B1noun1K

Grade

UK /["/ɡreɪd/"]/US /["/ɡreɪd/"]/

Definition

a mark given in an exam or for a piece of school work

In simple words: A mark or score you get on school work.

Examples

  • She received a high grade on her math test.
  • The students are excited to see their final grades posted online.
  • He plans to grade the papers over the weekend.
  • In this school, grade levels range from kindergarten to 12th grade.
  • The grade of the soil affects what plants can grow in it.
  • You can use the grade of the road to determine how steep it is.
  • He felt proud of his grade in science, as he had worked very hard.
  • The park is on a slight grade, making it a beautiful spot to walk.

Usage notes

Used commonly in educational contexts to refer to scores or levels of quality. In formal writing, 'grade' may refer to classifications, while in informal contexts, it can indicate quality (e.g., 'This is a grade A product').

Grammar pattern

grade + object

Memory hint

Think of a 'grade' being like a letter in a school report—A, B, C!

Collocations

  • final
  • A
  • B
  • achieve
  • attain
  • earn
  • grade point average
  • sixth
  • third
  • etc.
  • enter
  • start
  • complete
  • level
  • school
  • in… grade
  • high
  • top
  • low
  • high
  • senior
  • junior
  • at a/​the… grade
  • on a/​the… grade

Synonyms

  • score
  • mark
  • rating
  • evaluation
  • assessment

Antonyms

  • fail
  • underperform

Common mistakes

  • Confused with 'great' — they sound similar but mean different things.
  • Using 'grade' as a verb without clarifying the object — e.g., 'I will grade.' is incomplete.
  • Omitting the article; say 'a grade' instead of just 'grade' when necessary.