· The navy board was the last in a gauntlet of oral exams.· Students had to pass oral and written exams before moving up.
· Sedentary men, particularly those over 40, should not start a running program without a physical exam, he said.· To his embarrassment, he failed the physical exam.· The task force recommends physical exams every one to three years, essentially duplicating the screenings for the younger group.· It also offers all marathon and triathlon participants free basic physical exams before the race.
· Knowing how to use your head is not a subject you can study for a written exam.· The candidates faced hours of written exams, manoeuvres and then a gruelling road test through Milton Keynes.· The majority of marks will come from a written exam.· They attacked the internal assessments, which teachers have normally defended as superior to the traditional written exams.· The award will be based on continual assessments of skills and competence so staff will not have to sit any written exams.· The course is assessed by two extended essays, four essays and a written exam.
NOUN· He went to Oxford from secondary school but failed his Bar exams, unlike his father and brother.· The begin-ning of real trouble was flunking the bar exam and receiving, in turn, a reduced salary from my firm.· In the service, I met an impressive guy who had just passed the Massachusetts bar exam.· She graduated and passed bar exams in two states on her first try.
· Even so, without his father's family connection he wouldn't have scraped through the entrance exam.· An entrance exam guides students into one of four academic tracks, ranging from highly gifted to remedial.· He failed a university entrance exam.· She was still holding the newspaper clipping about the woman who committed suicide when her son failed his college entrance exam.· It is another two years before they sit their university entrance exam.· There are juku to help four-year-olds pass entrance exams for elite kindergartens.· Students often have a good idea of what scores they need on college-entrance exams to earn acceptance letters and scholarships.· There are even juku to help kids pass entrance exams to get into prestigious juku.
· The offer could save schools up to £1,500 a year in exam fees, which currently cost about £15 per entry.
· Recently, a friend of mine who's a teacher was looking through files of exam questions stored on a floppy disk.· Look at Heisenberg, which is part of a real exam question set in June 1992.· Because exam questions and essay titles often ask you to judge texts, it can be difficult to avoid such patronising effects.· We looked at labels and washing powders with more interest and at new washing machines with economy programmes - another exam question.· It is a bit like asking a number of students an exam question.
· She says many things other than exam results make a good school.· Worshippers come by bus or car to pray to their ancestors, or perhaps for their children's exam results.· Class composition and exam results are monitored.· Users tended to be children with low expectations of good exam results and generally low esteem.· He never really saw the effort, the nervous breakdowns, the tears for poor exam results or exultation over good ones.· A bottle of vintage champagne was cracked open, and a toast drunk to Virginia's exam results received a few days earlier.· He takes little interest in me apart from how I look and what my exam results are like.· We will publish test results, exam results and truancy rates and ensure that there is regular independent inspection.
· The militants enforced the ban on cheating in school exams, and even that old tradition disappeared.
VERB· He went to Oxford from secondary school but failed his Bar exams, unlike his father and brother.· I might have failed a physics exam.· How did you manage to fail all those exams?· To his embarrassment, he failed the physical exam.· He failed a university entrance exam.· She was still holding the newspaper clipping about the woman who committed suicide when her son failed his college entrance exam.· But he said the young man's fears that he would fail his exams were almost certainly unfounded.
· She had to pass her exams.· She graduated and passed bar exams in two states on her first try.· What's the point of a head when it can't pass exams?· There are even juku to help kids pass entrance exams to get into prestigious juku.· Reply: It was the day I passed my exam.· Poor boys from the provinces could rise above the sons of tycoons if only they could pass the Todai entrance exam.· If teachers only got paid for pupils passing their exams, there are some pupils who'd never get any education at all.· The Royal children might even pass a few exams which is more than their expensively educated Mummies and Daddies managed.
· It is another two years before they sit their university entrance exam.· In this case the Project becomes a temporary centre and they sit the exams there.· The children sit for normal exams at the local school and have so far maintained a necessary standard.· She was still at school, and sat her exams when she was four or five months pregnant.· The award will be based on continual assessments of skills and competence so staff will not have to sit any written exams.· These opportunities start with the Staff Progression Scheme where all employees are encouraged to sit three levels of exams.
· Knowing how to use your head is not a subject you can study for a written exam.· I've been up late every night studying for exams and now I've got puffy eyes.
· I had the tutor for a year right until I took my exams.· And then Clinton takes over the exam, moving it to the oddest of venues.· He agreed and said he would train me so that I could take the necessary exams.· Offered promotion, he is told that he will be obliged to take a brief exam.· This is a set of databases which collect all the pupils' details, from absences to courses taken and exam presentations.· The impostors allegedly traveled to different testing site to take the exams, showing fake drivers' licenses or military identifications.· She says that Helen had to take 99 exams to qualify as an astronaut.· Many students take 10 or more exams to ensure entry to a good school.
· Students will have to produce a portfolio of work and successfully complete a written exam to gain a unit qualification.· Students had to pass oral and written exams before moving up.· Evening and weekend study, writing reports and taking exams can all prove quite stressful.· They have to hire most employees from lists of those who have taken written civil service exams.· Applicants may take a written exam, undergo a preliminary interview, or submit records of their education and experience for evaluation.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► exam-setter/policy-setter etc
- After passing the written test, Solomon began his driving lessons.
- Applicants may take a written exam, undergo a preliminary interview, or submit records of their education and experience for evaluation.
- Knowing how to use your head is not a subject you can study for a written exam.
- Pudwill said only five passed among the 60 in his group that took the written test.
- Students had to pass oral and written exams before moving up.
- The written test success rates are given in the table below.
- The results are from written tests unless otherwise stated.
- Thus, although these pupils generally have difficulty with reading, this does not mean that written tests should be ruled out.
WORD FAMILYnounexamexaminationcross-examinationexaminerverbexaminecross-examine
1a spoken or written test of knowledge, especially an important one: At the end of each level, there’s an exam. How did you do in your exams?► see thesaurus at test2American English the paper on which the questions for an exam are written: Do not open your exams until I tell you.3American English a set of medical tests: an eye examCOLLOCATIONSverbstake/do an exam (also sit an exam British English)· We have to take exams at the end of each year.pass an exam (=succeed in it)· Did you pass your final exam?fail an exam· If you fail the exam, you can retake it.do well/badly in an exam British English, do well/badly on an exam American English:· Maria always did well in her exams at school.study for an exam (also revise for an exam British English)· She has to study for her exams.sail though an exam (=pass it easily)· Don’t worry - I’m sure you’ll sail through all your exams.scrape through an exam (=only just pass it)· He managed to scrape through the exam and stay on the course.flunk an exam American English informal (=fail it)· I flunked all my first year exams.cheat in an exam British English, cheat on an exam American English:· She was caught cheating in the exam.retake an exam (also resit an exam British English) (=take it again because you did not do well the first time)· If you don’t do well, you’ll have to resit the exam in January.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + exama chemistry/French etc exam· I knew I wouldn’t pass the German exam.a written exam· There is a written exam at the end of the course.an oral exam (=in which you answer questions by speaking)· I have my French oral exams next week.a mock exam British English (=one that you do to practise for the real exams)· He did well in the mock exams.a practical exam (=in which you have to make or do things)· There’s a practical exam as well as a written one.a final exam (=at the end of a course)· The students take their final exams in June.the end of year/term exam British English:· I knew I had to do well in the end of year exams.high school exams· Greg got good grades in all of his high school exams.an entrance exam (=in order to enter a school or university)· Jane passed the entrance exam but decided not to go.a professional exam (=to qualify in a profession, for example to be an accountant)· Once you’ve passed your professional exams, you can start to build up your experience.the bar exam (=in order to become a lawyer)· He is studying for the bar exam.board exams American English (=in order to become a nurse or doctor)· He failed his board exams in psychiatry.exam + NOUNexam results· The school achieves consistently good exam results.an exam paper· I’ve still got dozens of exam papers to mark.an exam question· Read the exam questions carefully before writing your answers.exam revision British English:· I have to do my exam revision this weekend.exam practice· Schools say they have to spend too much time doing exam practice.an exam essay/script (=that someone has written during an exam)· I’ve brought in some old exam scripts for us to look at.exam technique (=good ways to succeed in exams)· Mr Frasier gave us some useful tips on exam technique.exam marks· Pupils were divided into classes with a similar range of ability, based on their previous exam marks.COMMON ERRORS ► Don’t say ‘make an exam’. Say take an exam or do an exam.